To say that Herschel Walker’s training methods are unorthodox would be an understatement. One of the few players in modern American football to achieve elite status with minimal free weight training, Walker has frequently attributed his freakish strength and power to an intense morning workout regimen consisting mainly of 2,500 sit-ups and 1,500 push ups (doing up to 100 at a time).
An All-American running back at the University of Georgia, a star in the USFL (1983-1985) and the NFL (1986-1997), a sixth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a member of the 1992 U.S. Winter Olympic two-man bobsled team, a world-class sprinter and now a mixed martial artist, Walker will debut in the January 30, 2010 Strikeforce: Miami event at the age of 47. An athletic and genetic marvel, Walker is one of the rare athletes who has competed in divergent athletic nodes at world-class levels.
Yet, Walker didn't start out as an athletic freak. In his book, Herschel Walker’s Basic Training, Walker confesses that he was a burly kid who was often picked last for teams and his sister could consistently beat him in foot races. Through dedication, hard work and the discipline required to complete his intense daily workouts, Walker was able to maximize his raw physical talent and train his body to perform at an elite level in many different athletic nodes.
As athletes in THE GAME, our bodies will often require us to perform physically different tasks at a top level when we transition in/out of divergent nodes (sometimes, very quickly); especially in the transitional zones. That is why studying how Herschel Walker physically prepares himself could give us insight into ways of building a strong foundation of fitness for THE GAME.
Fortunately for us, Herschel Walker and Terry Todd, PhD detailed Walker’s unorthodox training regimen in the aforementioned Herschel Walker’s Basic Training. In the book, Walker outlined his recommended 12-week beginner, intermediate and advanced training programs; incorporating calisthenics (including, of course, push ups and sit-ups), plyometrics, martial arts, basketball, swimming pool workouts, sprinting, running and eventually some free weight training.
Over the course of the next several weeks we will share with you the advanced training program offered in Walker’s book. While following the routines may not give us the power, speed and explosiveness of Herschel Walker (remember that Walker has the rare genetics to respond to this type of training), it will build a solid foundation that, if necessary, can be augmented by a personalized team or individual training program.
THE ADVANCED PROGRAM (courtesy of Herschel Walker’s Basic Training)
Herschel’s comments: “…do the exercises in the order listed, so that your body will be properly warmed up and prepared for each of them. If you decide to take a break between your weight work and basketball work—rather than going directly to the courts after you lifting—make sure that you restretch before you begin to play, to get properly warmed up… ”
WEEK ONE: Monday, Friday—Morning Session
Warm-ups: 20 jumping jacks. Run in place for 4 minutes.
Stretching: Perform each of the 7 basic stretches once—hold twice for 30 seconds each.
Jogging: 8 minutes.
Karate:
Straight punch—20 per arm
Groin strike—20 per arm
Open-hand strike to face—20 per arm
Roundhouse kick—20 per leg
Front snap kick to the midsection—20 per leg
Front snap kick to the head—20 per leg
Sliding back kick—20 per leg
Agility:
Squat thrust—25
Sideways box hop—35
Backward and forward box hop—35
Half-turn—35
Push ups: 80 total. Do as many as possible, rest, then continue until all 80 have been done. Elevate your feet at least 8 inches.
Sit-ups: 100 total. Try to do these as sets of 50
Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.
Monday, Friday—Afternoon Session
Warm-ups: 20 jumping jacks. Run in place for 4 minutes.
Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.
Jogging: 4 minutes.
Weight training:
Power pull—1 x 10 warm-up, 2 x 10 target weight
Squat—1 x 10 warm-up, 2 x 10 target weight
Bench press—1 x 10 warm-up, 2 x 10 target weight
Close-grip bench press—1 x 10 warm-up, 2 x 10 target weight
Bent-forward row—1 x 10 warm-up, 2 x 10 target weight
Crunch—65 (break into sets if necessary)
Twisting sit-up—60 (break into sets if necessary)
Basketball: 20 minutes.
Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.
Wednesday
Wednesday’s workouts should be identical to those of Monday and Friday except for the weight work in the afternoons. Follow this program on Wednesday for your lifting:
Weight training:
Lunge—1 x 10 warm-up, 2 x 10 target weight
Chin—3 x 10
Curl—1 x 10 warm-up, 2 x 10 target weight
Triceps press—1 x 10 warm-up, 2 x 10 target weight
Weighted sit-up—2 x 15
Leg raise—50
Tuesday, Saturday—Morning Session
Warm-ups: 20 jumping jacks. Run in place for 4 minutes.
Stretching: 7 basic stretches, plus 2 advanced stretches—hold twice for 30 seconds. Do at least 2 advanced stretches at the beginning of each workout from now on.
Jogging: 3 minutes.
Sprinting: 2 x 880-yard strides (quarter to half speed). One 440-yard stride (half speed).
Hill running: 3 x 40-yard strides (half speed).
Dumbbell runs: 2 x 30-yard strides. Make sure to use light dumbbells for this and concentrate on arm position as you run.
Rope skipping: 10 minutes.
Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.
Tuesday, Saturday—Afternoon Session
Warm-ups: 20 jumping jacks. Run in place for 4 minutes.
Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.
Karate:
Straight punch—20 per arm
Groin strike—20 per arm
Open-hand strike to face—20 per arm
Roundhouse kick—20 per leg
Front snap kick to the midsection—20 per leg
Front snap kick to the head—20 per leg
Sliding back kick—20 per leg
Basketball: 30 minutes.
Water work:
Run in water—6 minutes
Water karate (kicks and punches)—6 minutes
Modified breast stroke—6 minutes
Power clap and other shoulder and arm work—6 minutes
Stretching: Hold each stretch twice for 30 seconds.
Thursday
Morning and afternoon workouts should be identical to those of Tuesday and Saturday except for the sprinting portion of the morning session. On Thursday mornings substitute the tire pull for hill running. On this first week run 3 x 50-yard strides at half-speed, pulling a tire with 12 to 15 pounds inside it. Then, rather than dumbbell sprints, wear a weighted vest and run 2 x 200-yard strides at half to three-quarter speed.
