Step ups anyone?

[R. Alan Hester]

Originally Posted by Shane Skowron

Don't know much about step-ups for strength, but I know some endurance athletes who rely on high-rep step-ups for endurance, especially in the mountains. Rob Shaul is a big advocate of them.

However, it's the most boring exercise I've ever done in my entire life, no joke. 20 minutes and I was going crazy. This is coming from a guy who has run, rowed, swam, and metcon'd for hours at a time.

As per Shaul's advice, I have been doing weighted step-ups in preparation for my Peru hiking trip (usually sets of 50 on 24" box with weight vest). And, yes, they are boring, so I have them as part of a circuit and listen to books on tape while working out.

[Chris Butler]

I had no idea Rob Shaul was such an influence in the fitness community? I wish his gym wasn't completely out of my way.

[Steve Shafley]

Only with a certain segment.

[Shane Skowron]

He's a cool dude. Uses common sense. And oh yeah, he actually works out with his athletes.

[Allen Yeh]

Originally Posted by R. Alan Hester

As per Shaul's advice, I have been doing weighted step-ups in preparation for my Peru hiking trip (usually sets of 50 on 24" box with weight vest). And, yes, they are boring, so I have them as part of a circuit and listen to books on tape while working out.

Ditto that...the other day rounds of 400m run and 50 stepupsw/45# pack ....the stepups weren't even hard it was just mind numbing and I did keep messing up my count when I was switching between left and right.

[James Evans]

10 Step Ups
Manmakers with sensible dbs
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

So, that's 100 step ups followed by 10 manmakers then 90 step ups followed by 9 manmakers etc.

All done wearing a 20kg vest or pack.

I did this recently in prep for a little expedition here in the UK and it sucked more than I remembered. Utterly mindnumbing. Cheers Rob Shaul.

I had planned to do a lot of step ups and leg blasters over the last 12 months as per the Mountain Athlete approach and instead I just did the stuff I enjoyed, back squats, dls, box jumps, a bit of skipping and a lot of walking. I've done the odd high rep bodyweight squat session as a finisher and I've run only 6 times this year (one of which was 9 reps of hill sprints).

The weekend before last I climbed the 3 highest mountains in the UK in under 24 hours and I didn't feel let down by my training whatsoever. On a global stage Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon are hardly monstrous but they're not easy in the same day.

Take home? Strength + a bit of circuit type work + sport specific (long walks with a back, often into the early morning) hits the spot. Overthinking and seeking the silver bullet doesn't.

[James Evans]

PS I like Rob and miss being able to read both MA and Military Athlete. But I've discussed and agreed with Shaf in the past on some of the 'silly shit'.

[R. Alan Hester]

Originally Posted by James Evans

a bit of skipping
.

As in rope or through a field, with a flower in your hair? How long were your walks?

I have avoided the leg blasters. The step-ups are nice as I have a strength imbalance between my legs, so that is working its way out.

[James Evans]

Through a field with a tambourine in my hand.

I should have remembered you guys jump rope. Over here boxers and 8 year old girls skip!

Last one we did was 22 miles. I did a quite a few 10 milers on my own.