The 5 minute challenge attempts to solve a complex problem I’ve always had with CrossFit (or similar workout programs). On one hand, there’s no doubt that CrossFit works. On the other hand, I (and many others) get injured doing CrossFit. I’ve started three times, and ended up on the disabled list after three months with shoulder and elbow injuries. The elbow injury still nags me years later. It’s just never been a long-term solution for working out for me.
However, there’s no doubt CrossFit works for a LOT of people. The main benefit is the inclusion of heavy weights combined with high intensity interval training (HIIT) in CrossFit Workouts of the Day (WOD). Many other programs use the High Intensity Interval Training, but they cut out the heavy weights. The results, judging by the participants of these programs, are lackluster after initial exciting weight loss results. There’s no doubt that the low weight HIIT programs can help overweight people lose weight, but there’s not the muscle development associated with CrossFit.
How do you combine HIIT with heavy weights while avoiding injury? My suspicion is that the reason for the injuries many experience in CrossFit has to do with the durations of the WOD, rather than the actual lifts themselves (although I’m not a fan of skipping pull-ups). The WODs last too long, which leads to poor form, as well as breakdowns in a molecular sense (I’ll let the science guys argue over that).
My solution, that’s worked for me, is to limit HIIT training to 5 minutes with a five minute challenge. This would always be at the end of my workout, and I tend to refer to them as “gassers’”. This is mainly a cardio/fat burning exercise, designed to help me burn fat long after the workout has ended.
Here, I pick on exercise, and perform for 5 minutes. With most exercises, I’m looking to perform a certain number of repetitions, and move up in weight when I hit that number of reps. In that sense, it’s progressive, you build up to a higher weight over time. But really, you’re not increasing strength so much as capacity to train at a higher weight.
Kettlebells are tailor made for the 5 minute challenge. A great one is the one arm kettlebell swing. Perform 10 swings with one hand and then switch hands and perform another 10. If you hit 100 repetitions within the 5 minute limit, move up in weight next time. Simple. This works great with kettlebell snatches, cleans, and goblet squats as well.
With the above kettlebell exercise, I like to do my five minute challenge with a time that rings every 30 seconds. I perform my 10 reps with one hand, rest for the remainder of the 30 second period, and then start with the other hand on the next ring. This ends up being very much like the tabata, which is a 20 second on, 10 seconds off, protocol I first learned from Dan John’s books. Tabatas work wonders for useful cardio capacity and fat burning. By the way, you should read every book by Dan John. I have them all on my kindle, and frequently refer to them, because they’re not so much specific workouts (although there’s plenty of those in there) as general weightlifting and workout theory.
You can also perform this with Turkish Get Ups (TGUs), but you’re going to limit yourself to 10 total. You’ll still get smoked cardio-wise, but it’s definitely a different sensation. Just be really careful on your 5th rep with each hand, as TGUs can have disastrous consequences if the kettlebell falls on you. Note that Pavel Tsatsouline has a great workout book called “Simple Sinister” that’s definitely worth looking into that essentially is a 5 minute challenge of one-arm swings combined with a 5 minute challenge of turkish get ups. Highly recommended, as is everything Pavel writes.
You can also do a five minute challenge with running. This is best on a track or an assault runner, which is great if you have access to one. We got an assault runner at my office gym, and I can’t get enough of it. A rower or bike can work as well. Just go as hard as you can for five minutes. Make sure you log your distance, and try to beat it the next time. You could also do bodyweight stuff like air squats, burpees, etc. using a weighted vest to add load.
Another thing that the 5 minute challenge does is it gives you more time to focus on lifting heavy weights during your workout. A lot of workouts I’ve done in the past consist of a warmup, one lift like a squat, bench press, etc., and then straight into a 20-30 minute WOD. My problem with that approach is that while you leave the gym feeling drained, over time you haven’t built up much progressive strength in your main lifts (bench, squat, deads, etc.) because you’re only doing them every couple of weeks. I like doing 2-3 main exercises and then hitting an extremely hard gaser in the last 5 minutes.
The 5 minute challenge solves for the HIIT “WOD” style workout without causing breakdowns in form and fascia that lead to injury. If you’re a 20 something phenom, by all means go out there and kill it. As we get older, those 20-30 minute WODs become counterproductive, eveninjury-causingg. However, let’s admit that prolonged HIIT with weights works wonders, so let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Implement some 5 minute challenges into your workouts at the very end, and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results.