| By the end of the summer we wait for this time | | | | combinations. For our holiday purposes, the idea is |
| of year when we can trade our bathing suits for | | | | to combine any conditioning movements in an |
| hoodies and the grilled chicken salads for steak | | | | interval style. The term interval refers to short |
| and potatoes. It's bulk season, right? And this | | | | intense bursts of exertion followed by a brief |
| year you're serious! With every bite, your one | | | | recovery period. This training pattern will push you |
| forkful closer to the beastly physique you've been | | | | mentally and physically to new limits. The interval |
| striving for every season. Just think, that bacon | | | | style allows your body work intensely and get |
| cheese burger is building your cobra-like lats and | | | | much more work done in a shorter period of |
| that cheese cake at the Christmas party? | | | | time. Training this intensely has proven time and |
| Massive forearms and brute grip strength will be | | | | again to keep the heart rate elevated long after |
| yours! While pint after pint of holiday cheer | | | | the training session is over. Even up to 24 hours! |
| pushes those abs out in massive, distended glory! | | | | So while you're sleeping and eating, your body is |
| Or could this be one of those rare incidences | | | | still struggling to recover. For you, that's a great |
| where quality does trump quantity? Considering | | | | thing. The longer and harder your body has to try |
| that you can only naturally put on up to 0.5 | | | | to recover from intense exertion, the higher your |
| pounds of muscle a week and around 10-15 | | | | heart rate stays. The end result is burning more |
| pounds a year, is it completely necessary to pack | | | | calories per hour on the couch. Meanwhile, you're |
| on massive amounts of weight in the "off | | | | spared the boredom and tediousness of steady |
| season?" It might be tough to swallow but some | | | | state cardio (generally reserved for very low carb |
| of that extra poundage is a bit more quantity | | | | diet phases anyway). Your glucose stores are |
| than quality. Even when gaining size and strength, | | | | plenty full so tap into them and get bigger, |
| the male body especially isn't required to go | | | | stronger, faster and stay leaner. |
| above 12% body fat to do so. Wanting to put on | | | | These GPP/Interval style sessions should be put |
| muscle is no excuse to get fat. This might be | | | | at the end of your workout and never before. If |
| very disappointing for some but consider this: The | | | | your regular work out takes longer than 45-60 |
| more extra body fat you put on, the sooner you'll | | | | minutes it would be best to save this workout for |
| have to start dieting in spring and the tighter your | | | | later or even 24 hours after a major workout to |
| nutrition will have to be. That's right, forget the | | | | boost recovery. This is truly multitasking at its |
| cheat meals. But there's good news. I'm not trying | | | | best. But keep in mind, after 45-60 minutes your |
| to tell you what not to eat. Hell, it's the holidays. | | | | testosterone level falls off a bit and you just |
| But let's look at this from a different perspective. | | | | won't have the tenacity you need to reap the full |
| What I can help you with is turning your body into | | | | benefits of this bonus work out. The GPP interval |
| even more of a food burning machine. Not only | | | | sessions can range anywhere from a "no excuse |
| will this compliment your caloric influx but give you | | | | 5 minute quickie" or a 30 minute slaughter. But no |
| an opportunity to condition weak areas and boost | | | | longer! Remember, intensity is the key to keeping |
| your recovery time. So if you find yourself knee | | | | the heart rate elevated longer and increasing your |
| deep in eggnog with a mouth full of sugar cookies, | | | | overall condition. |
| read on. | | | | Here are some general conditioning examples but |
| As a female power lifter competing in the 123 | | | | don't be afraid to get creative. I encourage you |
| weight class, I work to stay as lean as I can while | | | | to mix some of your own exercises with |
| consistently increasing my lifts. I need to make | | | | conditioning movements to work on your specific |
| the most of every pound of body weight in order | | | | trouble areas that could use some catching up. |
| to be successful in each meet. I have 4 world | | | | General Conditioning Examples |
| records and 2 American records to defend. | | | | 1. 5 minute kettle bell tabata: 5 minutes of heavy |
| Needless to say, I take my condition very | | | | swings using a 20 seconds on and 10 seconds |
| seriously. It can also be a challenge to keep the | | | | rest pattern. Feeling brave? Try it with KB or DB |
| holiday pounds off to save me the trouble of | | | | snatches. |
| dieting later to make weight. Even though you | | | | 2. 15 - 30 minutes treadmill/jump rope intervals: |
| might be looking to pack on some size, our goals | | | | walk one minute very steep uphill at a steady |
| are not so different. The beauty to GPP intervals | | | | pace followed by one minute of quick jumproping. |
| is that there is no end to possibilities no matter | | | | 3. 5 - 10 minute Thruster/Burpee combo: 20 |
| what your specific goal may be. They are ever | | | | seconds of thrusters, 20 seconds full burpees |
| adjustable. As Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell | | | | (complete with push up and triple extension) |
| writes, they can even be used to specifically | | | | followed by 20 seconds rest |
| condition your weaker areas while increasing your | | | | Upper Body Assistance Example |
| overall work capacity. | | | | 1. DB power cleans 15 - 20 reps, Alternating |
| No matter the season, pre or post contest of | | | | Renegade Rows for 20, plyo push up for 10, 30 |
| any sort, you need to keep your body | | | | seconds rest. |
| conditioned. GPP is necessary in all stages of the | | | | Lower Body Assistance Example |
| game. We use the term GPP (general physical | | | | 1. Sled dragging 5 minutes, 30 KB swings, 25 |
| preparedness) to describe the process of | | | | situps. |
| increasing the body's work capacity. We also use | | | | Work on flexibility even! Tight Hips? |
| it to avoid dirty words like "cardio" or "calorie | | | | 1. |
| burning." There are infinite possibilities and | | | | |