I’m testing a new training program and it’s a doozie! Today’s training session started with 10 minutes of sand bag get-ups. What’s a sand bag get-up you say? Glad you asked. In my case, I took a favourite stuff sack and stuffed it with all the sand filled training balls that I had…that was 25 pounds worth…and then added 11 pounds of water…making a 36 pound squishy squirmy load to hoist upon my shoulder. I was aiming for 40 pounds but need to get out and find some wood pellets or tire shreddings or actual sand to make a real one someday…

The instructions were simple…hoist the bag on your shoulder, lie down on your back then get up anyway you want to…as many times as you can in 10 minutes…I’m sure I’d decide tomorrow, in the throws of a lactic acid build-up misery, that doing it 50 times was a mistake. And that was the warm-up. It was followed by some intervals of various sorts with strength training and flexibility moves thrown in for good measure. 80 minutes later, I emerged from the field house a sweaty, salty wet noodle who happily went off to enjoy a home-cooked and well-earned lunch at my friend’s Mike. 2 training sessions down. 50 to go.