Beat Downs

A 90 minute gym workout at full-pitch intensity. Robb Wolf calls them "beat downs", and thinks they do no good for long-term strength. Rob Shaul says they train mental toughness. Crossfit has the whole workout over and done in 20 minutes - maximum.

Below is a sample "beat down" work out ("Dirty Blondes") from Mountain Athlete from 2009. As the Aussies say "give it a whirl" and see how you find it.

Warm up: 10 minute Kettlebell Complex: 1 minute each doing the following exercises. Don't put kettlebell down during entire time. Men use 12kg, Women, 8 kg.

• 1-Arm Swing left hand
• Figure 8
• 1-Arm Swing right hand
• Figure 8
• 1-Arm clean and press left hand
• Slasher-to-Halo
• Lunge (hold KB in right hand. lunge forward and back with left leg)
• 1-Arm clean and press right hand
• Slasher-to-Halo
• Lunge (hold KB in left hand. lunge forward and back with right leg)

Training:

(1) 8 Rounds, 1 minute each station, go as hard as you can:

• Row
• Mr. Spectacular (M-16kg, W-8kg)
• Ball Slams @ 20#
• Jingle Jangle
• Rope Pull
• Rest

(2) 30-25-20-15-10-5

• Goblet Squats (M-20kg, W-12kg)
• Push ups
• Swings  (M-20kg, W-12kg)
• Toes to Sky
• Horizontal Pullups

Don't be surprised if you feel like this at the end