Programming is much easier than you think, and learning how to program can be much more fun than you ever thought possible. Training for the Apocalypse explains my methodology for creating programs so that you can build them for yourself using various apocalyptic scenarios as the “sport” for which we’re going to train.
TFA is a 36pg ebook containing 6 totally unique programs intended to address the various issues that would arise in a:
- Slow Apocalypse, where everything gradually falls apart as it did in The Road Warrior to start the Mad Max series
- Zombie Apocalypse, a world overrun by cannibalistic infected and/or undead like you see in Night of the Living Dead & 28 Days Later
- Nuclear Apocalypse, the world is a nuclear wasteland filled with pustulent mutants, like in the Fallout TV show / video game series and the dope movie / short story that inspired them, A Boy and his Dog
- Robot Apocalypse, where we’re battling robots to save humanity from extinction, like in the comic book Magnus: Robot Fighter, the book Robopocalypse, and the Terminator film franchise
- Dragon Apocalypse, wherein dragons have arisen to wipe out humanity, as in the movie Reign of Fire
The book is simply structured, easy to follow, and has the workouts hyperlinked so it’s easy to jump to where you want to be.
- there’s a section on flexibility, which is an issue for most of us, and includes multiple flexibility & mobility resources so you have some guidance on how to go about getting limber, like a PDF of Muscle Control by Bishnu Ghosh (bodybuilding yoga), a short explanation for why you should try DDP Yoga, and some of my favorite mobility sources
- there’s also reasoning for why you should try everything from dance (John Grimek went dancing 3-4 nights per week with his wife even when he was in his 90s, for instance) to Tai Chi (Bolo Yeung is a Grandmaster of Tai Chi, and there’s some badass combat Tai Chi styles with combat applications if you don’t want to enhance your chill), Pilates (Joseph Pilates was jacked throughout his life and his system is beloved by every badass athlete who can afford it), Swimming, and Yoga!
These workouts also contain training methodologies you’ve probably never seen included in a workout routine before, like:
- Heavyhands and Powerwalking
- Iron Shirt, Si Bi Quan, and Iron Fist from kung fu
There’s also old favorites like:
- Strongman
- Rucking
- Running
- Powerlifting
- Bodybuilding
- Calisthenics
- Circuits
- Supersets and Tri-Sets
- Modern methods and traditional Chinese calisthenics core work
TFA contains the following programs, each of which only list the strength workouts, but all of them are 2-a-day schedules with AM cardio and PM strength sessions.
- Mad Max Program (6 workouts per week)
- Ruck You Very Much Program (5 workouts per week)
- This Is Sparta Program (6 workouts per week)
- Toxic Avenger Program (5 workouts per week)
- Magnus: Robot Fighter Program (5 workouts per week)
- Reign of Fire Program (5-6 workouts per week)
So you can see how varied the programs are, Day 1 of the Magnus: Robot Fighter is:
Day 1
AM
- 15 mins of Stretching
- 15 mins of light Jogging
- 15 mins Si Bi Quan training (this is the training that wore down the concrete floor in the Shaolin Temple. The force of the stomp actually strengthens both the bones and internal organs, which prevents damage and injury when struck).
- 15 mins Iron Fist training
PM
- 45 min Circuit, try to rest only 60s between rounds
- Plyo Split Squat x 5 (each side)
- Medicine Ball Slams x 5
- Pull-Up or Chin-Up x 5
- Medicine Ball Wall Slams x 5 (5 each side)
- Push-Up or Diamond Push-Up x 5
- Med Ball Goblet Clean & Press x 5
- Superman x 5
Day 1 of This is Sparta looks MUCH different:
Day 1
AM
- 15 mins Moderate Weight Sled Push & Drag (Push it to one end and pull it back to the other- the distance isn’t so important as taking as few breaks as possible.)
- 50 Burpee Pull-ups
- 15 mins of Stretching
PM
- Duck Walk– 3x20m, hands behind head, walk down & back 10m 5x w/ a 60s rest between
- Bottoms-Up Squat Lockouts– 3×3, squatting off the pins to lockout w/ shoulder-width stance & holding the weight at lockout for 30 seconds w/ 5-7RM, 90s rests
- Snatch Grip Behind the Neck Strict Press– 5×12 w/ 60s rests
- 15 mins Arms, supersetting Bis & Tris, 30-60s rests between supersets
- 15 mins Abs: 5 mins Broomstick Twists, 5 mins Standing Crunches, 5 mins Plank, try to stay in constant motion
