Workout of the Week: Spartan 300 Workout

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Paratroopers go on run at Alaskan base.
LTC Joshua Gaspard leads the paratroopers from 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment during the brigade Airborne Day run on Aug. 16, 2018, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (Capt. Ashley Bain-Sangster/U.S. Army photo)

We combined a challenging concept of the 300 workout (300 reps of six exercises -- 50 each) this week with a common one we do when working on mile pace, grip and core events. Check out the following exercises and explanations for a challenging upper-body, core and cardio workout.

Upper body 300: The goal is to accumulate 300 total repetitions by blasting through the following six exercises of 50 repetitions each. You can do this as a single exercise workout, getting one exercise done at a time (takes longer), or you can make a circuit out of a few opposing muscle groups (push, pull, abs) with little to no rest in between. It is a faster way to accomplish the first part of the workout and will keep your heart rate up higher throughout the program.

Burpee/pull-up pyramid 1-10 (stop at 10): Warm up with a quick burpee/pull-up pyramid mixed with a 25-meter run. This is best done on an outdoor pull-up bar where you can have a burpee station about 25 meters away from the pull-up bar and go back and forth as your warmup. 

This is a 1-10 and stop pyramid totaling 55 pull-ups and burpees. Do not go back down the pyramid; stop at 10 and move on.

300-rep events

  • 50 pull-ups
  • 50 TRX atomic push-ups or bench press 135 pounds or body weight
  • 50 biceps curls into military press
  • 50 kettlebell swings (40-60 pounds)
  • 50 TRX rollouts or five-minute plank pose
  • 50 dips

Pick a weight that makes it challenging to accumulate 50 repetitions. You should be doing 3-4 sets at the least to get 50 repetitions.

Cardio/core/grip

Run one mile. Focus on your goal mile pace for any timed distance run. Push yourself as if you were running a 1.5-, two-, three- or four-mile timed run.

Farmer walk 400 meters. Grab a single dumbbell or kettlebell and walk 400 meters. Switch hands when you need to change grip.

Run one mile. The same mile as before. Work on your goal timed run pace for as long as you can keep it up.

Farmer walk 400 meters. The same as above.

Run one mile. Do the best you can. Make sure you have fuel (some kind of juice or Gatorade) to keep pushing yourself in order to go for another aerobic mile, if needed.

Bear crawl 200 meters. Challenge the shoulders, hips and core one more time with this classic exercise. Stay off your knees.

Run a cooldown mile.

Extra cooldown/mobility. If you need to cool down more, try treading, swimming and doing dynamic stretches in chest-deep water. Use your arms to tread for 5-10 minutes to loosen up from the above challenge, then try to swim as far as you can in 10 minutes. Follow it with dynamic stretches in chest-deep water for 10 minutes.

We always have called these type of workouts Spartan runs when you mix in running with other activities. Now we have the Spartan Run, plus 300.

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you’re looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.

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