THE GAME Training: Herschel Walker’s Advanced Workout, Week Six

Here is week six of Herschel Walker’s recommended advanced workout from his book, Herschel Walker’s Basic Training.

Week One | Week Two | Week Three | Week Four | Week Five

THE ADVANCED PROGRAM

WEEK SIX: Monday, Friday—Morning Session

Warm-ups: 30 jumping jacks. Run in place for 4 minutes.

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Jogging: 13 minutes.

Karate:

Straight punch—40 per arm
Groin strike—40 per arm
Open-hand strike to face—40 per arm
Roundhouse kick—40 per leg
Front snap kick to the midsection—40 per leg
Front snap kick to the head—40 per leg
Sliding back kick—40 per leg

Agility:

Squat thrust—50
Sideways box hop—60
Backward and forward box hop—60
Half-turn—60

Push-ups: 125 total. Do as many as possible, rest, then continue until all 125 have been done. Make sure you experiment with different heights to change the resistance.

Sit-ups: 150 total. Add weight if needed.

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Monday, Friday—Afternoon Session

Warm-ups: 35 jumping jacks. Run in place for 4 minutes.

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Jogging: 4 minutes.

Weight training:

Power pull—1 x10 warm-up, 3 x 5 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% of target
Squat—1 x 10 warm-up, 3 x 5 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% of target
Bench press—1 x 10 warm-up, 3 x 5 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% of target
Close-grip bench press—1 x 10 warm-up, 3 x 5 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% of target
Bent-forward row—1 x 10 warm-up, 3 x 5 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% of target
Crunch—105
Twisting sit-up—85

Basketball: 45 minutes

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Wednesday

Wednesday’s workouts should be identical to those of Monday and Friday except for the weight work in the afternoon. Follow this program on Wednesday for your lifting:

Weight training:

Lunge—1 x 10 warm-up, 3 x 5 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% of target
Chin—1 x 10, 3 x 5 with added weight, 1 x 10
Curl—1 x 10 warm-up, 3 x 5 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% of target
Triceps press—1 x 10 warm-up, 3 x 5 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% of target
Weighted sit-up—4 x 25
Leg raise—100

Tuesday, Saturday—Morning Session

Warm-ups: 35 jumping jacks. Run in place for 4 minutes.

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Jogging: 6 minutes.

Sprinting: 1 x 880-yard stride (quarter to half speed). 2 x 440-yard strides (half speed). 2 x 300-yard strides (three-quarter speed). 2 x 200-yard sprints.

Hill running: 8 x 40-yard strides (half speed).

Dumbbell runs: 5 x 30-yard strides. Make sure to use light dumbbells for this and concentrate on arm position as you run.

Rope skipping: 15 minutes.

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Tuesday, Saturday—Afternoon Session

Warm-ups: 35 jumping jacks. Run in place for 4 minutes.

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Karate:

Straight punch—40 per arm
Groin strike—40 per arm
Open-hand strike to face—40 per arm
Roundhouse kick—40 per leg
Front snap kick to the midsection—40 per leg
Front snap kick to the head—40 per leg
Sliding back kick—40 per leg

Basketball: 45 minutes.

Water work:

Run in water—14 minutes
Water karate (kicks and punches)—14 minutes
Modified breast stroke—14 minutes
Power clap and other shoulder and arm work—14 minutes

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Thursday

Morning and afternoon workouts should be identical to those of Tuesday and Saturday except for the sprinting portion of the morning session. On Thursday mornings substitute the tire pull for hill running. On this sixth week run 8 x 50-yard strides at half speed, pulling a tire with 12 to 15 pounds inside it. Then, rather than dumbbell sprints, wear a weighted vest and run 1 x 200-yard stride at half to three-quarter speed and 4 x 100-yard strides.

Vince Young’s Resistance Band Explosion Series

This series consists of a circuit of resisted pass drops, resisted starts, ankle band shuffle and hamstring stretch:

• perform 3-, 5- and 7-step drops against resistance
• sprint for 5-7 yards on resisted starts
• keep feet wide and hips low for ankle band shuffle
• hold hamstring stretch at point of tension, then push against partner’s reistance for hamstring stretch

The circuit:
Resisted pass drops—1 x 10
Resisted starts—1 x 10
Ankle band shuffle—3 x 10-15 yards each direction
Hamstring stretch—1 x 30 seconds and 10 pushes each leg
Repeat the circuit three more times for a total of four circuits

M-100s

I’ve been doing this super intense cardio routine for the past few months with outstanding results. When you are pressed for time and you cannot devote 30 or more minutes to cardio training this is a simple, but excellent method of increasing and maintaining your cardio fitness. It consists of the following exercises:

Squat thrust -- 10 reps
Mountain Climber -- 10 reps (counting 1-2-3-ONE-1-2-3-TWO)
Squat Jump -- 10 reps

Repeat these exercises until you have done 100 reps total. You will end up doing 40 squat thrusts, 30 mountain climbers, and 30 squat jumps total.

Kevin Levrone’s Visualization Technique

I have been a longtime fan of Kevin Levrone and his practical and candid advice on bodybuilding, fitness and self-improvement. I make his blog The Levrone Report a daily ritual for training advice and inspiration and one of my favorite posts of his was his visualization video from June 2009.

The video doesn’t necessarily reveal new information, but in three minutes, Kevin clearly and concisely reinforces a simple daily mental exercise you can do to help sharpen the mental focus necessary to achieve any goal in your life.

Although there is a clear bodybuilding slant in the following presentation, this daily technique has served me well in maintaining a confident and expectant approach to reaching all of my life’s goals; whether they are family, financial, athletic or intellectual goals.

THE GAME Training: Herschel Walker’s Advanced Workout, Week Five

Here is week five of Herschel Walker’s recommended advanced workout from his book, Herschel Walker’s Basic Training.

Week One | Week Two | Week Three | Week Four

THE ADVANCED PROGRAM

WEEK FIVE: Monday, Friday—Morning Session

Warm-ups: 30 jumping jacks. Run in place for 4 minutes.

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Jogging: 12 minutes.

Karate:

Straight punch—38 per arm
Groin strike—38 per arm
Open-hand strike to face—38 per arm
Roundhouse kick—38 per leg
Front snap kick to the midsection—38 per leg
Front snap kick to the head—38 per leg
Sliding back kick—38 per leg

Agility:

Squat thrust—45
Sideways box hop—55
Backward and forward box hop—55
Half-turn—55

Push-ups: 120 total. Do as many as possible, rest, then continue until all 120 have been done. If these are too easy, elevate your feet at least 8 inches.

Sit-ups: 140 total. Again add weight if needed.

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Monday, Friday—Afternoon Session

Warm-ups: 35 jumping jacks. Run in place for 4 minutes.

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Jogging: 4 minutes.

Weight training:

Power pull—1 x10 warm-up, 3 x 5 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% target
Squat—1 x 10 warm-up, 3 x 5 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% target
Bench press—1 x 10 warm-up, 3 x 5 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% target
Close-grip bench press—1 x 10 warm-up, 3 x 5 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% target
Bent-forward row—1 x 10 warm-up, 3 x 5 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% target
Crunch—100
Twisting sit-up—80

Basketball: 40 minutes

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Wednesday

Wednesday’s workouts should be identical to those of Monday and Friday except for the weight work in the afternoon. Follow this program on Wednesday for your lifting:

Weight training:

Lunge—1 x 10 warm-up, 3 x 5 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% target
Chin—1 x 10, 3 x 5 with added weight
Curl—1 x 10 warm-up, 3 x 5 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% target
Triceps press—1 x 10 warm-up, 3 x 10 target weight, 1 x 10 with 70% target
Weighted sit-up—4 x 20
Leg raise—90

Tuesday, Saturday—Morning Session

Warm-ups: 35 jumping jacks. Run in place for 4 minutes.

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Jogging: 6 minutes.

Sprinting: 2 x 880-yard strides (quarter to half speed). 2 x 440-yard strides (half speed). 2 x 300-yard strides (three-quarter speed). 1 x 200-yard sprint.

Hill running: 7 x 40-yard strides (half speed).

Dumbbell runs: 5 x 30-yard strides. Make sure to use light dumbbells for this and concentrate on arm position as you run.

Rope skipping: 14 minutes.

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Tuesday, Saturday—Afternoon Session

Warm-ups: 35 jumping jacks. Run in place for 4 minutes.

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Karate:

Straight punch—38 per arm
Groin strike—38 per arm
Open-hand strike to face—38 per arm
Roundhouse kick—38 per leg
Front snap kick to the midsection—38 per leg
Front snap kick to the head—38 per leg
Sliding back kick—38 per leg

Basketball: 45 minutes.

Water work:

Run in water—14 minutes
Water karate (kicks and punches)—14 minutes
Modified breast stroke—14 minutes
Power clap and other shoulder and arm work—14 minutes

Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.

Thursday

Morning and afternoon workouts should be identical to those of Tuesday and Saturday except for the sprinting portion of the morning session. On Thursday mornings substitute the tire pull for hill running. On this fifth week run 7 x 50-yard strides at half speed, pulling a tire with 12 to 15 pounds inside it. Then, rather than dumbbell sprints, wear a weighted vest and run 2 x 200-yard strides at half to three-quarter speed and 3 x 100-yard strides.