The Spartan Guide to Strengthening Your Weaknesses
When it comes to progressing and evolving into a fitter, tougher, more competitive athlete focusing on improving your weaknesses instead of reinforcing your strengths is the route to take. While it’s tempting to follow the routines you excel at, that does nothing to resolve what’s been holding you back.
So, if you can run for days, but have limited strength, you’re going to literally run into trouble once you’re faced with a strength-based obstacle. Or, if you’re strong and powerful, but can’t sustain it, you’ll burn out too soon. And if your mobility is lacking, look out, injuries are imminent.
Spartan Director of Training, Sam Stuaffer lays out a battle plan to tackle all-things training weaknesses, from conditioning to mobility and everything in between. Each begins with an assessment to establish your baseline followed by a series of workouts and progressions over the course of several weeks. Then, a retest to establish your new baseline.
Related: How to Be a Master of All-Things Fitness (Hint: It Starts with Your Priorities)
WEAKNESS: Athletic Conditioning
Step 1: It’s very important to assess yourself to set your benchmark. Repeat it after five weeks.
Baseline Challenge: Bust a Burpee
Your goal is to complete 30 burpees as quickly as you possibly can. You’ll want to give your all each time you come back to this assessment to see accurate improvement.
After your assessment, do the following three workouts each week over a five-week span. Then, come back and take on Bust a Burpee to see your gains.
Workout 1 (Monday): Spartan Stamina (conditioning)
This workout will consist of two time-based circuits targeting your whole body. You will have small rest periods between exercises with a longer recovery coming between circuits. Make sure to exert yourself while keeping quality form.
Week 1: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 2: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 3: Repeat both strength circuits twice.
Week 4: Repeat both strength circuits twice.
Week 5: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Workout 2 (Wednesday): Sprint to the Finish (race simulation)
It’s time to test your strength endurance with this six-exercise circuit. You can space your reps out for each exercise but aim for minimal to zero rest periods cause you are trying to finish this two-round circuit as fast as you can.
Week 1: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 2: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 3: Repeat entire workout twice.
Week 4: Repeat entire workout twice.
Week 5: Follow the workout as prescribed.
DO THE WORKOUT NEED LINK
Workout 3 (Friday): Inching to Victory (conditioning)
This time-based circuit is a full-body workout incorporating strength, power, and core exercises. There are three circuits, so the overall intensity is increased. Be prepared to put the work in and get after it!
Week 1: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 2: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 3: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 4: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 5: Follow the workout as prescribed.
WEAKNESS: Pure Strength
Step 1: It’s very important to assess yourself to set your benchmark. Repeat it after five weeks.
Baseline Challenge: The Sixty
We're going to set the legs on fire with this finisher. It's a great compliment to a full workout and will leave you with a nice afterburn. Focus on your breathing and work to complete as many quality reps as you can for each round.
After your assessment, do the following three workouts each week over a five-week span. Then, come back and take on The Sixty to see your gains.
Workout 1: Body Rock (strength)
Move through all of the movements in this circuit without a rest except for between sets.
Week 1: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 2: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 3: Repeat strength circuit twice.
Week 4: Repeat strength circuit twice.
Week 5: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Workout 2: Lowers and Uppers (strength)
This is a two-circuit workout. The first is going to be all lower body, then we move to the upper body.
Week 1: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 2: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 3: Increase weight by 10 to 20lbs.
Week 4: Increase weight by 10 to 20lbs.
Week 5: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Workout 3: Pull and Push It to the Limit (strength)
This is a two-circuit workout separated by just 60 seconds of rest. The first works on the push, the second on the pull.
Week 1: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 2: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 3: Increase weight by 10 to 20lbs.
Week 4: Increase weight by 10 to 20lbs.
Week 5: Follow the workout as prescribed.
WEAKNESS: Muscular Endurance
Step 1: It’s very important to assess yourself to set your benchmark. Repeat it after five weeks.
Baseline Challenge: Hangin Tough
We're going to test your endurance and mental toughness here. It's only one set of each so get ready and get after it.
After your assessment, do the following three workouts each week over a five-week span. Then, come back and take on Hangin Tough to see your gains.
Workout 1: 15 Minute Body Buster (bodyweight)
We're going to be working the entire body with two circuits. You'll rest briefly between exercises then you'll have a longer rest when the round is completed.
Week 1: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 2: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 3: Do both strength circuits twice.
Week 4: Do both strength circuits twice.
Week 5: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Workout 2: Circuit Climber (bodyweight)
This workout is going to challenge you with progressively-intense circuits that increase in difficulty every set. Take your time getting warmed up and then get into it.
Week 1: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 2: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 3: Do both strength circuits twice.
Week 4: Do both strength circuits twice.
Week 5: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Workout 3: Ramp Up (bodyweight)
In this workout we are going to work harder and longer as it gets tougher. Dig in and focus on one set at a time.
Week 1: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 2: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 3: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 4: Repeat strength circuits twice.
Week 5: Follow the workout as prescribed.
WEAKNESS: Mobility
Step 1: It’s very important to assess yourself to set your benchmark. Repeat it after five weeks.
Baseline Challenge: The Overhead Squat and Ankle Mobility Test
For the overhead squat, video yourself overhead squatting for a few reps. Look for the following things: lean forward of the chest, heels leaving the ground on the way down, not being able to break 90º, knees caving in. Retest to look for improvement on each of these points.
For the ankle mobility test, start in a split stance. While keeping your heel glued to the floor, drive your knee as far forward as possible. Measure the distance that your knee goes over your toes. If the gap is over 2 inches, you're good to go! If your gap is less than 2 inches but your knee still passes your toes, you have some small work to do. If your knee does not pass your toes, you have a lot of work to do. Retest after the 5 weeks.
Workout 1: It's All in the Hips (warm-up)
This one’s all in the hips.Take your time getting your legs and hips warmed up and make sure you perform all the reps on each side. Enjoy this one and get ready for what's to come!
Week 1: Follow the workout as prescribed
Week 2: Follow the workout as prescribed
Week 3: Follow the workout as prescribed
Week 4: Follow the workout as prescribed
Week 5: Follow the workout as prescribed
Workout 2: Mobility in Motion (warm-up)
Get your hips, torso, and shoulders open and ready for any workout.
Week 1: Follow the workout as prescribed
Week 2: Follow the workout as prescribed
Week 3: Follow the workout as prescribed
Week 4: Follow the workout as prescribed
Week 5: Follow the workout as prescribed
Workout 3: Loose Lower Legs (warm-up)
This quick bodyweight warm-up will get your legs warm, muscles loose, and joints primed.
Week 1: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 2: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 3: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 4: Follow the workout as prescribed.
Week 5: Follow the workout as prescribed.
