One of the most satisfying things that can happen to a fitness trainer is when clients progress to the point that they begin to write their own workouts — and they are every bit as focused on the short-term and long-term goals as if the trainer had formulated the workouts.

The small down side is the tendency for the first ones to be "over the top" rather than a bit soft. The desire to demonstrate that they "get it" sometimes trumps the fact that they have to be able to survive the session.

In July 2015, I began training a young woman who had finished boot camp and just stared her initial training pipeline. In her first session, her intensity was at a level I had only seen a few times in the in the 12 years that I have been in this business. I quickly found out that she wanted to push the envelope, find out what her weak areas were and what she had to do to eliminate them. She did full-body pullups in boots and utes during her breaks in class, and before she left at the end of April 2016 for the USS Ronald Reagan, she had improved her PRT scores by an order of magnitude to where she was one of the top women on the base.

During her last month, she started to formulate and execute her training sessions. I did have to dial her back a bit, but she quickly got the picture. The following is her best, a real sweet challenge to say the least, combining everything for a cardio/strength total-body workout.

This training session is not for those just starting, but you can break it down and do the first four rounds, then after your fitness level improves add the second four rounds, then the third. Once you can complete the entire workout, look to shorten the rest periods. This is considered a marker workout that is done every 5 or 6 weeks. If your training is on track, you should improve each time.

SUGAR 7

Warmup

3 rounds:

  • Two 25-meter runs (easy, but increase the pace each round)
  • 5 air squats
  • 5 pushups
  • 2 inchworm walks (from a standing position, bend over so your hands touch the floor; keeping feet stationary, move your hands forward in small increments until you reach pushup position; keeping hands stationary, move feet forward in small increments until back to starting position; this equals 1 rep.)

Training session

Man running in a gym on a treadmill concept for exercising, fitness and healthy lifestyle

Run

Photo Credit: BrianAJackson/Getty Images/iStockphoto

4 rounds:

Do as many rounds without rest as you can; short rests if needed between rounds; rest 3 minutes after the fourth round. Sandbag weight commensurate with fitness level.

  • ¼-mile run (70 percent-80 percent effort)
  • 10 left/right step-ups (20-inch box) with sandbag over shoulders
  • 10 burpees (4-count: with sandbag at feet, from standing drop to pushup position, bring feet back underneath into a crouch position, grab sandbag, stand and execute shoulder press, drop bag at feet and repeat)
  • 20 crunches with sandbag across chest

High-view of healthy young man doing push ups exercising againts a grunge floor

Pushups

Photo Credit: Jacob Wackerhausen/Getty Images/iStockphoto

4 rounds:

Do as many rounds without rest as you can; short rests if needed between rounds; rest 3 minutes after the fourth round.

  • ¼-mile run (70 percent-80 percent effort)
  • 20 pushups
  • 20 squats, sandbag over shoulders
  • 20 crunches with sandbag across chest

4 rounds:

Do as many rounds without rest as you can; short rests if needed between rounds.

  • 📷¼-mile run  (70 percent-80 percent effort; on last two rounds try for 90 percent)
  • 8 pullups (use assist bands or Gravitron if needed)
  • 8 dips
  • Waiter's walk (select dumbbells or kettlebells that are a challenge but still allow you to complete the exercise with arm raised overhead; start with one arm with weight at side, the other arm with weight straight overhead and close to your head; walk 30 seconds; switch and arms walk 30 seconds more)

Foam roll legs and back after workout.

Bob Thomas is director of the Navy Wellness Center in Pensacola, Florida. Email him at jomof14@cox.net.

Main image of squat courtesy of Trainer Academy (https://traineracademy.org/).

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