(Specialty warm-up: 5L, 5R Mace shovel, 10 weighted walking lunge)

5 rounds of: 10 Mace shovel (Left) 10 Walking lunge (Mace in top shovel position- left) 10 Mace shovel (Right) 10 Walking lunge (Mace in top shovel position- right) :20 sec. rest/ assessment Mace shovel: Lower body starting and ending position and order of operations should be a seamless transfer from deadlift- make adjustments as needed. If suitable weight is not available, movement may also be scaled by shortening the distance between hands, always leaving the rear hand at the very end of the handle.

Lunge: Arms remain locked-out with both hands above eyeline during entire set; If lock-out fails, or becomes balance (as opposed to tension), reset briefly, find it, and continue safely. Addition of the mace does not change any foundational element of the lunge; If organized overhead position becomes involuntarily unsustainable, adjust to lunge with mace in the extended-arm position.

Then, 10 minutes of:

5 Sumo squat @ minimum 25lb. W, 35lb. M (use bumper plate held directly at chest)

5 Rocking chair @ same

5 Push-up/ Airplane push-up 5 breath reset (up to but not to exceed :15 sec.)

Bumper plate stays in-hand and in-place for the 10 level-change reps. Focus in this drill are posture- position- transition; Insist on ONE-step transitions from Sumo to rocking chair in each round, both to ensure awareness of their differences and to keep switches quick and efficient. Energy spent in excess movement can easily take away from solid work pace and sustained output.

Sumo squat: Especially when learning this variation, we find the challenge is often how the weight is addressed on the ground or held on the body; It is either too high, too low, too far back, too far forward... Holding a bumper hard, with arms bent and tight, allows full focus on and adjustment into perfect starting position and order-of-operations with the legs. If the Sumo looks and feels like simply a slightly wider squat, we missed it, and please adjust it. We're happy to help.

Suggestion: Line the outside of each big toe up with a straight line on the floor (cut in the mats, etc). Do not allow the toes, OR the knees to travel inside that line at ANY point in the squat, while still maintaining strong posture and achieving full, below-parallel range of motion. Drive out on the way down, stay braced, and drive out again on the way up.

And then, 5 attentive, aggressive rounds of:

5 Box jump @ (up to) 24" W, 30" M 5 Burpee

100 Jumprope

No designated rest here. If needed, keep it to 3 breaths or less, no more than twice. This drill- performed attentively and violently, should take approximately 5 minutes.

Once baseline conditioning is established, this is as short and simple- or as lengthy and arduous- as your mind makes it. Box jump height is scaled to ability; Not to exceed 75% of 1RM.

And finally, “Time under tension”: 25 Kettlebell Good Morning/ Suitcase Good Morning @ minimum 1/2 BW + 50 1-arm kettlebell swing @ 35lb. W, 55lb. M (5 x 5L, 5R) If designated weight is not a cool-down weight, adjust accordingly.