NOTE: THIS SITE IS MOVING TO A NEW SERVER.  THE NEW ADDRESS IS BAREFOOTCHRONICLES.COM.  Google is discontinuing googlepages, and the new Google Sites is not especially user-friendly.  Please update your bookmarks.  Thank you!

Also, I now have a barefoot coaching site located at http://barefootrunninguniversity.com, and have written a barefoot running book that can be found here:

Descriptions for most exercises can be found here.  Videos for other exercises can be found on Youtube.

 2009 Workout

The 2009 workout is a modification of the 2008 workout.  The 2008 workouts did wonders in regards to muscle strength and recovery time, but did not help when running more than 50 miles.  The 2009 workout incorporates more total running miles. 

Here are the guiding principles that determine my workouts:

1. High intensity workouts produce better results.  My workouts should leave you feeling physically exhausted and covered in sweat.  This is not a country club workout.

2. All exercises should promote strength across multiple planes.  Most exercises require coordination and balance, thus work and build all the stabilizer muscles throughout your body.  I do not use machines.  Ever.

3. Variety is essential.  On any given week, I may do 30-60 different exercises.  This assures ALL muscle groups are used.  This is the best possible weight training method for distance running. 

Gym workout: This plan utilizing high intensity interval training and running.  It is designed to be completed with two people, though it can easily be completed with one person.  I do most of these workouts with my wife Shelly at our gym, the Grand Rapids, Michigan YMCA.  In planning the workout, I select 8-14 exercises from the list below.  One person completes the exercise while the other person runs a lap (or two, depending on the day) on the track (1/7th of a mile at the YMCA).  The goal of the person doing the exercise is to do as many reps as possible.  The goal of the runner is to finish the lap(s) as quickly as possible.  When the runner finishes, they swap positions.  There are no breaks between the activities; the intensity level remains high for the entirety of the workout.  We continue through the workout until all exercises have been completed.  Typically, it takes between 30 and 60 minutes to complete depending on the number of exercises and laps run between exercises.  

We will work out approximately 3-5 times per week.  Each exercise will only be done once per week with pullups being the lone exception (I like them too much).  This assures great variety which promotes very even physical development. 

There may be occasions where we change up the workout for variety.  In that case, we may do some of the named workouts from Crossfit.  Visit their website for more information.

If you have any questions regarding my workout, I would be happy to answer them!  Use the "Contact Jason" link at the bottom of this page.

 These are the exercises:

2008 Workout (over a three week period)

Workout for Friday, June 13h, 2008

•  26.32 mile long run, 12/3 run/walk ratio used throughout
  

Workout for Thursday, June 12th, 2008

•  CF workout at gym
  • Warmup
    • 100 meters walking lunges
    • 100 meters backwards lunges
    • 3 X 10 back extensions
    • 3 X 10 pushups
  • Workout
    • 3 rounds of each:
      • 10 one legged squats
      • 12 dips
      • 15 pullups (still working on kipping pullups)
• CFE workout at gym

  • Run: Sprint/Recover,

  • 10sec/60sec,
  • 10sec/50sec,
  • 10sec/40sec,
  • 10sec/30sec,
  • 10sec/20sec,
  • 10sec/10sec,
  • 10sec/20sec,
  • 10sec/30sec,
  • 10sec/40sec,
  • 10sec/50sec,
  • 10sec/50sec,
  • 10sec

Workout for Wednesday, June 11th, 2008

•  Gym workout
  • Warmup
    • 100 meters of walking lunges
    • 100 meters of backwards lunges
    • 3 X 10 situps
    • 3 X 10 back extensions
    • 2 X 10 Russian twists with 35 lb. dumbbell
  • Workout
    • 25 pound Medicine ball Tabata intervals doing the following exercises:
      
      •  Clean and Press with throw
      • Backwards throw
      • Underhand granny throw
      • Clean and spike
        

Workout for Tuesday, June 10th, 2008

•  Workout with Pete
  • 2 1/2 mile run, every 100 meters (1/4 length of track) do the following exercises (one per 100 meters):
    • 20 air squats
    • 5- 20 lb. medicine ball get-ups
    • 20 medicine ball mountain climbers
    • 5 cleans with 65 lbs.
    • Time 47:15
• Workout at gym
  • Warm-up
    • 100 meters of walking lunges
    • 100 meters of backwards lunges
    • 3 X 10 situps
    • 3 X 10 back extensions
  • Gym Workout
    • Each exercise done for 1 minute, then move to next exercise.  1 minute rest after each round.  # rounds total
      • Wall Ball with 20lb. medicine ball
      • Air squats
      • Dumbbell clean and press with 35 lb. dumbbell
      • Box jumps- 20" box
      • Crunches
        

Workout for Monday, June 9th, 2008

•  CF (yesterday's workout- scaled)
  • 10 rounds of
    • Pullups (12,12,12, 12, 10, 10, 8, 8, 6, 6)
    • Burpees (12, 12, 12, 12, 10, 10, 8, 8, 6, 6)
    • Total Time = 14:27.31
      

Workout for Sunday, June 8th, 2008

•  6 mile easy run (mix of running and walking)
• CF- Rest day
  

 Workout for Saturday, June 7th, 2008

• Warm-up
  • 180 feet of forward walking lunges
  • 180 feet of backward walking lunges
  • 3 X 10 situps
  • 3 X 10 back extensions
  • 2 X 5 kipping pullups
  • 2  X 5 dips
• CF workout
  • Five rounds
    • 7 clean squats @115, 115, 95, 95, 95
    • 15 presses @ 95, 65, 65, 55, 55 (scaled from handstand pushups)
• CFE (not WOD)
  • Treadmill Tabata (8 rounds, 30 sec. on, 20 sec. rest)
    
    • 12% grade
    • 8.5 mph, 8.5, 8.0, 8.0, 7.5, 7.5, 7.0, 7.0
      

Workout for Friday, June 6th, 2008

• Rest day
  

Workout for Thursday, June 5th, 2008

•  Workout with Pete
  • Interval Challenge"- Four rounds of:
    • 12 burpees
    • 24 pushups
    • 36 air squats
    • run 1/4 mile
  • Two rounds of:
    • 1/4 medicine ball throw
  • Three rounds of:
    • 5 Snatches with 65lbs.
    • 6 lb. Medicine ball thrusters while other person does snatches
      

Workout for Wednesday, June 4th, 2008

•  CF:
  • In 20 minutes, do as many sets as time allows:
    • 15 pullups (many were negatives, I haven't mastered the kipping pullup yet)
    • 30 ring pushups
    • 45 air squats
• CFE:
  • To be determined... 

Workout for Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008

• CFE:
  • 5k @ 21:00:15

Workout for Monday, June 2nd, 2008

• Rest Day

Workout for Sunday, June 1st, 2008

•  CF (scaled workout) 
  • 10 clean & squats @ 115 (all at 115)
    
  • 50 situps
  • 8 C&S
  • 30 situps
  • 6 C&S
  • 20 situps
  • 4 C&S
  • 10 situps
  • 2 C&S
  • 10 situps
• Run (with Shelly, not CFE):

• 5 miles barefoot in 59:00
• 1 mile barefoot in 20:00
  

Workout for Saturday, May 31st, 2008

•  Crossfit: Done with two people, one jump ropes while other does thrusters 
  • 95 lb Thruster, 10 reps
  • 95 lb Thruster, 8 reps
  • 95 lb Thruster, 6 reps
  • 95lb Thruster, 4 reps
  • 95lb Thruster, 2 reps
    
• Crossfit Endurance
  • 30 seconds running, 20 seconds rest x 8; Use a treadmill and set at 12% grade and 0-30sec slower pace per mile then best 5k pace (8.8mph for three rounds, 8.0mph for last 5)
    

Workout for Friday, May 30th, 2008

• Rest Day

Workout for Thursday, May 29th, 2008

• Crossfit Endurance:
  • 10k - 47:22 (7:37 pace)
• Crossfit:
  • Rest Day
• Workout w/ Pete
  • 15-9-6 of:
    • Overhead squats w/ sandbag
    • Deadlift 100lbs.
  • 2 sets of 1 minute for each:
    • Floor sweepers
    • Alligator crawl
    • Knees to Elbows
  • 2 sets of each (switch when getups are done):
    • Turkish getups 35lbs. barbell
    • Russian twists 25lb. plate

Workout for Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

•  Crossfit:
  • Shoulder Press
    • 3 @ 80
    • 3 @ 100
    • 3 @ 100
    • 3 @ 100
    • 3 @ 100
  • Crossfit Endurance:
    • 260 meters @ 0:46
      
    • 520 meters @ 1:36
      
    • 780 meters @ 2:39
      

Workout for Tuesday, May 27th, 2008

• Crossfit:
  • Run 1 mile @ 8.5 mph on treadmill
    Two minutes of each:
    Row (sub. Sumo deadlift high pull)
    30 pound Dumbbell thrusters
    22 pound Medicine ball cleans
    Double-unders (sub. 8" box jumps)
    Pull-ups
• Crossfit Endurance:
  • Rest Day

 Workout for Monday, May 26th, 2008

• Crossfit:
  • For time:
    100 Squats
    5 Muscle-ups
    75 Squats
    10 Muscle-ups
    50 Squats
    15 Muscle-ups
    25 Squats
    20 Muscle-ups