The BODathon is a intensive training program I set up for Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler so he could train for something big in his limited time. Read more about it by clicking here, here, and here. This article is how to use this schedule if you’re training for something outside, like a triathlon, marathon, Spartan race, etc. It’s a little late in coming, since we’ve got three weeks in the can, but there will be more BODathons in the future so this is can be a reference post.
When not to partake.
If you’re event happens within the two-month scope of the BODathon, do not attempt this program. It will just break you down and make you worse. You’ll get better eventually. Just not in time for your event.
To use this program, you should have at least three weeks after it for your targeted goal. Otherwise you’re better off just training the activity you’re going to do.
Altering the schedule to match yours
Once you’ve decided to invest, you’ll want to move the BODathon around (as little as possible) to match your schedule. Since most people have more time on the weekends, that’s when we do the lion’s share of our sports-specific training. So the first thing I did was to move the recovery day from Thurs to Fri, moving Friday’s workout to Thursday.
The next thing I did was to look at my work travel schedule, and then change problematic days to something more realistic to get done. For example, anything requiring equipment got swapped out if my only chance to workout was going to be in a hotel room. This is easy to do on BOD, since there are so many workout options.
Finally, you need to take a realistic look at your sports training and decide what needs to be dropped in the BODathon schedule. For example, the many double training session in the schedule are there to help you get at the “sport” of BODathon. If you’re also adding sports training, those workouts are no longer necessary.
Sports Specific Training
Won’t be addressed here except because it changes for every sport. The reason you would want to add the BODathon program is because you need overall fitness aside from sports training. How much sports training you do should be a reflection of you next event. General training should be done as far away from sports goals as possible, thus the cliché “wins are made in the off season.”
Getting worse to get better
It is important to note that you’re performance will almost certainly get worse before it gets better. This is by design. We’re breaking down weak areas in your body in order to make them stronger. This will affect performance in the short term. Be ok with this, otherwise you’re unlikely to see your program through to its end.
Then why would I do it?
Because your body needs balance and harmony in order to perform its best and training does this much better than sports. This particular BODathon is based on full body conditioning, including balance and mobility. It’s an excellent program to keep your body healthy. If it’s hard for you, then you probably have a weakness that better to address in the course of a program designed to help it, rather than a sport where you’re likely to get injured once that weakness hits a certain point.
Now, with all this in mind, here’s how, and why, I scheduled my personal BODathon.
Training Objectives: Improve hip strength, mobility, and power output = Red to Green in P3 assessment.
2nd objective: Build solid base for climbing, running, riding, perhaps for decent birthday challenge end of Nov. Improve climbing speed.
Injuries – hip impingement, so add more Pilates
WEEK ONE (began Sept 1)
Tuesday: P90X3′s Eccentric Upper/ P90′s Ab Ripper A
Wednesday: FOCUS T25′s Cardio and running drills NIS (stretching) and Hangboard/Power forearms/forearm stretching
Thursday: P90X3′s Eccentric Lower/P90′s Ab Ripper B and mtb ride
Friday: 21 Day Fix’s Yoga and mtb ride
Saturday: 21 Day Fix’s Pilates and Ride/run and/or climb
Sunday: Easy yoga and foam rolling and Ride/run or climb
Changing recovery day to Friday due to weekend adventures.
- Hangboard is Fit for fall in 4 weeks protocol
- Running drills are here.
- Not counting dog hikes, which happen every day I’m home and all the workouts are indoors, usually 2x/day, usually pretty steep.
- Climb/ride/run based on how I feel, following Stevie Haston’s training rule #1, #2, and #3: Don’t get injured!
WEEK TWO
Monday: my own plyo work/Pilates/running drills and Ride/run or climb
Tuesday: Body Beast’s Total Body and Beast Abs and mtb ride NIS (stretching)
Wednesday: 21 Day Fix’s Cardio Fix and hangboard or boulder/power forearms/forearm stretches and NIS
Thursday: ChaLEAN Extreme’s Lean Circuit 1 and Ab Burner and short, easy yoga
Friday: ChaLEAN Extreme’s Dynamic Yoga Flow
Saturday: Body Beast’s Cardio and ride/run/climb and NIS/easy yoga
Sunday: P90X3′s Pilates/easy yoga and ride/run/climb
WEEK THREE
Monday: INSANITY: THE ASYLUM Vol. 1: Speed and Agility
Tuesday: P90X2′s Total Body and Ab Ripper and Hangboard/power forearms/rice bucket/stretch/NIS
Wednesday: 21 Day Fix EXTREME: Pilates and running drills NIS (stretching) and ride/run
Thursday: INSANITY: THE ASYLUM Vol. 1′s Strength
Friday: P90X3′s Dynamic
Saturday: INSANITY: THE ASYLUM Vol. 1′s Back to Core and Climb/ride and/or run
Sunday: 21 Day Fix EXTREME’s Yoga and climb/ride or run
WEEK FOUR
Monday: 21 Day Fix EXTREME’s Plyo and Pilates
Tuesday: P90X2’s Total Body and hangboard/power forearms/NIS
Wednesday: P90X3′s Complex Lower and running drills NIS (stretching) and easy run/NIS
Thursday: P90X3’s Complex Upper and climb/hangboard/power forearms/NIS
Friday: P90X2′s Mobility and running drills and easy ride/run/NIS
Saturday: Climb, ride and/or run and Pilates of some kind
Sunday: Climb, ride and/or run and yoga of some kind
WEEK FIVE (Recovery Week)
Monday: P90X’s Yoga
Tuesday: P90X2′s Mobility and hangboard/PF/NIS
Wednesday: P90X3′s Yoga and easy long running/drills
Thursday: INSANITY: Max Recovery and easy long mtb
Friday: PiYo Live’s Stretch and Flow
Saturday: long ride and/or run and easy yoga
Sunday: Climb hard
* Some kind of fast/cleanse M – F
WEEK SIX
Monday: Bolt, clean, work, hike
Tuesday: Climb hard
Wednesday: Beast Total Body & 21 DF Pilates and mtb ride
Thursday: P90X3′s Complex Lower and Ab Ripper
Friday: P90X2′s Mobility
Saturday: P90X3′s Complex Upper and running drills NIS and ride/run/climb/easy yoga
Sunday: P90X’s Core Synergistics and ride/run and/or climb
- Hangboard session now follow Eva Lopez protocol.
WEEK SEVEN
Monday: Body Beast’s Total Body and 21 Day Fix EXTREME’s Plyo
Tuesday: P90X3’s Pilates and climb/hangboard/power forearms/NIS
Wednesday: Long ride or run and running drills NIS (stretching) and P90X2′s PAP Upper
Thursday: P90X2′s PAP Lower and X2 Ab Ripper
Friday: P90X2′s Mobility
Saturday: Owltoberfest (limit climb)
Sunday: Dalai Lama (limit climb)
WEEK EIGHT
Monday: P90X’s Core Synergistics
Tuesday: Body Beast’s Total Body and 21 Day Fix EXTREME’s Plyo and Asylum’s Relief
Wednesday: recovery ride/run and boulder/hangboard/NIS
Thursday: P90X3′s Complex Lower and X3 Ab Ripper
Friday: P90X2′s Mobility
Saturday: Climb/ride and/or run
Sunday: Climb/ride and/or run
WEEK NINE
Monday: P90X3′s Complex Upper and X3 Ab Ripper
Tuesday: Body Beast Cardio and recovery run
Wednesday: P90X3′s Dynamix and recovery ride
Thursday: P90X2′s Mobility
Friday: off
Saturday: BODathon (P90X’s Core Synergistics and Body Beast’s Total Body and 21 Day Fix EXTREME’s Plyo Fix Extreme and INSANITY: THE ASYLUM Vol. 1′s Relief for the cool down.)
* 3-day Refresh W- F
Nov 1 – Ride/Run/Climb test
Nov 22 – some type of Birthday Challenge
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