How-to:

Warmup: 30 second Grok Squat, lateral, forward, and backward leg swings (10 each leg).

Today’s workout comes courtesy of reader Brad C. Hodson, who left ideas for four grueling workouts in the comment section two weeks ago. I drew from the first three he described. The sled drag would have been great, but I didn’t think enough people would have had access to a sled to make it work. If you do, feel free to add it in for fun. Well, maybe “fun” isn’t the right word. Add it in for punishment, rather. Having run through the workout, I can vouch both that it’s Primal approved and “punishment” is indeed the preferred nomenclature.

The Gauntlet involves arranging heavy objects 10 yards apart in a straight line. Sprint to the first object (10 yards away), pick it up with one hand, and suitcase carry it back. Sprint to the second object (20 yards away), pick it up with one hand, and suitcase carry it back. Repeat for the last two objects. Take a minute or two to catch your breath and return the objects to their original spots by suitcase carrying to and sprinting fro. A suitcase carry is like a farmer’s carry (keeping your torso tall and upright with shoulder blades back and retracted), only with one hand. It sounds easier because you’re carrying less weight, but using only one hand means you’re really unbalanced.

After the Gauntlet, take a minute to rest, then Grok crawl 20 yards, hop up, and immediately duck walk back to your starting spot. In a duck walk, you attempt to maintain the bottom position of a squat while walking. There will obviously be some vertical movement, but try to minimize it.

Take two minutes to rest, then grab your sandbag. Brad calls for a 50 pound bag, which is a good weight for a fit person, but make sure you get a bag you can handle. If you don’t have a sandbag, any heavy object that can handle a pounding will work. Sledgehammers work in a pinch, obviously, though the weight distribution is different and the effect won’t be the same. Clean the bag up to your shoulders, lift it overhead, and slam it down on the ground. Repeat 15 times for 3 sets. Rest no more than a minute in between sets.

Brad, if you’re reading this, you’ve won a Primal prize package. Thanks for the great ideas!

A few things to remember:

• Use weights you can handle. Don’t use a sandbag so heavy that your back’s doing all the work. Don’t try to suitcase carry something that pulls your spine into dangerously lateral flexion.
• Don’t overdo it. While this is obviously a metabolically-taxing workout, don’t let your form suffer in pursuit of a faster time. Keep your movements crisp and clean, especially on the sandbag slams.

Variations:

Feel free to add or subtract weight, distance, or reps as needed.

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