Lifetiquing

So this is what normal shoes feel like to me now, and I can't believe I used to train in anything other than bare feet or Vibrams. It's not just about my vastly improved agility- my ankles, feet and calves are much stronger now as a result. I cannot praise the Vibrams enough for this.

I love martial arts, and training barefoot or with Vibrams seems to be the only way to go in order to achieve optimal agility, flexibility, balance and strength. I recently came up with a mixed martial arts (MMA) inspired circuit workout that turned out to be one of my most fun workouts ever. Enjoy! And stay tuned- I'm traveling abroad soon and will be posting some equipment-less circuit workouts as I train.

MMA Bootcamp Circuit

Components: 5 intervals consisting of 4 exercises each

Equipment: 20 lb sandbag used for weights (dumbbells could be substituted); pullup bar; suspension trainer set with handles about 1 foot off the ground; stability ball

Repetitions: Each exercise is repeated for maximum repetitions in one minute; each interval is repeated twice

Structure: I set my kickass Gymboss Max timer for 10 rounds of 1 minute with 10 seconds setup time between exercises x 4 + 30 seconds rest, as follows:

01:00 x 4

00:10 x R

00:20 x 1

Repeat cycle 10 x

Warmup

Interval #1

• Jacks and alternating jabs x 10, pyramid up to sets of 2 punches, then 3 punches
• Suspended lunges (switch legs for second set)
• Pullups to failure + tricep pushups
• Suspended runs

• MMA roll + burpee + 4 mountain climbers
• 10 sandbag swings + 10 sandbag swing & snatch + 10 sandbag swings
• Dive bombers
• Forearm plank

• Ninja jump + sandbag clean & press
• Bear hug (sandbag) alternating front lunge and back lunge
• Spiderman pushups
• Weighted side plank hip lifts with sandbag

• Switch kicks
• One legged getup + front kick (switch legs in second round)
• Pushup to side plank
• Suspension bicycle

• MMA roll and jump
• Rotational reverse lunges with sandbag swing laterally
• Chinups to failure + tricep dips
• Ball pikes

Bonus: open sandbag swing (similar to Bulgarian bag swing) x 10 to each side

Cool Down and Stretch