Fitting workouts into your week is tough enough. Finding time twice a day is, well, twice as hard.
Sometimes when training for challenging events or selection programs, time in the saddle is required. Whether it is putting time on the bike, pool and running for a triathlete or putting in time becoming better at longer runs and rucks, ocean swims with fins or just getting stronger to handle the daily strain of spec-ops selection, it has to get done.
Failing to put in the time preparing can lead to failing to meet standards or being susceptible to typical overuse injuries. Here is a question from a young man who read a previously written article about two-a-days:
Hey Stew, Just read that great article on two-a-day routines and just had some quick questions. How many days a week are you doing two-a-days? I really like the three examples you gave and was wondering if you were taking a day off after three days and getting right back into it?
This is not a common week, but it is what we are doing now in a high-volume cycle of our periodization cycle:
Monday 1 -- upper-body calisthenics, lift, with some interval runs and a swim cooldown.
Monday 2 -- 30-minute run for distance and a 30-minute swim for distance (with fins).
Tuesday 1 -- lower-body calisthenics, lift, interval runs with some sprints, short cooldown swim
Tuesday 2 -- 30-minute run, with some goal pace half-mile intervals and a 30-minute swim (no fins but fast sets of 100 meters until 30 minutes was complete).
Wednesday -- We only did one workout and made it a non-impact cardio day with upper-body lift and calisthenics mixed for about an hour, then a cooldown swim, focusing on technique, tread practice and drownproofing drills.
Yes, it is smart to have a few days that are days off or normal workouts that also help the body heal from the impact of running as well.
The plan Thursday is to do what I call "mobility day," and this has become one of my favorite days of the week. I actually thought I was cheating myself at first, but it helps make Friday and Saturday workouts much better. Here is what we did:
Thursday 1 -- Mobility Day:
Repeat 5 times
Bike, elliptical, row or swim 5 minutes
Foam roll, stretch or massage tool 5 minutes
We pick back up with a second workout of the day later in the afternoon on Thursday.
Thursday 2: 30-minute run for distance and a 30-minute swim for distance (with fins). This is basically the same as Monday. How far can you get in 30 minutes? Better than Monday?
Friday: It is upper-body day again, but a mix of soft sand running in the morning. The basic pull-ups/push-ups/sit-ups pyramid is done for five-minute sets after one-mile run sets of soft sand running.
The final two-a-day of the week is done in the afternoon, but we often make it easy or even cancel it, depending on how everyone is feeling. You have to listen to your body. Sometimes, less is more when you need to recover fully. On the schedule is another run and swim for 30 minutes each, like Tuesday's second workout.
Saturday is usually the grand finale workout of the week, when you can hit what you need to focus on the most with respect to miles running or swimming, speed on timed events or load-bearing activities to prepare for logs, boats, and rucking. There is no second workout.
Take Sunday off, with no activity other than stretching and normal chores around the house and yard.
Two-a-day rules
Some of my rules for making a two-a-day plan placed once or more into the week is to work the same body parts the same day.
So, an upper-body lift also would have upper-body calisthenics in the afternoon or cardio only, like this week. Same goes for leg days. If a run and calisthenics are mixed together in the morning, a short lift in the afternoon for legs is a good placement. Swimming with fins on leg day is a good addition as well. However, when in doubt, take a rest day or add in a mobility day if feeling drained.
Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you’re looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.
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