Where Science Meets Fitness

No matter what your current fitness level or former athletic experience, you can learn to train like an Olympic-caliber athlete. I am Erin Borchard, a former elite springboard/platform diver (NCAA Champion and multi-year All-American at Stanford University, former member of the US National Diving Team, and two-time competitor at the US Olympic Team Trials), specializing in personal and small group training sessions. I am also a Phi Beta Kappa student with a B.A. in Human Biology; my strong science background is an ever present influence shaping and changing my training philosophy.

I want to help you push yourself to YOUR maximum...you'll be shocked to find the true athlete living inside of you.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

"Go" (on the 1:30)


EQUIP: Box (24/20), Slam Ball (30/20), Rings

WARM-UP:
5 Min. AMRAP (easy pace) -
10 x Decline Push-Up + Shoulder Tap
10 (5 ea. leg) x Reverse Lunge + Step-Up
100m Slam Ball Run
--------------------------------------------------------
"GO"
45 Min. AMRAP -
**100m Run (sprint!) every 90 seconds**
100 x Air Squat
90 x Lateral Donkey Kick over Slam Ball
80 x Speed Skate (6'/4')
70 (35 ea. leg) x Pistol atop Box
60 x Squat-Thrust
50 x Hollow Body Hold + Slam Ball Chest Toss
40 x Slam Ball Goblet Squat Jump
30 x Burpee-Box Jump
20 x Ring Dip (Rx+: w/ SB squeezed b/w knees)
10 x Slam Ball Squat Catch-and-Release

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Bustin' It In My Backyard


EQUIPMENT: Slam Ball (30/20), KB (70#/53#)

A)
5 Rounds -
Within 1 Minute, Complete: 40 x alternating Lunge Jump
*1 Minute REST b/w rounds

B)
5 Rounds -
Within 1 Minute, Complete: 30 x Ball Slam (30/20)
*1 Minute REST b/w rounds

C)

5 Rounds -
Within 1 Minute, Complete: 20 x KB Swing (70#/53#)
*1 Minute REST b/w rounds

D)
5 Rounds -
Within 1 Minute, Complete: 15 x Burpee
*1 Minute REST b/w rounds

Monday, June 24, 2013

Gettin' It Done In The Garage



*I'm volunteering at Vacation Bible School with my kids this week, which means no gym time for me.  I decided to squeeze in a little garage workout at home between VBS and Tae Kwon Do.  Here's what I came up with (~20 min. duration):

FOR TIME:
*160-120-80-40 x Double-Under
*40-30-20-10 x Squat-Thrust (= a burpee without a push-up)
*32-24-16-8 x Slam Ball Squat Clean (20 lb.)
*20-15-10-5 x Handstand Push-Up

Saturday, June 22, 2013

4 Corners of Abs and Legs




Equip: Barbell (95/65)(Rx+: 105/75), PVC, Slam Ball (30/20), AbMat

WARM-UP:
Active Stretch
-then:
*5 Rounds of 5 x Air Squat + 1 x Pop-Up Push-Up
*400m Run
*5 Rounds of 5 x Air Squat + 1 x Pop-Up Push-Up
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
STRENGTH #1:
4 Rounds -
*8 x Squat Clean From Toes (95/65)(Rx+: 105/75) http://www.takanoathletics.com/clean-from-toes
-30 sec. REST b/w rounds

4 CORNERS #1 (use the 200m course around our building):
*In Corner #1: 20 x Up-Down https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TET1qi9ivUI
Sprint through 4 corners to 5th corner
*In Corner #2: 15 x Up-Down
Sprint through 4 corners to 5th corner
*In Corner #3: 10 x Up-Down
Sprint through 4 corners to 5th corner
*In Corner #4: 5 x Up-Down
Sprint through 4 corners to 5th corner (back to your start @ Corner #1)

STRENGTH #2:
4 Rounds -
*5 x Bear Complex (95/65)(Rx+: 105/75) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WOP9J7QPwI
-30 sec. REST b/w rounds

4 CORNERS #2:
*In Corner #1: 20 x PVC OH Squat Jump 
Sprint through 4 corners to 5th corner (pick PVC up at 4th corner before running to 5th)
*In Corner #2: 15 x PVC OH Squat Jump
Sprint through 4 corners to 5th corner (pick PVC up at 4th corner before running to 5th)
*In Corner #3: 10 x PVC OH Squat Jump
Sprint through 4 corners to 5th corner (pick PVC up at 4th corner before running to 5th)
*In Corner #4: 5 x PVC OH Squat Jump
Sprint through 4 corners to 5th corner (back to your start @ Corner #1)

STRENGTH #3:
4 Rounds -
*20 x Slam Ball AbMat Sit-Up
-30 sec. REST b/w rounds


*NOTE: each round of “4 Corners” is about 1000m of running

Thursday, June 20, 2013

"All-Day-Long Total Bod WOD"




EQUIP: Bar (95/65)(Rx+: 115/85)

WARM-UP:
-4 Rounds of 1 Active Stretch followed by a 100m Run (increase pace of run ea. rnd.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“All-Day-Long Total Bod WOD”
*800m Run
*10 x Star Jump
*10 x Hand-Release Push-Up
*10 x Shoulder-to-Overhead (95/65)(Rx+: 115/85)(Strict Press, Push Press, and/ or Push Jerk)
*600m Run
*20 x Star Jump
*20 x Hand-Release Push-Up
*20 x Shoulder-to-Overhead (95/65)(Rx+: 115/85)
*400m Run
*30 x Star Jump
*30 x Hand-Release Push-Up
*30 x Shoulder-to-Overhead (95/65)(Rx+: 115/85)
*200m Run
*40 x Star Jump
*40 x Hand-Release Push-Up
*40 x Shoulder-to-Overhead (95/65)(Rx+: 115/85)
**EVERYONE HAS 10 MINUTES TO FINISH ONCE FIRST PERSON IS DONE**

Upon Immediate Completion of Above (and until time is called 10 min. after 1st finisher yells "done"):
AMRAP in Remaining Time -
*10 x Star Jump
*10 x Hand-Release Push-Up
*10 x Shoulder-to-Overhead (95/65)(Rx+: 115/85)

SCORE for “Total Bod WOD” = total rounds + reps of the “In Remaining Time” AMRAP

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINISHER:
3 Rounds (6 min.) -
*30 sec. x Right Lunge Hover Hold
*30 sec. x Right Single-Arm Plank Hold (atop one hand)
*30 sec. x Left Lunge Hover Hold
*30 sec. x Left Single-Arm Plank Hold

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Row-Slam Spectacular




EQUIP: 
Part A: Partner, shared Rower, shared Slam Ball (30/20)
Part B: your own KB (53/35)

WARM-UP:
*Active Stretch
-then:
2 Rounds -
*20 x Prisoner Squat
*10 x Straight Arm/ Straight Leg Sit-Up
*5 x Inchworm + Push-Up
-----------------------------------------------------------

PART A:
20 Minute Partner WOD -
P1: 20 x Ball Slam (30/20)
P2: Row for meters
-switch every time partner completes 20 slams
-may not begin slamming until other partner starts rowing
-SCORE = total METERS rowed + total REPS of ball slam

PART B:
30 Minute “AMAP” -
*100m Burpee-Broad Jump
*200m Walking Lunge
*300m Bear Crawl
*400m S-A Overhead KB Walk (switch arms @ 1/2 way point (200m))
*50 x KB Swing

*Note: “AMAP” = As Much As Possible; simply get through as much of the assignment as possible within the time limit

Saturday, June 15, 2013

1 Burp Every 5th




EQUIPMENT: Bar (95/65)(Rx+: 115/75), Slam Ball (30/20)


WARM-UP:
*Active Stretch

-then:
6 Rounds (running clock for 90 sec.) -
*15 sec. x High-Knee Run
*1 x Drop Push-Up 
-------------------------------------

SET #1:
*50 x Jumping Ball Slam
*1 x “Slurpee” (Slam Ball Burpee) after every 5th Ball Slam (sub: SB Squat-Thrust)

RETURN ROPE INTERVAL: 
*5 min. x Jump Rope
*1 x Burpee every time you pause/ mess up doing Double-Unders (Rx+: 5 x Burpee)
OR
*5 x Burpee every time you pause/ mess up doing Singles (Rx+: 10 x Burpee)

SET #2:
*50 x Overhead Squat (95/65)(Rx+: 115/75)
*1 x Burpee Lateral Bar Hop over and back after every 5th Thruster

RETURN ROPE INTERVAL:
-same as above, but shorten to 4 minutes

SET #3:
*50 x Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift (95/65)(Rx+: 115/75) (switch legs every 5 reps; 25 ea. leg)
*1 x Elbow Squat-Thrust after every 5th S-L DL 

RETURN ROPE INTERVAL:
-same as above, but shorten to 3 minutes

SET #4:
*50 lengths x 10m Shuttle Run
*1 ea. x Single-Leg Burpee after every 5th length

RETURN ROPE INTERVAL:
-same as above, but shorten to 2 minutes

SET #5:
*50 x Pike Jump (sub: Tuck Jump)
*1 x Plyo Push-Up “Slurpee” (slam - out to plank - hop hands off to sides of ball - explosively push-up so hands land back atop ball in plank - hop in - get ball overhead)(sub: walk hands on/ off ball)

RETURN ROPE INTERVAL:
-same as above, but shorten to 1 minute

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Worn Out Before, By, and After "VICTORIA"




Equip: Barbell (95/65), Box (24/20), KB (53/35)


WARM-UP:
*Active Stretch

-then, outside to 100m course:
*Bound 50m there
*A-Skip 50m back
*Karaoka there/ back 100m
*4 x 50m Pick-Up Runs (#1 @ 50%, #2 @70%, #3 @ 85%, #4 @ 95%)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A)
ANAEROBIC CAPACITY RUN I:
*400m Run - max effort sprint
-1 min. REST-
*800m Run - max effort sprint
-1 min. REST-
*400m Run - max effort sprint

------5 min. recovery------

B)
“VICTORIA”
A hero WOD, named after fallen teacher Victoria Soto, the first grade teacher in Newtown, CT who hid her “angels” (as she called her students) in a closet behind her during the horrific shooting.

5 Rounds for Time -
10 x Thruster (95/65)
14 x Box Jump (24/20)
12 x Sumo Deadlift High Pull (95/65)
12 x Burpee
27 x Kettlebell Swing (53/35)

------5 min. recovery------

C)
ANAEROBIC CAPACITY RUN II:
2 Rounds -
*100m Run - max effort 
-30 sec. REST-
*200m Run - max effort 
-30 sec. REST-
*100m Run - max effort
-1 Min. REST b/w rounds

-NOTE: you should be so exhausted by the time you hit Part C that  your max effort in this 2nd Anaerobic Capacity Run will look nothing like your normal sprint pace.  Just do what you can do here...go hard, but be smart about it.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

The Clock Changes Everything



EQUIPMENT: Box beneath Pull-Up Bar, Light Barbell (95/65), Wall Space

WARM-UP:
*Active Stretch 

-then:
3 Rounds -
*100m Run (50m Fwd. there/ 50m Bkwd. back)
*10 x Push-Up + Windmill R & L
------------------------------------------------------------------
MAIN SET:
5 Rounds (6 Minutes per Round) -
*200m Run (Rx+: 100m Fwd. there/ 100m Bkwd. back)
*20 x Jumping Pull-Up 
*20 x Front Squat (95/65)
*20 x Romanian Deadlift (95/65)
*20 x Handstand Shoulder Tap (Rx+: Handstand Hip Tap)
     -Whatever remains of your 6 minutes upon completion of the set above = your rest period ea. round (translation: you must go FAST if you want any rest at all!!)
     -Even if you don't finish the entire set of the run + the four exercises when the 6 minute time limit is called, stop right where you are and begin the next set from the top with the 200m run.  Also, feel free to lessen the rep #s assigned to 15 each exercise in order to finish in time with rest remaining.  You WANT to be able to REST...it will allow you to maintain all-out effort over all five rounds.
------------------------------------------------------------------

FINISHER:
A) 3 Rounds of 1 Min. ON/ 1 Min. OFF (5 min.) -
Hang Power Clean + Jerk (85/65)(FORM!!!)
SCORE = Sum of Total Reps of Clean and Jerk over all 3 rounds

B) 3 Rounds of 1 Min. ON/ 1 Min. OFF (5 min.) -
Hollow Body Hold Chest Press (unloaded barbell)
(reps only count when feet and shoulders are elevated off ground)
SCORE = Sum of Total Reps of Hollow Body Chest Press over all 3 rounds




Saturday, June 8, 2013

5 Minute "LEFTOVERS"



WARM-UP:
*Active Stretch
-then:

*2-4-6-8-10-12 x Air Squat
*2 x Hand Release Push-Up
+
*200m Run @ end of set
---------------------------------------------------------
Within 5 Min., Complete:
*400m SB Run (ball held centered @ chest)
*In Leftover Time, AMRAP: Rotational Ball Slam
-SCORE = total # Rotational Ball Slam

Within 5 Min., Complete:
*400 x Jump Rope Singles OR 200 x Double-Under
*In Leftover Time, AMRAP: Burpee
-SCORE = total # Burpee

Within 5 Min., Complete:
*40 x Push Press (95/65) (Rx+: Behind-the-Neck Push Press)
*In Leftover Time, AMRAP: Handstand Walk for distance (sub: Bear Crawl or Wall Walk)
-SCORE = total meters of Handstand Walk

Within 5 Min., Complete:
*400m SB Run (ball held on R side 200m there/ on L side 200m back)
*In Leftover Time, AMRAP: Broad Jump for distance
-SCORE = total meters of Broad Jump

Within 5 Min., Complete:
*40 x Overhead Lunge (hands @ Press width)
*In Leftover Time, AMRAP: Hang Power Snatch
-SCORE = total # Hang Power Snatch

Within 5 Min., Complete:
*400 x Jump Rope Singles OR 200 x Double-Under
*In Leftover Time, AMRAP: Overhead Sit-Up (unloaded bar)
-SCORE = total # OH Sit-Up
(*Note: OH Sit-Up begins supine with bar directly over chest (locked out elbows), rise up to a seated position (keep heels glued to floor) while moving the bar overhead, finish in an upright seated position (establish lumbar curve) with bar overhead and head “poked through”)

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Uneven Sixes on 6/6




EQUIPMENT: Slam Ball (30/20), Uneven Barbell (90/70) 
(90 for male Rx = 45 lb. bar + 25 lb. plate + 2x 10 lb. plates)
(70 for female Rx = 45 lb. bar + 15 lb. plate + 10 lb. plate)

WARM-UP:
*Active Stretch
-then:
*40 x Jumping Jack (straight elbows to work shoulder ROM)
*30 x Plank Jack
*20 x Power Jack (full sumo squat in the bottom of the jack)
*10 x Jack Burpee (jack legs during push-up, finish burpee w/ a jack instead of jump-clap)
-----------------------------------------------------------------

SET #1:
6 Rounds (alt. which side is heavy ea. round) -
*18 x Ball Slam (30/20)
*6 x Uneven Hang Power Clean (90/70)
*6 x Uneven Shoulder-to-Overhead (90/70)

(3/4) TABATA #1: 
6 Rounds of 20 sec. ON/ 10 sec. OFF: Pistol (3 rounds R leg, then 3 rounds L)

SET #2:
6 Rounds (alt. which side is heavy ea. round) -
*12 x Hand-Release Push-Up + All-4’s Hop
*6 x Uneven Modified Curtis P (power clean + front lunge L + front lunge R)
-barbell returns to floor each rep in the curtis P

(3/4) TABATA #2:
6 Rounds of 20 sec. ON/ 10 sec. OFF: Hollow Body Hold 
(mod: slip hands beneath bum/ low back and/ or slightly bend knees)

SET #3:
6 Rounds (alt. which side is heavy ea. round) -
*6 x Deck Squat - Tuck Jump
*6 x Uneven Thruster (alt. Thruster and Behind-the-Neck Thruster ea. rep)

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

"DONKEY STYLE" (1 Round Every 2 Minutes for 10 Minutes)




EQUIP: 1 Heavy KB (ADV: 70/53, INT: 53/35, BEG: 35/18), 1 Medium Heavy KB (drop down to a slightly lighter weight) (i.e. my Heavy KB was 53#, my Medium Heavy KB was 44#)


WARM-UP:
*Active Stretch
-then:
*400m Run
*40 x Straight Leg Bicycle Crunch
------------------------------------
NOTES: 
  1. Even if you don’t complete a round within the 2 min. time limit, you MUST start the next round once 2 minutes is up
  2. Nobody will complete > 5 rounds per set!!
  3. Why the 2 minute rounds?...to motivate you to go ALL OUT in order to earn rest each round

SET #1:
1 Round Every 2 Minutes for 5 Rounds (10 min.) -
*200m Run 
*10 x KB Swing (Heavy)
-whatever remains of your 2 Min. each round = your rest between rounds

SET #2:
1 Round Every 2 Minutes for 5 Rounds (10 min.) -
*50 x Mtn. Climb (R and L = 2)
*10 x KB Snatch (sub: 1-Arm DB Snatch OR 1-Arm KB DLHP)(Medium Heavy)
-whatever remains of your 2 Min. each round = your rest between rounds

SET #3:
1 Round Every 2 Minutes for 5 Rounds (10 min.) -
*10 x KB Sumo Deadlift High Pull (Heavy)
*10 x Push-Up + Donkey Kick (Rx+: last 5 reps = Push-Up + Tuck-Up to Handstand)
-whatever remains of your 2 Min. each round = your rest between rounds

SET #4:
1 Round Every 2 Minutes for 5 Rounds (10 min.) -
*100m Run (50m Fwd. there + 50m Bkwd. back)
*10 x Single-Arm KB Overhead Squat (5 x R arm, then 5 x L arm)(may lighten load)
-whatever remains of your 2 Min. each round = your rest between rounds