Mini Workouts and the Power of “Chunking”
Louie Simmons encourages powerlifters and athletes to perform “extra” workouts to
improve GPP. In essence, you simply follow your regular training regime, and on off
days, you perform some light work for weak areas or extra general conditioning such as
sled work.
When Louie works the monolift for other guys squatting, you will find Louie performing
hindu squats or band work for high reps (leg curls, face pulls, push downs, good
mornings, etc.).
When I spoke with Lou about training young athletes, specifically wrestlers, he spoke
about doing 5 minutes of med ball slams, this is the same as 5 minutes of sledge hammer
work. He spoke regularly about high rep calisthenics and long trips with the sled. Nothing
fancy, it rarely gets fancy when you want results.
I had my athletes performing all types of manual labor training, especially when we used
my back yard. Kettlebell carries of all sorts, log carries, sledge hammer work, partner
carries and hand walking.
Even the Football players did sledge hammer work and lots of farmer walk variations.
They were in such poor shape I wanted to get them moving their bodies for once!
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Most young athletes (or all athletes) can do this with great success. In my case, if I have
an athlete training here twice a week, then his homework is to perform our warm up for 3
– 5 rounds on his own 3 more times that week. That equates to the following:
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two hard workouts
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three “mini” workouts
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2 days of rest
What if a kid only trains twice a week with no extra work? We can get them strong but
conditioning and work capacity will not be at an acceptable level. I’ve seen this firsthand
and you’ve read it in my articles here at The Underground. These kids will be the ones in
need of sitting down after every set, huffing and puffing, unable to even talk or say one
word with out hesitating to catch their breath.
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For my own personal mini workouts, this might be push ups or pull ups performed
throughout the day. This is what I call “chunking” and it allows me to get a lot of work
done in one day, just not all at once. This is much better than doing absolutely nothing
and it is a big reason that I have been able to crank out endless pull ups.
If you have not seen our warm up, there are a lot of calisthenics involved, so the kids
basically perform extra calisthenics which is great no matter what level athlete they are.
They can always up the intensity by adding reps and reducing rest to the workout.
Here’s our warm up:
1. squats x 10
2. lunge (forward, reverse, with or w/out rotation) x 5 each
3. forward reach lunge x 5 each
4. push ups (usually on stability ball) x 15 – 20
5. band face pulls x 15 – 20
6. ab exercise x 12 – 15
7. mobility work
Some of our kids who are more in tune with their own body will do calisthenics to their
own liking. Maybe 3 sets of 50 push ups, maybe 100 pull ups on one day, maybe a
playground workout with picnic tables and bodyweight. Others might perform sledge
hammer work and calisthenics. The new guys are told to follow the warm up as it is.
Where do you draw the line between what works for which athletes? Certainly Football
players do not need to be in condition like wrestlers, but, Football players need the
stamina to go a full game without slowing down. The team that gets weaker starts
missing plays and their defensive line gets run over because they’re too weak to even
hold their own body up!
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Above, feet elevated, close grip push ups for extra work. Push ups are TOPS as an
upper body movement, regardless of it being an extra day or not.
For Football players, we need to perform intense work with short rest intervals. Still,
sldge hammer work for extended time periods are great for them, we can’t JUST train
them the way they move in a Football game for 30 seconds per set and no more. That
won’t cut it.
You’ll be amazed at how adding some light, extra training improves performance in
many areas. I suggest adding 2 days of mini workouts to your regime, lasting no more
than 15 minutes. Just enough to get in some extra work, nothing to exhaust you.
For other athletes, training hard 2 – 3 times per week is great, then another 2 – 3 times
per week with lesser intensity.
As work capacity improves, the individual can handle intense training on a more frequent
basis. Everyone should have a sledge hammer and a sled or prowler to utilize for
improving conditioning. These tools are priceless. No money for a sled, see our articles
on creating your own equipment and you’ll find a way.
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Above, sled drags in all directions performed for 10 minutes an extra 2 days a week goes
a LONG way to adding to your work capacity.
Here are some sample workouts for improving work capacity:
Workout 1: Perform as a circuit
1. Power walking up steep hills 5 x 30 seconds each (walk down hill for rest)
2. push ups 5 x 10 reps
Workout 2: Circuit
1. 2 hand walking KB swings 2 x 50 reps
2. bent or straight leg sit ups 2 x 50 reps
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Workout 3: Circuit
1. sledge hammer swings, alternate top hand every 15 reps: 3 x 30 reps
2. squat – push up combo 3 x 15 reps
Workout 4:
1. 25 – 35 lb Kettlebell High Pull Catch & Push Throw x 5 minutes non stop (throw
and jog to Kb and repeat)
2. bear crawl with ankle weights around ankles & / or wrists: 5 minutes non stop
You can see I get pretty strange with the different movements. Lots of bodyweight for
high reps, lots of crawling, throwing, carrying, power walking – it ALL revolves around
movement as opposing to simply lifting weights.
I always tell people that if I could train the local Football team, I’d have all sizes of tires
for flipping, super light tires for the weak kids and heavier tires for stronger kids.
Moderately weighted sleds for all athletes for drags and then we would perform tons of
bodyweight movements:
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push ups
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pull ups / recline rows
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walking lunges
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split squats
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squats
I wouldn’t even need barbells and dumbbells. Sure they would be great, but I would get
these kids strong as all heck and highly conditioned with very little equipment. Instead of
using Olympic plates for barbells, the kids would carry them from one end of the gym
room to the other in a relay fashion.
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I am NOT against free weights, anyone who has seen me train knows I love the barbell
and all free weights, but, I know for the development of work capacity and getting strong,
it’s not always the best tool.
Law enforcement should never be in shitty shape, it’s NOT an option! I want to see
mobile, agile and powerful men and women out there. They should also be using tires,
sleds and calisthenics.
It’s time to get EVERYONE in shape. This is THE mission!
For the most innovative strength and conditioning information on the net, go to
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