The Deadly Dozen Training Manual
I have just published the Training Manual for my new Fitness Race, The Deadly Dozen: Find it on Amazon
I have also published two Paperback Programs to go with the training manual: The 6-Week Beginner Program and the 12-Week Triad Program (Advanced).
The Concept and Inspiration for the Deadly Dozen
When it comes to running, there are certain distances that are particularly horrific, and that is because they are not short enough to be over quickly (there’s plenty of time to suffer), yet they are not long enough to warrant slowing down and pacing yourself.
On the athletics track, the 400m and 800m are exactly that, and when it comes to road running, the ability to run a fast 5km has always been noteworthy to me. Whenever an athlete I worked with had a fast 5km time (relative to their gender, bodyweight, and age, etc), they ALWAYS stood out in both their physical and mental capacities, especially when that individual was also strong in the gym – when someone has good physical strength, and can also smash out a good 5km time, they are not just a Hybrid Athlete, they are an absolute beast!
One of the best ways to train for a fast 5km time is with the infamous interval session, 12x 400m runs, usually with around 45-120 seconds recovery (slow jog: 200-300m), and it was this training session that was the initial inspiration for the race.
Fitness racing, by nature, is leg-heavy, and that’s good because running on tired legs separates the men from the boys and the women from the girls. However, I wanted to create a race that also involved a lot of upper body movements and rather than going from cardio to cardio, transitioned from cardio (the run) to a resistance exercise, or at least a bodyweight movement that requires a lot of muscular energy to perform.
I wanted these exercises to develop the key fundamental movements such as Hinge, Squat, Lunge, Push, Pull and Carry. I wanted them to be accessible to all, hence only using basic equipment. And most of all, I wanted them to feel “laboursome.” I wanted each exercise station to feel like a real “Labour” between each run, and this, of course, got me thinking about the 12 Labours of Hercules and how he would “Journey” to each – unfortunately, I don’t have Namean Lion’s or Hydra’s for people to slay.
I was worried about linking Greek mythology to the Deadly Dozen at the risk of being cliché. However, on second thought, Greek mythology is extremely cool (I get that referring to something as “extremely cool” is NOT very cool), and I have always been a massive advocate of Stoicism (a school of philosophy from ancient Greece and Rome). People confuse Stoicism with having a stiff upper lip and bottling things up, but in actuality, it is the exact opposite. Stoicism is about having a deeper understanding of how you react to the challenges life throws at you and handling these things with emotional intelligence, fortitude, and self-discipline. It is about understanding what you can and can’t control and the beneficial regulation of emotions.
I feel many Stoic principles go hand in hand with hard physical training and will ultimately help you to become a better athlete. Therefore, I have sprinkled this manual with lots of Stoic wisdom, along with some of the wisdom or insight that I have picked up over the years. I also think that making things fun is vital because enjoyment promotes consistency. Therefore, I have aimed to use gamification where possible by utilising Greek mythology with fun ranking systems, etc – I hope you find value in the ways I have tried to make the Deadly Dozen an exceptionally challenging yet fun training system.
Fitness Racing and Stoicism have helped me to become a fitter, healthier, happier and an all-round better human being (husband, father, friend, colleague, boss, athlete) – the mind develops the body, and the body develops the mind.
“Difficulties strengthen the mind as labour does the body.” – Seneca
“The trials you encounter will introduce you to your strengths.” – Epictetus
The Race
The Deadly Dozen Fitness Race works off a Dozenal (duodecimal) system. Therefore, all distances and reps are based around the number 12 (a superior highly composite number) and can be increased or decreased by 25, 50 or 75% while maintaining round numbers – this is a key element of the training methodology.
Race Structure:
· 400m Run
· 1. KB Farmers Carry: 240m
· 400m Run
· 2. KB Deadlift: 60 Reps
· 400m Run
· 3. DB Lunge: 60m
· 400m Run
· 4. DB Snatch: 60 Reps (Alternate)
· 400m Run
· 5. Burpee Broad Jump: 60m
· 400m Run
· 6. KB Goblet Squat: 60 Reps
· 400m Run
· 7. WP Front Carry: 240m
· 400m Run
· 8. DB Push Press: 60 Reps
· 400m Run
· 9. Bear Crawl: 120m
· 400m Run
· 10. WP Clean & Press: 60 Reps
· 400m Run
· 11. WP Overhead Carry: 180m
· 400m Run
· 12. DB Devil Press: 20 Reps
Total Journey Distance: 4800m / Total Distance Labours: 900m / Total Rep Labours: 320 Reps
If you think you can Beat the Race, sign up below:
Author
Coach Jason Curtis
