Conditioning for Powerifters

[Kuytrider]

Now that I will be doing 3 weight days a week, I can do 3-4 days of jogging. There is a really nice local park by my house and I can run a whopping 3 miles in 30 odd minutes. I feel great and smug after 15 minutes, this smugness quickly evaporates as I slog out the rest of the run. As I work from home and spend half the day at a computer, I don't really have an excuse! Hoping to work my way up to short sprints after my vacation.
Complexes are supposed to be killer conditioning tools and I guess throwing in the odd 20+ rep compound exercise can be fun, if you're a masochist!

By the way, if you want sore lower calves, trying jogging up flights of stairs. First time you do it, your calves will cry for days!

[BendtheBar]

I once did a lot of stair work. We have a parking ramp near where I grew up and I would run up and down the 3 levels or stairs.

[Kuytrider]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I once did a lot of stair work. We have a parking ramp near where I grew up and I would run up and down the 3 levels or stairs.

Exactly what I did on Sunday. 10 x 3 flights of stairs though they were divided into 2 smaller segments so 6 flights of 9 steps each x 10. Rest was walking down the stairs and it was tough!

[Fazc]

I think regardless of whether it'll help you recover, a certain level of aerobic fitness is a good quality to have.

Powerlifters in particular have a (fairly well deserved) reputation for being on the heavy side. The demands of the sport and the training require a heavy diet. But thinking long-term a good level of cardiovascular fitness will add years to your life.

[LtL]

Nice read. I am making my own sled tomorrow and will be using it on training days to get my heart pumping.

LtL

[big_swede]

Im quite proud i got in some work today instead of lying on the sofa after work. Since today beeing an day off the weights, i went out and did sprints, box jumps and light tireflips for speed reps. The hardest part about conditioning for me is to get to it, but if it adds to my #s in the gym it gets much easier. Box jumps are great btw, and im making a game out of em, trying to find various objects to jump up at for reps =)

Will try to keep the GPP / Conditioning up on all off days, even if its just a 20 min walk or run its always better than nothing.

[UncleSlam]

My squad does alot of cardio and crossfit during the week. But my body is used to it by now. It makes weight gaining very hard but it does keep my endurance up. For example monday we run about 5 miles in around 45 minutes giving us time to stretch before and after. The Army makes 1 hour pt mandatory. But tuesday and thursday we do sprints and crossfit circuits (pushups, rings, tire throws etc). Wednesday we do a full kit (body armor, weapon) run for like 3 mile. Friday we ruck with 100lbs for 10 miles.

It sucks but me and my squad leader are the only guys in the squad that go to the gym on our own.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by UncleSlam

Friday we ruck with 100lbs for 10 miles.

I don't miss stuff like this.

[UncleSlam]

Yeah it sucks and hurts but it needs to be done. One of those check the block things. Being infantry hurts and you gotta LOVE INFANTRY to do it.

[kitarpyar]

Conditioning, for me, used to be a HIIT, whether on the track, while rowing or on the bike. Now and then, I did a bear complex or two. Nothing special, but enough to keep from hyper-ventilating while climbing a flight of stairs, or hiking during my weekend excursions.

I will have to bring them into my routine soon. Started with weightlifting, and brought in power cleans into the routine. The next step would be to progressively add in HIIT and complexes over next 2-3 months.