warrior cardio: Week 1

Hi all, I started my 'warrior cardio' training this week and decided to update a weekly blog about the 12 week journey and provide a rolling book review along the way. Here are my stats on starting the program: 

Body composition results 30/4

Weight - 80.6kg

Muscle mass - 40.6kg

Fat mass - 9.7kg (12%)

Results taken every saturday morning via Inbody, which gives consistent readings but can be affected day-to-day by increased/decreased Glycogen storage, showing muscle mass fluctuation in short time.

Heart rate results per session

Zone 1 - 108-124
Zone 2 - 125-142
Zone 3 - 143 - 166

Session 1 - 30/4
Duration - 1:05
Zones - 3-01:12 / 2-04:19 / 1-33:31
Calories - 418
% Calories fat burn - 39%
Average Heart rate - 96
Maximal Heart rate - 149

Session 2 - 2/5

Duration - 1:13
Zones - 3-02:25 / 2-03:41 / 1-33:07
Calories - 478
% Calories fat burn - 37%
Average Heart rate - 97
Maximal Heart rate - 160

Added 4 minute concept 2 row at 1032m

Session 3 - 4/5

Duration - 1:27
Zones - 3-09:06 / 2-12;51 / 1-47:30
Calories - 817*
% Calories fat burn - 28%
Average Heart rate - 109
Maximal Heart rate - 157

*Added 10 minute concept 2 row at 2460m to begin session and 3 x 20s sprints between each barbell complex. Notice how much the calorie burn increases?

Anytime Martin Rooney puts an article, training plan, book, etc out I listen. He is the king of keeping things simple and that's a massive compliment in an industry losing its mind in the maze of crappy gadgets and ineffective training styles. So you could say that when my warrior cardio book arrived on april 19 I was mildly ecstatic. I read the book and loved the simple, direct language and instruction. This is a guy who commands the respect and audience of some of the best mma fighters in the world and reading this book makes you feel 'inside the walls' with them. 

Great book, hi

The first glaringly obvious thing I noticed doing the sessions was how much I had been overdoing it on the volume and intensity in my training. I was simply doing too much hard work and my body (pretty fit and battle hard) was about to rebel against me again. It's like warrior cardio came at exactly the right time for me. 

Firstly, I look at Rooney and his athletes and that is how I want to a) look and 2) perform. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree! I'm a big believer in walking the walk and talking the talk. What I mean by this is that I see countless guys getting it wrong in the gym, training like bodybuilders but do not have the goal to look like competitive bodybuilders. For bodybuilding to work you really need to have a strict diet and lifestyle which most normal clients struggle with. This usually results in the big muscles/big waist scenario. But I digress... 

Secondly, I'm looking at the exercises and illustrations and it's a whole bunch of different movements/combinations which are always cool and exciting to do. I love introducing new exercises in the gym. Occasionally I see someone doing something cool and I like to pinch it for a rainy day. Over the next 12 weeks I'm gonna be a wet dream for anybody looking for new stuff! So im down from 6 hours training a week to just over 3 and only 60 minutes of that is moderate to intense. The preparation phases of each workout are lasting 35-40 minutes and that feels great. I'm working the hips and core like never before and have been getting back into daily rolling and stretching as prescribed by the book. Rooney really is a master when it comes to programming. I think modern gym culture of 'slamming it' is stupid. This program I can tell already Is going to put me in amazing shape for whatever comes next - that's the hallmark of a great program. 

 "smart programming will manage fatigue not accumulate it" 

Eric Cressey 

Gunning it every single session will get results, no doubt. But it will quickly become a dead end that will require that you stop and slowly make your way back to where you came from. Warrior cardio is all about strengthening the body from the core outwards.

Proper recovery must follow hard work

After the first session I could feel my hips, obliques, lower back cramping from the new muscle activation/movements - its not like i hadn't done this stuff before but certainly not as long or with as much focus.. The plank series (planks were super lame to me last week) are awesome. Now I'm kicking my own and my clients' asses with new combinations that feel great. Simple And effective. What I loved about the exercises this week is that they were totally relevant and applicable to all of my clients. The plank and hip series a now embedded in my preparation phases for several clients, they felt great and I am happy to pass them on. Generally a Great week, felt some muscle stiffness through the new movements (in a good way) and realized just how tight/weak my hips are. This is gonna transform some of my older clients hip health for sure. Can't for Sunday where I plan out the next 3 workouts!

Hip bridges are a staple in the program

 Week 2 of 12 update next week :)

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