Stew’s Favorites: Calisthenics and Weight Training

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An Army dive team performs burpees.
The Army dive team works on completing 250 burpees during the Diver 250 Challenge at Kuwait Naval Base, July 14, 2012. (Sgt. Peter Berardi/316th Sustainment Command, Expeditionary)

Here is a different type of 50--50 split workout we like to do in October as we slowly transition from higher-rep calisthenics and move into more weight training programs to build strength and power. The term 50--50 refers to the workout being about 50% calisthenics and 50% weight training. This is one of our new workouts we created this fall.

Related articles are periodization, Preparing for the Tactical Fitness Test

Weight room

Burpee/run pyramid:

  • One burpee, run 30 meters
  • Two burpees, run 30 meters
  • Three burpees, run 30 meters
  • Four burpees, run 30 meters
  • Five burpees = burpee 1--5
  • Max pull-ups
  • Max dips
  • Stair crawls down/​up

Burpee pyramid 6--10 (same as above)

  • But fireman carry or farmer walk between burpees
  • Max pull-ups
  • Max dips
  • Stair crawls down/​up

Burpee pyramid 10--6 (same as above -- in reverse)

  • But fireman carry or farmer walk between burpees
  • Max pull-ups
  • Max dips
  • Stair crawls down/​up

Burpee pyramid 5--1

  • Max pull-ups
  • Max dips
  • Stair crawls down/​up

Repeat four times.

  • (Two push/two pull/two full-body exercise/cardio circuit)
  • Tabata interval five minutes
  • (20-second sprint/​10 seconds slow) -- bike/​elliptical
  • Pull-ups max
  • Pulldowns 10, 10 (wide, regular grips)
  • Bench press 10-15
  • Military press 10-15
  • Hang clean 5-10
  • MJDB#2 10-15

This is a good mix of full body, pushing and core calisthenics, with short cardio events, followed by similar events in the weight room.

*If you do not have a flight of steps to stair crawl up/down, then bear crawl for the distance between the burpee pyramids. (The typical distance is a basketball court.) By the end of this 75- to 90-minute workout, you will have worked your entire body.

Now go for a swim or a ruck.

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you're looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.

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