Stew’s Favorites: Swim and Body-Weight Pyramids

We developed a new workout this week, using a theme often used in swimming workouts, by making pyramids of the following distances: 500,  400, 300, 200 and 100 meters. Check out the adjustment to exercises and reps:

Warmup with burpee pyramid run: One burpee, 50-meter run; two burpees, 50-meter run ... keep going until you stop at 10 = 55 burpees.

Stair crawl (up/down one flight in bear-crawl mode)

Max rep set workout

Total reps done any way you want:

• 100 pull-ups
• 200 burpees -- burpee warmup/cooldown count at 100 reps, so only 100 more
• 300 squats (no weights)
• 400 abs of choice (flutter kicks, sit-ups, crunches, leg levers, etc.)
• 500 seconds of plank pose (8:20 of plank)

The numbers above are obtained by max rep setting the exercises in any order you wish and keeping track of the reps completed in your head while training. When done with above, cool down with the remaining burpee pyramid.

Stair crawl

Cooldown burpees:

Nine burpees, run 50 meters ... repeat and return to one = 100 total burpees.

Swim:

• 500 meters timed combat swimmer stroke (CSS)
• 400 meters hypox at 8-10 strokes per breath
• 300 meters = 3 x 100 meters goal pace CSS
• 200 meters: Over/unders (Swim over using CSS or freestyle for 25 meters. The next 25 meters is underwater or freestyle, with zero breaths. Only do this with a partner and lifeguard present; never alone). Rest as needed.
• 100-meter sprint any stroke

500-meter cooldown with fins.

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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