Wife Carrying

So, you think you're pretty tough?  At your Crossfit club you do "Fran" in 3 minutes you say?  Why don't you try carrying "Fran" through 253 metres of hell instead?  All 175lbs of her!

Originating in Finland this sport is locally known as Eukonkanto.  Its origins are as murky as the sport itself but many believe that it originated in the practice of stealing wives from neighbouring villages.  It has now developed into an internationally recognized sport.

There are a few rules.  The course is about 253 metres long and must feature two dry obstacles (like fences) and a water obstacle (approx 1 metre deep).  You can carry your wife any way you like but she may not touch the ground at any point in the race.

Training for the Wife Carry

You need powerful legs and back to survive the wife carry.  This means Barbell Squat.

Its best to use a squat rack to do the barbell squat.  The rack helps you load the bar onto your shoulders safely.  Feet wide apart.  Heels planted.  Back straight.  Knees out.  Sink down under control and come to a full rest at the bottom (don't bounce Tigger!).  Press slowly upward until your knees lock at the top.  Go for 3 sets of 12.

Deadlift

The Deadlift is a great exercise for developing overall power.  This will work glutes and back muscles.  Just what you need to haul your bride over the gruelling Wife Carry course.  Load the bar up with a humble weight for a set of warm-up lifts and then start stacking the iron on.  Feet wide apart.  Overhand or alternating hand grip on the bar.  Heels planted. Back straight.  Chest up and out.  Now press your feet into the floor until you're standing upright.  Finish the lift by pushing your pelvis forward.  Finally, slowly lower the bar to the floor.  Do 4 working sets of 15.

Cardio

Since you will be doing a lot of running during the Wife Carry.  You need to run in your training.  Run 5 km 3 times a week.  Try to get some hills into your route to beast your glutes and calves.

Burpee Pull-Ups

I'd like to meet the evil genius who invented these.  The cruel offspring of burpee and pull-up.  Its simple:  do a Burpee.  But, as you pop up from your Burpee, grab the pull-up bar and do a pull-up...before dropping back down to do another Burpee...and...just keep going.  This punishment will pay-off as you collect your Wife Carry grand prize.

Technique Training.

Nothing can substitute for the practicality of lugging the Mrs around in training.  This is really what its all about.  She has to work on her gripping technique also.  The most popular carry now a days is "Estonian Style" - head-down, arms wrapped around waist.  Start with short walks around the neighbourhood and work your way up to full 300 metre runs.  Eventually, work some stair training into the routine.  You should do one good wife carry workout per week.

The Prize

The winner gets his wife's weight in beer.  In this photo you can see the proud victor watching as his wife's equal in beer is tallied.

Tom

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Hockey - Get Ready Now

This is a repost from a couple of years ago.  A timely re-read.

 

 

 

Ahhh...Summertime.  The hockey gear is all stuffed into the bag and fermenting in the garage.  The legs are getting mushy.  Abs are getting slack.  Cardio is dropping.  Summer is either and excuse to get soft and flabby or an opportunity to build-up your sharp end-of-season conditioning to a new zenith.  Here are a few exercises to get you started on your off-season.  I'll follow-up with more in August when its time to really amp-up for go-time!

Box Jumps

Box Jumps are an excellent exercise for glutes and quads.  These are prime skating muscles that you need to develop over the summer.  Stand in front of a knee-high box or platform, bend at the knees and waist, swing your arms and leap up onto the box.  Jump back down and do it again.  Aim for 20.  Each workout - add two more.

Running

Yeah, I know.  You hate running.  Too bad.  Its a great cardio-vascular exercise.  It keeps heart, lungs and legs in top order.  If you're lucky enough to live near a beach - run on the sand.  The soft sand creates a wicked workout for your calves too.  Run at least twice per week.  Aim for 5km each time.

Core Strength

Get ready for the Windshield Wiper.  This gut wrenching core workout will make you a monster on ice next fall.  Hang from a chin-up bar.  Hoist both feet up to the level of the bar.  Let them drop down to one side.  Crank them back to the other.  As fast as you can.  Try for about 20.

Upper Body

The Pull-Up is a great upper-body exercise.  You can do this at home or in the playground or at the gym.  I know - its tough.  Some guys can't even do one pull-up.  Keep trying.  Jump up into the up position and hold it as long as you can.  This will strengthen those muscles. Pull-ups work lats, biceps and strengthen grip (which is super important in hockey).

Stay focussed in the off-season and get ready to dominate the ice during try-outs.

Tom

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Home Workout for Police

Long shifts, overtime and family commitments make it tough to get to the gym consistently for many police.  But you have to stay fit.  Here's a simple fitness maintenance program that you can do at home.

Wall Sit

The Wall Sit is great for your quads.  Place your feet about 18 inches from the wall.  Put your back to the wall and slide down until your knees are at 90 degrees.  Hold it for 30 seconds.

Lunges

Stationary Lunges are great for quads and hamstrings.  Take a large step forward. Imagine just barely touching your back knee to the floor.  push back to your original position.  Do 12 on one side and then switch sides.

Calf Press on Stairs.

Place the balls of your feet on the edge of a stair tread.  Drop your heels and then press up onto your toes.  Do 2 sets of 25.  This will keep your calves in shape.

Push-ups

The push-up is the king of upper body exercises.  It works pecs, triceps and anterior delts.  Keep your body nice and straight.  Go deep and slow.  Do 2 sets of 20.

Bench Dips

Place the heels of your hands on a stable surface about 18 inches off the ground or floor.  Lower your buttocks as far as you can and then push yourself up using your hands.  Do 3 sets of 15.  This is a great tricep exercise.

Low Plank

This is a great ab workout.  Plant your toes.  Get on your elbows.  Using gut strength, raise your body off the floor and hold yourself as straight as possible (in a plank!).  Go up and down about 20 times.

Cardio - Mountain Climber

This is a wicked little cardio exercise that you can do anywhere.  Adopt the high plank position (top position of a push-up).  Bring one knee toward your face and then switch for the other one...really fast.  Aim for 30 the first time and try to add 5 more every day.

This post is dedicated to my friend and client, Hugo who keeps the streets safe so that we can sleep at night.

Tom

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Kettlebell

The Kettlebell is a really cool and versatile piece of exercise equipment.  Originally developed in Russia in the 18th century, this simple fitness tool is enjoying a comeback. 

Kettlebells come in a wide variety of sizes and some are rubber coated.  Some have adjustable weights.

Kettlebells are best used for dynamic swinging exercises and when their unique shape is an advantage.

One of my favourite kettlebell exercises is the Crossfit-style kettlebell swing.  This exercise is actually a great ab exercise.

To do the kettlebell swing start with your feet wide apart.  Bend your knees.  Hold the kettlebell with both hands close to the ground and start it swinging.  Build up speed until the momentum brings the kettlebell right overhead.  Briefly stop the kettlebell straight overhead and let it swing back down.  Bend at the knees and keep your back straight.  I stand well clear of clients when I get them to do this exercise (just in case).

Snowflakes keep you cool during Kettlebell Swing

Kettlebells are not better at dumbbell exercises than dumbbells.  I don't prescribe using kettlebells for arm curls etc.  This just looks uncomfortable.  Dumbbells would be better.

Don't get tempted to do bizarre, meaningless exercises with kettlebells.  Most kettlebells aren't stable and are not meant for doing funky push-ups, handstands etc.

Tom

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