During this phase, you’ll ratchet up the volume and condition your nervous system to lift more, run faster, and fend off injury. As much as strength is about muscle—a bigger, thicker muscle is capable of moving more weight—it’s also about your gray matter. Your brain ultimately governs how much and how many muscle fibers come into play with any movement, explosive or otherwise. The focus on greater volume with your big weight moves in this phase helps synchronize brain and body for supersoldier levels of strength.
Phase 2 Challenge: 100 Reps for Time
This challenge will test your newly strengthened muscle groups and provide a nice finishing salvo for pumpÂ-minded warriors. It’s simple, and only involves two moves: pullups and dips.
Perform 100 of each, using body weight only, as quickly as possible. You may do them in straight Âsets fashion—100 pullups, then 100 dips— or alternate between the two. Your score is the cumulative time it takes to perform all 200 reps. Attempt this challenge once per week and try to beat your time from the previous week.
Alternate the deadlift with the squat (front or back) each workout. Perform 3 to 5 reps every minute on the minute for 10 minutes. Start with a weight you can handle safely for 8 to 10 reps. Focus on explosive reps.
