By Jerimiah Alberty and David Jack
Training “hard” in the greatest gyms on earth is one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences fitness has to offer. And too few of us are taking advantage of it. The greatest gyms on earth aren’t made by human hands. They’re ONE OF A KIND creations by God Himself. They can’t be replicated or replaced. Yet these unique environments are often overlooked and underutilized. As my friend and Faith & Fitness Magazine Publisher Brad Bloom would say, “and folks, they’re FREEEEEE!”
It’s all calling you to venture out and feel the sun on your face (in the right measure) the wind cooling you as catch your breath, the fresh air filling your lungs and the sights and sounds of the great outdoors bringing you closer to the nature of our Creator.
In the southern half of the United States, the winter and early spring time of year is ideal for outdoor activities and exercise. And, for crazy critters like me, maybe punching the clock in the cold and snowy places too. Wherever you are, and whether it’s today, tomorrow or a few months from now, we hope you can take your fitness talents outdoors and check the box on some one of a kind, never to be repeated workouts that no other gym but God’s can offer you. Here’s a 4-exercise total body workout created by Jerimiah Alberty that you can put to the test in your special outdoor training places.
Ideally the main equipment you’ll use are boulders for a bolder workout! Hopefully you’ll find it to be quite the vigorous workout yet still, by virtue of the outdoors, enabling you to intentionally focus more on taking some personal time with God. That’s why this training routine is in our Intense Intents department.
A few considerations before you begin. Like with any workout, pain free patterns, no medical restrictions, and good form are non-negotiable. Adding the outdoor element brings a few more: tell someone where you’ll be and a time frame of how long it might take you. Try to train with a partner. Have a way to communicate in case of emergency. (Have your cell phone charged and ready – although like in the Red Rock Canyon where Jerimiah does this workout there may be little to no service.). Have plenty of water. Use appropriate sun protection. Have a solid understanding of where you are within the environment you’re going to train; AKA don’t get lost. Remember, the natural terrain where you’re training is uneven with loose materials and potential trip hazards AND potentially dangerous ledges where you can fall. Use your head so you don’t lose your head. Lastly, in certain geographic areas, be on critter patrol. Keeping one ear-phone out helps to be more aware of your surroundings.)
THE WORKOUT
Perform the following 4 exercises in a circuit style fashion, focusing on, and completing each exercise before moving on to the next. Rest as long as needed to complete the prescribed work of the next exercise with good form and focus. On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the hardest work, allow yourself to reset to a 3 or 4 before beginning the next exercise. During your work phase, pause or adjust if you’re at or above a 9 out of 10 for an extended period of time, unless your an elite athlete or have an elite level of fitness, in which case you should still limit the exposure and total time of the intensity. Start with 1 full round if you haven’t trained this way in a while. For advanced exercisers, perform 2-3 rounds total.
THE 4 EXERCISES
A1: THE INCLINE PINNACLE PUSH UP
An all time do anywhere, anytime classic total body exercise. The options vary, but the foundation stays the same. Strong, straight bodyline from head to heels. Quads and glutes active, core engaged. Elbows go out and back pain free full range of motion.
Don’t hold your breath, use it for this and all exercises for that matter. Lower under control and push your hands through the ground to drive your body up with intention but not with haste. Keeping your hands at the higher point of the incline will make the push up a bit easier.
Turning your body around and keeping your hands at the lower point of the incline (facing downhill) will be more challenging. You can start facing downhill until your form begins to be challenged and then turn uphill for a few extra reps acting as a drop set of sorts. Perform as many reps as you can with good form until you need to pause. If you’re an advanced exerciser you can perform one more burst of reps after the first pause (1st technical failure +) getting in a few more good reps before completing the set.
A2: THE BOX JUMP
Since we’re outdoors, we might not have access to a box, so like the video, you’ll identify a safe ledge, rock, bench, bale, step, or other surface you feel will appropriately challenge you and your level of fitness and proficiency with this move.
This move has the most potential for risk in our series, as it requires sound jumping and landing mechanics (the latter more important) which are built on a solid, complete, pain free squat pattern, which is built upon a solid athletic stance among other things.
Ankle mobility, joint integrity and capacity are also required for this exercise to serve your fitness and not steal it. If you’re currently jump conditioned, have limited mobility and lower joint issues, you can consider performing it as shown in the video.
For most of us mere mortals who want to remain injury free, I propose the following: Jump up to a lower level object (very safe, very sturdy, testing it first before jumping on it) and land softly with full foot contact, knees out, chest up, arms back, eyes forward and then pause to demonstrate ownership of the jump and the ability to absorb its force properly.
NEXT…STEP DOWN. Yes, STEP DOWN. One foot and then the next. Reset your feet in a good athletic stance, explode up and repeat. Stepping down will reduce the risk of your achilles rolling up like a window shade, and limit other bad things that shouldn’t happen to good people like you. Jump up. Step down. Reset. Repeat. 10 reps total.
Once you can perform 2-3 sets like this and not feel joint pain the next few days, you can consider increasing the jump height a bit. If you can’t jump up, simply step up and down for 20 total steps (10 each side). Rest and move on to the next exercise.
A3: TEAM LIFT FOR LIFE
With a partner, identify an object that’s just a bit too heavy or awkward for either of you to lift alone (but safe together); this could be a boulder as shown in the video, a log, hay bale, row boat, or something else you discover. Together, lower yourself down and prepare to lift the object together. (The prerequisite for this exercise is a proficient and pain free body weight deep squat/deadlift pattern)*
Once you’ve both set your base, established a powerful bottom starting position and gathered your breath, then work together to lift the object in rhythm. That’s one of the keys to the exercise. Timing it with your partner and achieving the lift together, helping each other be successful.
Stand all the way up and stand firm for a few seconds at the top. Feel rooted. Then work together in rhythm again as you lower the weight to the ground under control. Repeat 8-10 times (the weight is probably too heavy if you can’t). Rest and move on to the next exercise.
If you don’t have a partner, choose an object you can lift alone 8-10 times and hold a person in your mind as a dedication for each rep (for example thinking about helping carry their burdens, lifting them up in a time of need, etc. We call this an activprayer.
*If you are unable to squat down with your hips below your knees, keeping your knees tracking over your shins, your heels on the ground and your back flat, loading is out. Work on your pattern first by substituting an exercise like bottoms up body weight squats for 8-12 reps.
[Take a picture of you and your partner together beside the boulder you lifted and post it on your social media with the hashtag we’re using for this issue of Faith & Fitness Magazine:
#teamliftforlife
A4) INCLINE ROCK RUN
Choose a well-groomed trail with a moderate incline as shown in the video, or a beach, grass or road incline. Select 3 smaller boulders (rocks) or weighted objects you can carry easily but become annoying over time (10-15 pounds is plenty).
In a shuttle run fashion, squat down and pick up the first object and carry it up the incline as fast as possible safely (this can be a walk or powerwalk as a starting point) anywhere between 10-25 yards. Safely set the rock down, return to the bottom, pick up the second rock and transport it up the hill beyond the first rock by 10-25 yards, set that object down, return to your starting point and carry the last one 10-25 yards past the first two objects. Set it down safely and feel the burn!
This exercise taps into a different demand and energy system, so you’ll be winded for longer and training strength endurance. When you have a partner working out with you, then you can (as long as you do it safely) do this as a side-by-side race. Run your race wisely and recover properly and fully then return to A1 the INCLINE PUSH UP in the circuit.
That’s it! Get out there. Find YOUR bo(u)lder place. Take a minute to take it in — The majesty and beauty of God’s creation. Pray Him into your session. Take a moment when you’re done to let it sink in. Make it your own. Make it sacred ground. Pray it out.
Now you have workout you can use anytime at your special place outside near home, AND a workout you can take with you anywhere, anytime when you find that special place to train somewhere else!
Post your Facebook comments below. Check out more vigorous and adventurous workouts in the Intense Intents department of Faith & Fitness Magazine.
