The post The Rise of Hybrid Fitness Training and Competitions appeared first on Experience Life.

With the volume of training programs available nowadays and the number of fitness influencers posting their workouts on social media, there are a few questions that are fair to ask: How did they come up with this workout or program? What is the intended outcome? Has that outcome been proven?

The frustrations with this is just one of the reasons Coach Hayley Akradi, CPT, who’s been training members at Life Time for more than a decade, created her new digital training program, The Body Blueprint. After years of honing in on the strength-training methods that resulted in real change in her body, she mapped them out into this program so that others could benefit from the same demonstrated approach.

“I think it’s frustrating for people who see somebody on Instagram and say, I want to train like them so I can look like they do. And then they go to their link in bio and buy, say, a three-day booty-building program that was designed to put money in their pocket — not as something they actually do,” Akradi says. “The Body Blueprint is my program. In this moment, I’m on week five of it. It is quite literally how I train to live my life.”

We spoke with Akradi to learn more about The Body Blueprint program and how it’s informed by her personal approach to health and fitness.

Life Time | Your personal experiences have influenced your philosophies around fitness and health. Can you tell us about your approach and how that came to be?

Hayley Akradi | In 2010, I graduated high school and got my first membership at Life Time, and that is when I really discovered strength training. I was taking yoga and strength group classes, as well as some Alpha classes. I started to understand how I could manipulate my body with different training techniques. About five or six years later, I decided I was going to hire a coach and go into the sport of bodybuilding.

But things took a little bit of a turn when I took a trip to Mexico and got salmonella. I was very, very sick, but I got back to the United States, received treatment, and thought I was getting better until I started experiencing pain in my right leg. I knew it wasn’t an injury, but was told it was by a doctor and sent home from their office.

The pain got worse and worse and I had so much swelling I couldn’t get my pants on anymore. It felt like there were knives floating in my leg. Anytime I would move or breathe, there was so much pain. I checked myself into the ER and they did a bunch of tests, but told me I was fine and sent me home.

I ended up getting stuck in my closet because I couldn’t move off the floor. I checked myself into the ER again and was admitted to the hospital. Over three days I saw about six doctors and ended up being sent home again without them figuring out the cause.

Six months went by where I couldn’t walk without crutches. All the muscle I had built had completely atrophied. I ended up being seen at the Mayo Clinic where I finally got answers: I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition caused by a gene called HLA-B27. It’s a reactive arthritis you can get based off of one of three different infections — one of them being salmonella.

I saw a rheumatologist who recommended intense medication which came with a multitude of negative implications, and so I decided to go the holistic route. I found an amazing holistic doctor who I still see to this day and we worked on ridding my body of inflammation through diet and other lifestyle practices. Within two weeks, I was on the training floor again.

I didn’t have any muscle left by this point, but I started over. I got back into bodybuilding and made it to the national level.

That takes us to about 2018, which is when I realized the stress I was putting on my body related to my bodybuilding efforts was causing my autoimmunity to become out of control. So, I started training in a new way — still to manipulate my body, but without so much cardio and output, and without my cortisol levels going through the roof. I was training in a way that let my body calm between sessions.

This is a long story, but this is how The Body Blueprint program came to be — I took all the different pieces I loved from training and put them together in a way that wouldn’t stress my body. The way I train, the things I do before, between, and after training, it all comes from a very holistic approach.

LT | The Body Blueprint program is designed to build strength and hypertrophy without overstressing the body, which is very intentional. Tell us more about the program — what outcomes can someone expect from it and who’s it best for?

HA | I’m excited for people to go through The Body Blueprint and have the same experience and outcomes from it that I have. I called it the “blueprint” because it is quite literally the blueprint of how I train every single day. It’s an eight-week program available to anyone in the Life Time app.

The goal is to build strength and muscle while also being able to burn fat and improve your body composition. It’s not a weight-loss program; it’s a program where your muscle comes up and your body fat goes down. You can expect to look and feel different in your body.

I would say it’s for intermediate and above levels because it is important to have a foundation for how to properly move in weightlifting exercises. But for beginners who want to get into this, I have a lot of videos and notes in the program where I coach you through and help explain what movements should look like.

I also love this program because when you’re done with week eight, you can go back to week one and do it again — and keep continuing to get stronger.

I’m excited for people to discover a different way of strength training that’s going to help them get to where they want to be with their body composition but without overtraining and being overstimulated. These workouts help you for life — they don’t put you over the edge.

LT | How is The Body Blueprint laid out and what does a week of exercise look like?

HA | The Body Blueprint is a mix of strength and hypertrophy. It’s not done in phases, but rather combines the two. Each week includes five strength-training days, along with a sixth full-body training day. It’s structured as follows:

• Shoulders and core day
• Quad-based lower-body day
• Glute- and hamstring-focused lower-body day
• Back and biceps day
• Chest and triceps day
• Full-body day

Each day features a primary movement. For example, on shoulders and core day, you’ll perform an overhead press. While that movement stays consistent throughout the eight weeks, variables like sets, reps, and volume will change. The main move is complemented by accessory movements, which you’ll perform as supersets, triple sets, isometric holds, and eccentric movements throughout the course of the program.

While time for recovery is built into the program, the full-body day is optional if you’re ever feeling taxed.

LT | How does recovery look in your personal exercise routine?

HA | I absolutely have off days where I’m not working out — but that doesn’t mean I’m not moving. NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) is super important. There’s usually a day where I’m coaching Ultra Fit. One day I week, I take my baby, Daria, to gymnastics. Those days movement looks different, but I’m still moving. The days when I’m training harder are usually the days when I’m in the office and sitting more.

You want to make sure you’re thinking about recovery and have a couple of days where you’re not working out super excessively. I also do a Dynamic Stretch session once per week and I love the infrared sauna for recovery too.

LT | Are there certain health and fitness habits that are non-negotiables for you?

HA | I always eat before training and never work out fasted because for me, I’m always reaching for MMF, or momentary muscle failure, which is something we talk about in the program — but having the energy to lift that heavy requires me to get protein and carbs in prior in the morning. I’m usually getting about 30 to 40 grams of protein and 40 grams of carbs. My morning routine is very much the same: I drink electrolytes right away, then I eat, then I caffeinate, and then I lift.

I also always come into the club with a plan for my workouts, and I schedule them on my calendar. I know that every Monday is my shoulders and core day. I know every Wednesday is my quad-based leg day. I put those on my calendar and always show up for myself.

Sleep is also a huge priority for me. I have a baby at home — I need energy for her and I need energy for my workouts. I also need to be recovered. I sleep seven-and-a-half to eight hours every night. My 20-month-old wakes up at 5:15 a.m., so that means I’m getting ready to lay down and fall asleep by 8:30 or 9 p.m. (Learn more: “Coach Hayley Akradi’s Sleep Secrets for Better Health and Performance“)

I eat non-inflammatory foods 80 percent of the time. I don’t eat seed oils. I don’t eat really anything with added ingredients. I try to eat as much from the ground — such as grass-fed beef, organic chicken, fruits, and vegetables — as I can. (Learn more: “How Coach Hayley Akradi Hits Her Daily Protein Goals.”)

LT | What advice would you give to those who are trying to figure out the training program that’s right for them?

HA | I would encourage looking at what you can be successful at and sustainable with. What I mean by that is, if you have three days to work out and you choose a six-day-a-week program, you’re probably not going to be successful at it and you’re probably not going to sustain it. If you’re that person and you want to work out six days a week, you can absolutely get there, but first, you need to feel like you’re successful at something.

The Body Blueprint is a six-day-a-week program so it’s something you do have to put a little bit more time into — but you are absolutely going to see body composition change. As long as you can sustain it and feel successful at it, then it’s the right program for you.

LT | I’m interested! How can I sign up for The Body Blueprint?

 HA | The Body Blueprint can be found in the Life Time app. It’s available to anyone who has the app, regardless if you’re a Life Time member of not.

The post What Is The Body Blueprint Program? appeared first on Experience Life.

If you’ve participated in a fitness competition, you know that a well-designed training plan can be a game-changer for event day. And if you haven’t competed yet but are planning to, knowing you have access to a program intended to help you prepare can go a long way in inspiring confidence as you go after that goal.

In late October 2025, the inaugural LT Games hybrid fitness competition is taking place at Life Time Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. The event is open to athletes nationwide who want to test and prove their hybrid fitness abilities. (Learn more: “Calling Hybrid Athletes: All About the LT Games at Life Time.”)

The LT Games features 17 stations designed to test strength and endurance, and preparing to compete requires time and effort. To help athletes feel equipped to take on the challenge, Life Time developed an eight-week digital training program to set you up for success at the games.

To learn more about the LT Games 8-Week Prep training program, we talked with Tommy Pomatico, CF L-2 coach, senior manager for signature programming at Life Time Westchester in Harrison, N.Y., and creator of the LT Games 8-Week Prep training program.

Life Time | What is the LT Games 8-Week Prep training program?

Tommy Pomatico | LT Games 8-Week Prep is an eight-week program designed with the purpose of preparing someone to participate in the LT Games; it’s available in the Life Time app.

This is a six-day-a-week training program (Monday through Saturday), along with one designated rest day. Each day is designed with intention and has a specific goal we’re trying to accomplish. As you go through it, you’ll progress through volume, intensity, and density.

Saturday workouts simulate competition day and feature all the same movements week-to-week, but with a progression in volume throughout the program. By the time you reach the final week, you’ll be performing the movements at the exact same level as in the actual LT Games competition.

This program familiarizes athletes with the competition movements, how they’re going to feel, what paces they should be holding, and how they’re going to break up movements. The goal is for athletes to be as prepared as possible for the competition by practicing it through the program.

This training program is designed for anyone and everyone looking to compete at the LT Games — it’s for anyone who’s up for the challenge.

LT | Can you walk us through what each day of the week looks like in the program?

TP | The training plan is programmed Monday through Saturday. Athletes can expect each daily workout to last between 60 and 90 minutes. Here is a breakdown of what each day will be focused on:

Monday: Monostructural Conditioning Day
This involves doing aerobic work on the machines used in the LT Games: the rower, the ski erg, and the treadmill. The workout is performed threshold-style, teaching the athlete how to push faster paces on each of those machines.

Tuesday: Strength Day
In the LT Games, there is a lot of weight involved for a lot of repetitions, which this day will help prepare you for. It’s focused on building full-body strength, which is helpful for keeping your ligaments, tendons, and joints healthy.

Wednesday: Motor Work Day
On this day, we’ll mix multiple types of modalities like gymnastics, conditioning, and weightlifting into one session. Athletes will have to do this in the workout at the games.

This day gives athletes an opportunity to work on movements that are performed in the competition at a higher level of intensity — they can expect their heart rate to rise while their muscles feel like they’re screaming. It’s also an opportunity to work on technique for each movement.

Thursday: Rest Day
Your choice of rest is up to you, but we recommended stretching, spending time in the sauna, and applying ice to sore muscles. Light walking is also good for keeping the body loose.

Friday: Aerobic Day
We’ll focus on being in zone 2, with the first goal being to build your aerobic base so you can exercise for long periods of time. The workout itself is longer — think being comfortable exercising for 40, 50, 60, and up to 70 minutes.

The second goal is to not overdo it because Saturday is the hardest workout day of the week.

Saturday: Competition Simulation Day
Athletes will be doing the LT Games workout every single week in an interval-style format to prepare them for the event. We’ll start with less volume and gradually progress to the volume of the LT Games by week eight. This will be the most challenging session of the week.

LT | Is this training program designed to be completed on your own? What type of equipment is required?

TP | This program is designed for athletes to complete individually at the club on their own. The plan is clearly laid out for you in the Life Time app. However, you are always welcome to engage with a Life Time Dynamic Personal Trainer or coach who can help you work on any individualized areas of opportunity in your training and provide a more personalized experience.

Life Time is also a place of community, so if you do better training with others, we encourage you to find another member to train with — and then you can compete together on event day!

This training is best completed inside of a Life Time because of the equipment involved: You’ll use the treadmill, rower, and ski erg, as well as a jump box, barbells, wall balls, and dumbbells.

LT | What advice would you give to someone embarking on the training program?

TP | Listen to your body. If there are days when you’re feeling beat up and tired, take an extra rest day rather than forcing the workout.

For the more experienced athlete who has been training hard for, say, a year or two and is comfortable with this type of intensity, I recommend following this program exactly and not adding anything extra to it.

LT | What excites you most about this training program and the LT Games?

TP | I believe the LT Games is a very good middle ground between the fitness competitions currently offered to the public: It’s not too easy, but it’s also not too hard. I truly believe anyone can do it. However, it is tough enough that you have to practice and prepare for it to be successful and feel like you can accomplish it, which is why I’m excited we have this program to help empower people to do just that.

LT | I’m interested! How do I access the LT Games 8-Week Prep program?

TP | You can enroll in the LT Games 8-Week Prep training program in the Life Time app. If you’re interested in training to compete in the LT Games, you can register for the LT Games here.

Even if you’re not planning to compete in the LT Games but are interested in hybrid training, this program can help any participant increase their strength and aerobic endurance.

Keep an eye out for more LT Games events to come in 2026. This training program is here to help you prepare for those, too!

The post All About the LT Games 8-Week Prep Training Program appeared first on Experience Life.

While exercising and training with the goal of staying fit and healthy is a worthy priority, it may not be enough to fuel consistent effort or measurable progress for some. For these people, training with the goal of competing has the unique ability to unlock untapped potential.

“Whether it’s a physical or mental test or at a recreational or elite level, competing challenges us to grow our skills and abilities, go beyond perceived limitations, and discover what’s possible,” writes Bahram Akradi, founder, chairman, and CEO at Life Time. “This universal truth is at the heart of LT Games, a hybrid fitness competition launched at Life Time in 2025. Designed to reframe how we approach training and, more importantly, how we see ourselves, this competition will offer something truly transformative.”

The inaugural LT Games is taking place in late October 2025 at Life Time Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. “The competition is open to athletes nationwide who want to test and prove their hybrid fitness abilities, and it will be particularly appealing to those who thrive off competitive challenge,” says Wes Robertson, senior classes operations manager for Life Time and one of the designers of this new competition. “Hybrid training is trending right now, and those interested in the modality won’t want to miss the experience we’re creating for LT Games.”

We asked Robertson to share more about what to expect from LT Games.

Life Time | Can you give an overview of LT Games? What is it and who is it for?

Wes Robertson | LT Games is a hybrid fitness competition that combines Life Time’s state-of-the-art facilities, coaching expertise, and personalized athletic experiences to create a whole new competition platform.

An LT Games event features 17 stations where athletes perform various exercises. The goal is to complete every station in the fastest time possible. Each participant is assigned a certified judge who guides them throughout the competition and makes sure they complete each station correctly. The event features prize packages for first, second, and third place athletes in both male and female categories.

The 17 stations are broken up to be about 50 percent strength and 50 percent cardio, and they are designed to be challenging for some of the fittest athletes. They’re also intended, however, to highlight areas of strength and opportunity for any athlete, so anyone can participate, whether you’re looking to achieve the best time or are simply wanting to compete with yourself and level up your own training.

LT Games is an organic extension of Life Time’s signature training classes: Alpha, GTX, Ultra Fit, and MB360. Each of these offerings centers on functional movements — think squatting, lunging, pushing, pulling, and running — and they’re all aimed at equipping participants with tools for living their best lives beyond their regular 60-minute workouts.

LT | How do you define “hybrid fitness” or “hybrid athletes”? Tell us about this approach to training.

WR | A “hybrid athlete” is an athlete who trains across multiple disciplines and is well-rounded in all aspects of fitness, including endurance, strength, power, speed, agility, and mindset. This involves cross-training in a variety of fitness modalities, which is reflected in the 17 different stations featured in the LT Games.

LT | What are the 17 stations and how do athletes go about completing them during the challenge?

WR | During the competition, athletes move through 17 stations, beginning with the longest run and volume of work. Then the load gets a bit lighter as the competition unfolds. That means the first few stations take longer, and the final ones require shorter, sprint-like efforts.

In a “choose-your-own-adventure” style, athletes decide how they make it through each of these stations, meaning they choose the weights they use at each station. The higher load they select, the less reps they must do to complete the weight requirement. For box jumps and stepovers, athletes have the option to choose from three different box heights.

LT | How is LT Games different from other hybrid fitness competitions?

WR | LT Games is for hybrid athletes seeking a luxury experience. With a transparent workout plan consisting of functional movements, there’s also a lower barrier to entry and lower risk of injury than other existing fitness competitions. LT Games also features a balance of strength and cardio exercises to entice well-rounded, balanced athletes.

LT | How can participants prepare for LT Games?

WR | When preparing for the LT Games, it’s important to lean into your “areas of opportunity.” For example, say an athlete is already comfortable with their cardio efforts — I’d recommend they start to build strength. For athletes who typically focus on strength, adding cardiovascular training is what’s going to best help you prepare.

In the Life Time app, you can find The Official LT Games Training Program, an eight-week digital program designed with the purpose of preparing athletes to participate in the LT Games. This program familiarizes athletes with the competition movements, how they’re going to feel, what paces they should be holding, and how they’re going to break up movements on competition day. The goal is to be as prepared as humanly possible for the competition by practicing through the program. (Learn more: “LT Games 8-Week Prep Training Program.”)

Additionally, all the signature group training formats at Life Time — GTX, Alpha, Ultra Fit, and MB360 — are designed to prepare you for LT Games. These brands are highlighted throughout the course, including the straight-line cardio you experience in GTX; the barbell work you perform in Alpha; the shorter, sprint-like loads of work you do in Ultra Fit; and the mindset challenges you work through in MB360. If you’re consistent with any of — or a mix of — these programs, you can take your training to a whole new level and be competitive in the LT Games.

You can also find a specialized LT Games program on the schedule at Life Time Target Center in Minneapolis. This is a program that systematically progresses throughout the week: strength-focused days (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday), technique refinement days (Tuesday, Friday), and a competition preparation day (Saturday).

This scientific approach to training balances cardio (running, rowing, ski erg) with strength elements (hinge, press, pull, and squat movements) across targeted heart-rate zones. Led by certified coaches, this programming helps you master station transitions while enhancing your performance for competition day.

LT | I want to participate! How do I sign up?

WR | Our first regional LT Games event will take place October 25–26, 2025, at Life Time Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. You can register in the Life Time app. Keep an eye out for more LT Games events to come in 2026.

LT | I’m not ready to participate yet but I don’t want to miss this action. Can I watch the LT Games?

WR | Yes! Anyone is welcome to join the events October 25–26 as a spectator. All you have to do is show up to watch and be inspired!

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Most of us have experienced muscle memory, the neuromuscular ability that helps us confidently ride a bike or swing a ­tennis racket — even if we haven’t done those activities for years.

Recent research suggests that muscle memory may also explain how previously trained muscles can rapidly regain their size and strength after months without lifting.

Surprised at how quickly his own muscles recovered after an extended break from training, Eeli Halonen, a doctoral student in exercise physiology at Finland’s University of Jyväskylä, assembled a research team. They recruited 55 people with no weightlifting experience and led them through a 20-week workout program. About half of the participants took a 10-week break midway through the program before resuming their workouts for another 10 weeks.

When they measured the participants’ muscles during the break, researchers found they had decreased in size and strength. Once back in the gym, however, these individuals regained their lost muscle mass in a mere five weeks.

Scientists are still trying to understand rapid muscle regeneration. One theory posits that the nuclei in skeletal muscle cells remain even as muscle fibers shrink, poised to reactivate when called upon. Another theory suggests that strength training rewires the muscles’ DNA, allowing certain genes to switch on more readily when workouts resume.

“It’s a positive finding for those [who] need to take time off for whatever reason,” notes Kevin Murach, PhD, a professor of exercise science at the University of Arkansas, in an interview with NPR. “You can rest assured that your muscles will readapt quite readily.”

This article originally appeared as “How Muscles Remember — and Regain Lost Strength” in the July/August 2025 issue of Experience Life.

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Explore this workout:

• Med-Ball Strength
• Carry + Calisthenics
• Sled Work

At most health clubs and fitness facilities, symmetry is the name of the game. Weights are solid and easy to grip. Machines run smoothly and evenly. Floors are level and often padded. “In the gym, everything is kind of perfect,” says strength and sports performance coach Zach Even-Esh, SSPC, CSCS, founder of Underground Strength.

Outside the gym, it’s a different story: The sidewalk is uneven. Your duffel bag refuses to fit into the overhead compartment. Your new puppy is a lot squirmier than a kettlebell. Even if you’re a regular exerciser, real-world challenges can expose vulnerabilities that a training routine doesn’t fully address.

“Ask someone who’s over 40 how they injured their back,” says Even-Esh. “They’ll say something like, ‘I was walking my dog’ or ‘I was putting on my seatbelt.’”

To fill the gap between conven­tional fitness and the demands of the real world, trainers like Even-Esh turn to odd-object training.

This is a form of exercise that exalts asymmetrical loading, awkward positions, and unexpected implements, like kegs, tractor tires, atlas stones, and chains. (The sport of strongman, which has its roots in the centuries-old Scottish tradition of stone lifting, is the competitive version of odd-object ­training.)

You can get a similar workout using sandbags and heavy medicine balls, available in most fitness centers, or — in a pinch — using a single dumbbell.

“Odd-object training builds in-­between strength,” explains ­Even-Esh. It fortifies not just your squatting muscles and your pulling muscles but also your side-bending muscles and your rotating muscles — the ones you need to be strong in the awkward positions that life forces us into from time to time.

“You’re training for lifting toddlers, clearing brush, doing yard work,” he says. “You’re training for life.”

If you’ve been working out regularly, even for a few months, and feel comfortable with moves like conventional squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses, the following workout, designed by Even-Esh, might be a fun challenge to test your strength.

Sub this workout in for a full-body training day once per week for up to four weeks. Or, for a full dive into odd-objects work, perform the workout three times a week on nonconsecutive days for up to four weeks.

“On the first two weeks, focus on learning technique,” says Even-Esh. “The last two, focus on breaking records” — trying to increase the ­resistance or reps on each movement.

The Workout

1. Med-Ball Strength

• Perform the 1A and 1B moves as a pair.
• Do a set of the first move, rest for 30 to 60 seconds, and then perform a set of the second move and rest again.
• Continue second move and rest again.
• Continue alternating movements until you’ve completed five total sets.

1A. Med-Ball Lunge

Perform 5×6 each side (note: only one side is shown in video)

Full Instructions

• Assume a shoulder-width stance behind a heavy medicine ball.
• Squat down and grab the ball firmly.
• Keeping your lower back in its natural arch, stand rapidly, hoisting the ball onto your left shoulder.
• Take a long stride forward with your left leg.
• Bend both knees, slowly descending until your right knee almost touches the floor.
• Reverse the movement, stepping your left leg back to a shoulder-width position.
• Repeat the move on the same side for a total of six reps.
• Lower the ball to the floor, then repeat the process, lifting the ball to your right shoulder and stepping forward with your right foot.

1B. Med-Ball Floor Crush Press

Perform 5×5.

Full Instructions

• Lie on your back with a heavy medicine ball on the floor to your right.
• Roll to your right side, hug the ball to your chest, then roll onto your back.
• Place your hands on either side of the ball and crush the ball between your hands. This is your starting position.
• Press the ball to arm’s length over your chest.
• Slowly lower the ball back to the starting position.
• Repeat for five reps.

No med ball? Perform the move with a single heavy dumbbell.

⊗ Continue alternating movements until you’ve completed five total sets.

2. Carry + Calisthenics

• Perform moves 2A and 2B as a pair.
• Do a set of the first move, rest 30 to 60 seconds, then perform a set of the second move and rest again.
• Note that the 2B move changes with each round.
• Continue alternating movements until you’ve completed four sets.

2A. Sandbag Farmer’s Carry

Perform 4×20 seconds per side.

Full Instructions

• Hoist a heavy sandbag onto your right shoulder.
• Walk forward (or in a circle or figure eight) for 20 seconds (or 40 steps).
• Switch arms and repeat on the other side.

No sandbag? Hold a single heavy dumbbell by your side.

2B. Calisthenics

• Perform moves 2A and 2B as a pair. Note that the 2B move changes with each round.
• Do a set of the first move, rest 30 to 60 seconds, then perform a set of the second move and rest again.
• Continue alternating movements until you’ve completed four sets.

Round 1: Pushup

Perform 4×10.

Full Instructions

• Assume a pushup position: hands and balls of your feet on the floor, slightly wider than shoulder width, body straight from your heels to the crown of your head.
• Keeping your body rigid, slowly bend your elbows and retract your shoulder blades, lowering your chest as close to the floor as possible.
• Reverse the movement and repeat for a total of 10 reps.

Too tough? Perform the move with your hands elevated on a bench or box.

Round 2: Inverted Row

Perform 4×10.

Full Instructions

• Take hold of the handles of a TRX, facing the anchor point.
• Extend your arms in front of you and walk backward a few steps until the straps are taut.
• Keeping your upper body in place, walk your feet forward until your body forms about a 45-degree angle to the floor. Straighten your body so that it forms a straight line from your head to your heels. This is your starting position.
• Keeping your body straight, simultaneously retract your shoulder blades and bend your elbows, lifting your chest as far forward as possible.
• Slowly return to the starting position and repeat for a total of 10 reps.

Round 3: Plank With Heel-Raise

Perform 4×10.

Full Instructions

• Assume a pushup position.
• Without lifting your hips or bending either leg, lift your right leg from the floor as high as possible, hold for a one-count, and return to the starting position.
• Repeat the move with your left leg. That’s one rep.
• Continue alternating sides for a total of 10 reps.

Round 4: Four-Count Mountain Climber

Perform 4×10.

Full Instructions

• Assume a pushup position: hands and balls of your feet on the floor, slightly wider than shoulder width, body straight from your heels to the crown of your head.
• Keeping your body straight, alternately draw your knees to your chest — right, left, right, left. That’s one rep.
• Repeat for a total of 10 reps.

⊗ Continue alternating movements until you’ve completed four sets. (Reminder: the 2B move changes with each round.)

3. Sled Work

• Perform this section as a straight set — meaning you won’t pair the movement with another exercise. Rather, you’ll perform a different variation of sled work in each of the three rounds. (No sled? Hop on a treadmill, set the incline to 12 to 15 percent, and walk at a pace that challenges you for one to two minutes.)

Round 1: Sled Push

Push the sled for 10 to 20 yards.

Full Instructions

• Load a sled with a medium-heavy weight.
• Stand behind the sled, grab the handles, straighten — but don’t hyperextend — your arms, and push the sled forward as smoothly and powerfully as possible for 10 to 20 yards.
• Turn around and push the sled back to the starting position. Rest 60 seconds.

Round 2: Sled Pull

Pull the sled for 10 to 20 yards.

Full Instructions

• For the second set, grasp the sled handles and walk backward for 10 to 20 yards.
• Turn around and pull the sled to the starting position. Rest 60 seconds.

Round 3: Side Step

Side shuffle for 10 to 20 yards.

Full Instructions

• For the third set, grasp the handles and perform resisted side shuffles — to your left on the way down and to your right on the way back.

⊗ Continue alternating movements until you’ve completed three rounds.

This article originally appeared as “Train to Move Odd Objects” in the July/August 2025 issue of Experience Life.

The post Create Functional Strength With This Odd-Objects Workout appeared first on Experience Life.