WOW: Dash, Lug and Burp

During the Primal Blueprint 30-Day Challenge I’m encouraging people to join forces, forge support groups and get Primal en masse. This is why this month’s Workouts of the Week (WOWs) will be all about playful (and sometimes competitive) workouts you can do with a partner or a group.

So grab a friend or spouse, try out this week’s WOW and then report back with your results.

And if you have your own ideas for a Challenge WOW submit it here for a chance to win a Primal prize. Grok on!

Warmup: A couple rotations of the Grok Squat and a few 50 meter runs at moderate effort.

WOW: Dash, Lug and Burp: Stand 50 meters from your partner. Sprint to your partner, pick up the weight and return to your starting position as quickly (and safely) as possible. Then perform burpees until your partner has completed their cycle of sprint and carry. In this manner the weight will move from one end of the field to the other, back and forth, and partners will alternate performing the sprint/carry and burpees for 8 cycles.

Use a suitable weight for your ability level (20-50 lb will do for most people). Any type of weight ( slosh tube , medicine ball , plate, old bowling ball, large rock, etc.) and carrying position (on shoulder, at chest, overhead, etc.) will do. This WOW was tested with a 50 lb sandbag, alternating shoulders during the carries, and is the recommended method.

Record your time. Submit your time and weight(s) in the comment board below.

*How to Perform a Burpee (with Pushups/Jumps): Drop down into the squat position. Place your hands on the ground about shoulder width apart and jump your legs back so that you are in the standard pushup position. Perform a pushup. As you come up from the pushup jump your legs forward so that you are back in the squat position. From the squat position jump straight up so that your feet leave the ground and your arms come up over your head. Here is a decent video example .

Solo: If performing this workout solo sprint 25 meters out and back before performing the carry out and back. Then do max burpees for 30 seconds to complete one cycle.

Large groups: If performing this workout in larger groups, pair up participants so that each pair has roughly the same fitness level and compete for time.

Weight variations: Lorenzo Lietti, the creator of this workout, suggests using a kettlebell, slosh tube (or barbell) and a sandbag for this WOW, carrying them in the following manner for the 8 cycles:

1. Sandbag on right shoulder
2. Slosh tube in rack position
3. Kettlebell overhead right hand
4. Sandbag overhead two-handed
5. Sandbag left shoulder
6. Slosh tube in rack position
7. Kettlebell overhead left hand
8. Sandbag overhead two-handed

This reader-submitted WOW passed the scrutiny and testing of me and my team. It comes courtesy of Mark’s Daily Apple reader Lorenzo Lietti. Thanks, Lorenzo! Lorenzo now has a chance to win a Primal prize. See below for the details.

• Workouts of the Week are an optional component of Primal Blueprint Fitness and should only be completed by those that have mastered Level 4 of each Lift Heavy Things Essential Movement.
• It’s recommended that the WOWs replace one or both Lift Heavy Things workouts each week instead of being done in addition to the Lift Heavy Things workout.
• As always, be safe, avoid injury and use proper lifting technique at all times.

There are two ways to win Primal prizes and be featured on Mark’s Daily Apple.

1. Submit your own Workout of the Week. This month I’m interested in playful workouts/games that can be done with a partner or in a group. Learn more here .
2. Film yourself doing today’s WOW and submit it to MDA. If your video is chosen it will be added to and made famous in this blog post. Learn more here .