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The Ranger, El Diablo, and Redemption

This is an excerpt from High-Intensity 300 by Dan Trink.

You've learned the movement patterns, built up strength, worked on conditioning, and improved lagging body parts. Now it's time to put it all together and see what you can do with all the work you've put in. These 40 workouts combine aspects from all the training you've done up to this point for the ultimate expression of performance. These workouts are tough and certainly not for beginners. So lace up your sneakers and get that postworkout recovery shake ready because, as the saying goes, only the strong will survive.

Workout 270

The Ranger

The Rangers are members of the U.S. Army elite infantry and are known for being highly trained and incredibly skilled. And although you do not need to go to Ranger school to survive this workout, you will need more toughness, focus, and endurance than nearly anyone else in your gym to make it through. Save the Ranger for a day when you can't wait to get in the gym and give it everything you've got - because that is what it will take to make it to the end of this workout.

Warm-Up

4 reps per side of the world's greatest stretch, 5 reps each of inchworm and inverted hamstring stretch, 10 reps of glute bridge

Featured Exercise: TRX Face Pull

1. Grab a set of TRX handles, with your palms facing the floor. Walk your feet toward the anchor point to create an angle with your body that is anywhere between 45 and 75 degrees (a).
2. Keeping your arms high and perpendicular to your torso, bend at the elbows and pull your hands toward your jawline (b).
3. Squeeze your upper back and shoulder blades at the top position and then return, under control, to the starting position. Repeat for reps.

Complete Workout

Perform the sprint every minute on the minute (start at the top of the minute, perform the exercise, rest the remainder of the minute, begin the next set at the top of the next minute, repeat until all sets are complete). Rest 3 minutes. Complete 3 circuits of the remaining exercises, resting as little as possible between movements and between circuits.

• Sprint (#41)
  • 20 yards (20 m)
  • Every minute on the minute for 10 minutes
• Neutral-grip pull-up (#237)
  • 10 reps
• Barbell thruster (#6)
  • 15 reps
• TRX face pull
  • 20 reps
• Burpee (#7)
  • 25 reps

Easy Option

Perform 2 rounds of the circuit after you've finished the sprints.

Step It Up

Perform the sprints every minute on the minute for 15 minutes.

Cool-Down

Double lat stretch, hamstring stretch, calf stretch.

Workout 275

El Diablo

Body-weight exercises are not always easier to perform than weighted movements that work the same muscle groups. The handstand push-up, featured in this workout, is a great example of an extremely challenging body-weight movement that requires not only shoulder strength but shoulder and core stability as well.

Warm-Up

4 reps per side of the world's greatest stretch, 6 reps per side of hip rocker and inverted hamstring stretch, 8 reps per side of shoulder sweeps

Featured Exercise: Handstand Push-Up

1. Place your hands at wider than shoulder width on the floor, a few inches (about 10 cm) away from a wall.
2. Kick both feet up so you are in a handstand position, with your heels supported on the wall (a).
3. Lower yourself under control until the top of your head touches the floor (b).
4. Forcefully press yourself back up to the starting position and repeat for reps. If you cannot achieve full range of motion, feel free to place a pad on the floor and bring your head to the pad.

Complete Workout

Complete as many rounds of the following circuit in 15 minutes, resting only as needed. Use a load equivalent to your body weight for the conventional deadlift.

• Handstand push-up
  • 5 reps x as many sets as possible
• Conventional deadlift (#5)
  • 5 reps x as many sets as possible

Easy Option

Substitute standard push-ups (#12) for the handstand push-ups.

Step It Up

Use 1.5 x body weight for the conventional deadlift.

Cool-Down

Hamstring stretch, calf stretch, pec stretch.

Workout 299

Redemption

Any missed training sessions. Any of this week's cheat meals. Any nights spent staying out late instead of recovering. All of this week's missteps are about to be redeemed with this workout. Redemption involves more dynamic and explosive movements than a typical circuit, driving up metabolic demand and requiring additional focus to execute the movements correctly. The physical and mental challenges will make this one of the toughest circuits you're likely to encounter.

Warm-Up

6 reps of squat to stand, 6 reps per side of quadruped T-spine rotation, 8 reps of glute bridge, 10 reps of cat - cow

Featured Exercise: Single-Arm Dumbbell Snatch

1. Begin with a dumbbell on the floor between your feet. Bend down and grab the dumbbell with your right arm, keeping your butt back and chest tall (a).
2. Explosively pull the dumbbell off the floor by driving your hips forward, shrugging your right traps and extending at the ankles (b).
3. Keep the dumbbell close to your body as you drive your elbow high.
4. Allow the dumbbell to continue overhead, and catch it in the top position, with your arm straight and knees slightly bent (c).
5. Bring the dumbbell down to your shoulder and back to the floor. Complete all reps for one side before switching to the other.

Complete Workout

Perform 4 rounds of the following circuit, resting as little as needed.

• Box jump (#198)
  • 8 reps
• Toes to bar (#28)
  • 8 reps
• Single-arm dumbbell snatch
  • 4 reps/side
• Farmer's walk (#187)
  • 20 yards (20 m)

Easy Option

Perform 3 rounds of the circuit.

Step It Up

Perform 5 rounds of the circuit.

Cool-Down

Standing quad stretch, 90-degree stretch, double lat stretch.

Learn more about High-Intensity 300.

More Excerpts From High Intensity 300

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