The Ultimate Warrior Challenge (Video)
Martin Rooney building body armor
How many push-ups, chin-ups, sit-ups, and dips can you do in four minutes?
One cool thing about knowing some of the top strength and conditioning coaches in the world is that you have immediate access to them. The bad thing is they have immediate access to you, too.
Consider this text message from Martin Rooney that arrived 10 minutes before I walked into the gym on Friday.
"Try the 4-mintue challenge. It's killer. Try to beat me!"
He was referring to a workout in his new book, Ultimate Warrior Workouts
Anyway, the Warrior challenged he dared me to do consists of high-rep stuff. I hate high- rep stuff.
But because I know I need the extra conditioning, (and because I couldn't seem like a pussy in front of Martin), I decided to do the challenge.
I dare you to do it, too.
The Challenge Specifics:
As many push-ups as you can do in one minute.
Rest 15 seconds.
As many chin-ups as you can do in one minute.
Rest 15 seconds.
As many modified sit-ups as you can do in one minute.
Rest 15 seconds.
As many dips as you can do in one minute.
Lie on the floor and curse.
A Few Notes:
- Martin got a total of 152 reps. I got 133 (my workout partners counted a chin-up where I didn't even get half-way up).
- For those of you who want to see Martin kick my ass, check out this video.
- Martin Rooney's Ultimate Warrior Workouts
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Are you going to do the challenge? Why or why not? Report back here with your numbers!
Comments for This Entry
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That's killer man! I was hurting just watching you do it, haha! I think I'm gonna try it soon too. I love a great challenge and this looks like a good one.
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I love this crap for the mentality it'll give you and I notice more power in my hypertrophy workouts.
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I'm training a couple fighters right now and I used to box a few years back, Martin's book looks like a great read. That workout didn't look too fun but I'll definitely have to give it a go.
Thanks Nate,
Chad -
I think you pushed too hard for your first set on the pushups and chins. You needed to pace yourself.
That said, even if I paced myself really well, there's no way I would come close right now. -
While I am no where near the fitness level to put up numbers high enough to challenge that many reps, I will do a modified version of it. Lord knows I need to do some serious conditioning so I'll tackle that sometime this week. Once I lose all this weight, I'll be ready to step up to the plate.
Btw, I'm sure you've heard of em Nate, but for those that may not have a workout partner to watch the clock for ya, I'd recommend a Gymboss. Simple and effective little tool. I use it for all my HIIT work. Check it out.
Thanks again for the post Nate. Always fun to take on a new workout challenge. -
Some inspiring stuff...maybe one day.
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Out of curiosity, did any of the guys you train with try take a stab at this challenge as well?
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This is very similar to something I've been inflicting on my coworkers as a monthly fitness benchmark for the last year.
http://digitaldiscipline.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/wotd-tuesday-april-7-coworker-challenge/
Slightly different parameters, though:
- Pullups - 1 max-rep set
- Pushups - 1 max-rep set
- Situps - max reps in 2 minutes
- Prison squats - max reps in 2 minutes (this has been replaced the last couple of times with a 50 squat-thrust "race")
I'll give this new version a thought, though... it's gotta suck less than the tabata squats + push presses I'd originally penciled in for lunch. *grin* -
That's funny, "The bad thing is they have access to you."
That's great stuff. I'm going to try to incorporate it into some cardio interval training today. You're the man.
Thanks Nate. -
Going to give this a try soon, I'm hoping the fact that I can do a shit-ton of push ups will make up for the fact that I can't do high rep pull ups.
The pump after that has got to feel incredible
And also did you end up finishing up your workout after that and how did it feel? I can imagine it being a pain just to do a full workout after this challenge -
As advertized, this isn't a good time, but it certainly gets the blood pumping.
I managed 146 reps (50 pushups, 23 chinups, 49 situps, and 24 dips). -
That looks tough but fun. I'm going to throw that in on one of my lower body days. At the end of a squat day doing that and I would be drenched in sweat.
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Thanks for the comments guys. And nice job, Rafe!
I think I fizzled out quickly due to the sit-ups. I just don't train high reps on abs and it killed me. My stomach was all knotted up.
-Nate -
So I lost count around 78. I then did intervals walking jogging on the tread for ten minutes. Did the challenge again. Ten more intervals on the tread. Did the challenge a 3d time. That’s a good cardio. And all of that was after a good chest workout.
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@Nate: My arms were blown out by the teens of the triceps (they're my weak point anyway); but, man, those 15 second recovery periods are brutal.
Someone fit Tim Pierce for a straightjacket; he's *clearly* nuts to do that. :-) -
52+17+45+10=124
I should've pushed it a lot harder on the sit-ups... -
whooo! Sick. Imma try this shit out ASAP...nothing like a lil challenge now and again...good stuff guys!
Mike -
Agreed, I'm a nut and not doing it again. Thanks for the props though:-).
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That challenge was brutal. My arms are still tired two hours later. But since my workout buddies and I are a little nuts, we'll probably try it again next week. ;-)
Form wasn't very strict for us (and we had a timer snafu), so we'll need to redo the challenge another day for the actual numbers. Here's what we got in the first attempt with sloppy form:
me: 65+27+30+16 = 138
my workout buds:
KS: 68+30+44+19 = 161
MR: 47+22+38+16 = 123 -
What do you have on your feet in that vid?
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Nice job Johnny! Great numbers there.
@ Wilson
Black socks. :) -
@ Anthony
I should have pushed harder on sit-ups, too. Nice numbers, though.
-Nate -
I saw your video and then I saw Martin Rooney's. In the vid I saw he actually worked for 1 minute then rested 15 sec for each of the 4 exercises so he was able to get in 15 secs more mork per exercise which might account for the discrepancy in your reps Nate.
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I have a training programme I follow sometimes just to mix it up. Its like the challenge in someways.
150 pushups
300 bodysquats
75 pullups
200 crunches
3mile run
all this is done as fast as you can and you do it 5 days a week
This really works well. When I get tired of having a to do strenght training and just want to work up a brutal sweat. Try it. Also please use 5 min before doing it to focus / meditate and 10 min after for strechting -
60+12+33+15=120
I got some work, but think I'll post this on fb and challenge my friends. -
My whole body is a cramp. Tonight I modified the BFS Phase 2 A workout. So that I did not preexhuast my abs I eliminated the woodchops and the reverse curls. I also eliminated the Pull ups and the sprints at the end. I then proceeded to do the UW challenge. I had to use neutral grips chins b/cz my gym has no straight bar???I got 154 reps. 75+30+19+30. My brain was still foggy 15 minutes later. wow. What a killer test.
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Tomas-
I watched your video. Kudos to you you rocked the situps. -
I'm a new reader of your blog and I'm completely HOOKED! Sick challenge... I will be trying this ASAP! Keep the awesome content coming...
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Ugh -
48 Pushups
11 Chins (weak - gassed from Pushups. Time for some jump rope or sprints)
25 Sit-ups (again, weak)
8 Dips - arms were shot from the pushups.
92 Total. Not so great, but I figure if I didn't post it, I'll never come back and try at it again. I'll give this a shot again next month, and see if I can't crack 100. -
Nice work John!
-Nate -
Thats was cool and I had about 11 people staring at the gym as i took up the entire pull up dip area and didnt didnt move.
PU= 88
CU=24
SU=30
D=23
I think that's 165 @ 178 lbs.
Harder than i thought, this looks like one of your kickass fat burning circuits you do at the end of workoutss
I'm gonna try to go pushups, situps, chinups, dips see if i can do more maybe resting some of the muscle groups up top.
Jesus I looked swoll -
Nice workout Nate! Goes to show those "long duration, low intensity" people how much you can get done in just 5 minutes!
Not all that different from a crossfit workout. I'll definitely be giving this one a shot this afternoon. -
You guys should try the Army physical fitness test. It is two minutes of push ups(real push ups, not that halfway down and not all the way up BS and your body must be in a straight line) two minutes of sit ups and a two mile run. I have finally got my score maxed out by Army standards. The max you can get is a 100 in each event and I finally got it!!! I got 85 push ups, 82 sit ups and 13:16 on the two mile run. Give it a shot and see where you end up!!!!
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Great Stuff Nate!! This is Edwin all the way from Singapore. Manage a total of 146 reps. PU 68, PU 22, SU 30, D 26. Can check it out at my website. Looking forward to your new articles. Cheers!!
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Gotta try this next time. That looks intense but rewarding.
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57 press ups, 28 chin ups, 41 sit ups, 37 dips = 163 total. Really pleased with it, but nearly puked half way through the sit ups! :D
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Dude...for starters...YOU ARE FUNNY :). Secondly...look into CROSSFIT. It is exactly what you DON'T want :P
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That was sick! Insane workout! Martin never disappoints. I had the pleasure of getting my rear end kicked by him for a week at Parisi. I'm trying this workout and I will let you know how i did.
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I will be trying the challenge but not until after my shoulder surgery. Will be the third one this year. Hoping this one works.
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