High Achievers & Athletes,

This is a question I asked myself a few days ago, during a hike in the gorgeous Dolomites region (Italy). 

While Marine and I were going up & down from Lago Di Sorapis (which ended up to be a much steeper hike than what we initially thought), I couldn’t stop thinking of the different movements I was constantly repeating in order to effectively and safely descend the mountain we were on. 

Curtsy Squat

Tall Box Step Downs

Kickstand Squat

Goblet Lateral Box Step Up

Box Jump Step Down 

Knee Over Toe Split Squats 

… where all the movements I saw myself performing in the gym since many, many years. 

RESISTANCE TRAINING AND REAL LIFE SCENARIO 

I find that hiking up on a the top of a mountain is such a true reflection of your fitness. 

When you ascent a tough hike with a 10kg backpack on your shoulders and a rocky terrain, you absolutely need robust joints, a strong midline, resilient legs added to extremely cheeky glutes. Hips, knees and ankles are all strongly connected which a bunch of different muscle groups that act simultaneously to help you reach the top of the summit (and to eventually go down afterward). 

The total number of steps the are required for climbing up and going down can have a toll on your body… when the stimulus hasn’t been applied. 

The repeated repetitions of your knee tracking over your toes, landing from rocks to rocks, putting your feet on unstable surfaces, while controlling the eccentric for landing on the ground appropriately are actions that can be traumatic on your body if you haven't take an appropriate evolutions for learning those different movements patterns and letting your joints, tendons and ligaments get use to a real life scenario.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FUNCTIONAL RESISTANCE TRAINING 

Resistance training isn’t just about looking good and reaching for an arbitrary aesthetic goal. Resistance and strength training offers you the possibility to train your body for any particular skills (most likely performed while you are out of the gym) and creating a stronger body capable of handling any types of stress. 

As an example, a stressful situation could be interpreted such as our last hike with a 16h of moving time across the edge of a mountain starting at 4:20 in the morning with 3h of sleep (PR on Strava).

To be able to effectively handle such an important physical demand without any specific training, our resistance training background allowed us to safely complete the hike, without collapsing or ending it injured (just a touch tired).

INCREASING PROGRESSIVELY STRESS DEMAND 

If we remain on our hiking scenario, have a look at how a linear evolution could look like in a Functional Resistance Training (FRT) session and the way we structure workouts in our 1:1 ONLINE PREMIUM COACHING service.

WEEK 1

Part 1: Absolute Single Leg Strength 

3-4 sets: Every 75” x 8-10 sets (4-5/side)

Goblet Curtsy Reverse Lunges: 8 reps @ 31X1 tempo*

Execution: 

Clock starts.

Every 75” you’ll perform 8 reps @ 31X1 tempo meaning that once you are done you rest before switching side. 

Part 2: Functional Pump Conditioning

3-4 sets @ 80% effort: 

10cal cardio of choice (preferably stair master, running, or Ski Erg) 

Rest 15”

10 Box Jump Step Down @ challenging height 

Rest 15”

30” Goblet Wall Sit 

Rest 60-90” before staring another set

WEEK 2

On the second week, we can progress with more challenging positions, shorter rest periods and other type of exercises while not changing too many variables. 

Part 1: Absolute Single Leg Strength

3-4 sets: Every 75” x 8-10 sets (4-5/side)

Goblet Curtsy Drop Lunge: 8 reps @ 31X1 tempo 

Coach Notes: challenge yourself with your loading this week while adding a 15-20cm deficit. 

Part 2: Functional Pump Conditioning

3-4 sets @ 85% effort: 

12cal cardio of choice (preferably stair master, running, or Ski Erg) 

Rest 10”

15 Box Jump Step Down 

Rest 10”

30” Goblet Cyclist Squat Pulses 

Rest 60-90” before starting another set

WEEK 3

This week, we continuously progress through our main movements while adding complexity and challenge on other parts to  seek out progression while not increasing overall training volume too much. 

Part 1: Absolute Single Leg Strength

3-4 sets: Every 75” x 8-10 sets (4-5/side)

Goblet Curtsy Drop Lunge: 8 reps @ 31X1 tempo 

Coach Notes: challenge yourself with your loading this week and try to finish last set to failure. 

Part 2: Functional Pump Conditioning

3-4 sets @ 90% effort: 

15cal cardio of choice (preferably stair master, running, or Ski Erg) 

5 Box Jump Over Clear The Box 

45” Goblet Wall Sit 

Rest 60-90” before starting another set

*Reminder: 

The first digit "3", is the eccentric, or lowering phase.

The second number "1", is the pause at the bottom of the movement.

The third number "X", is the concentric, or raising phase, "X" indicating EXPLODE up.

The fourth number "1", is the pause at the top of the movement.

 With those notions in mind, I hope you’ll:

1. Be better equipped next time you test your fitness in an usual scenario

2. That you will reframe the way you pursue strength/resistance training 

3. And to truly ask yourself… what do you train for?

Personally, I train for exploring what my mind & body can achieve in order to discover what this world has to offer. 

What about you?

Passionately, 

Max & Ben 

Written by Benjamin Desmet

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