​The PHYSICAL part of our program gets the most attention because people see the guys at races, and see the activity of teammates like Akim and OD and Love during the week, and the entire team on the weekend. Overall there are THREE keys to the PHYSICAL element of The Give Team Program where we focus: (1) SLEEP; (2) NUTRITION; and (3) MOVEMENT.

And while people primarily see what we do as a team with MOVEMENT (working out, running races, etc.), there are other aspects of what we do that sets us apart from others: our focus on going deep and developing leadership and goal setting skills. At the beginning of each season, every team member sets two goals: (1) a physical goal; and (2) an academic (or professional) goal. At the beginning of every MONTH, each team member will also establish two new RITUALS aligned with each goal. A RITUAL must be something NEW to be completed at A SPECIFIC TIME every single day. One of our team mottos emphasizes the importance of consistency: Life is nothing but a series of habits and experiences, so make your habits intentional and your experiences amazing.

The highlight of each season is our cornerstone race. Last season our cornerstone race was The Green Beret Challenge Operators Course outside of Atlanta in May. Thanks to the awesomeness of Oscar Mike Foundation, we were honored to also participate in two Spartan Races; a Sprint in Miami in February and a Sprint at Fort Benning in April. The 2018 Fall Season cornerstone race will be The Spartan Beast in Mulberry, Florida, which will be over 13 miles and over 30 obstacles. We're excited about this race because it'll be the first where The Give Team has competed on a HOME FIELD (Mulberry isn't far from Orlando), and we expect several spectators to attend and cheer us on. We're also excited because nobody on the team (except coach) has run over 13 miles. And NOBODY has run over 13 miles with obstacles. 

As mentioned, the 2018 Fall Season starts tomorrow (I know, there's something wrong with anything FALL starting in July) with the beginning of The Give Team BEAST Training Program. Each team member will be expected to perform the training, understanding three will be challenged to complete training during the week due to busy schedules revolving around high school football. Another team member will be working out with the University of Florida track team with his own aggressive plan tied to that experience. Everyone else, time to step up. No days off, and no excuses.

The exciting part about all this? THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT. Recent clinical studies emphasize the importance of physical activity to not just stave off negative effects of life around us (diabetes, heart disease, depression, anxiety, distraction, ADHD, reverse the effects of aging, etc.), but how MOVEMENT can SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE OUR LIFE EXPERIENCE and MAXIMIZE OUR OVERALL POTENTIAL. Aligning physical activity with good sleep and nutrition habits will reinforce the PRIMARY MISSION of The Give Team Program: Develop STRENGTH in EVERY TEAM MEMBER. We want strong team members because strength enables us to find our own joy and happiness. Absent strength, any joy or happiness we experience is fleeting.

To that end, we kick off WEEK 1 of the 2018 FALL SEASON with workouts for the next two weeks. There are NO DAYS OFF. The Give Team 15 is on EVERY DAY, and will become easier as time goes on. This program is JUST LIKE LIFE. There are challenging days. There are easy days. But it's best to keep up because the program will build and get more challenging. It MUST in order to prepare us to run 13 miles and conquer over 30 obstacles.

REMEMBER GIVE TEAM MOTTO 10: We are ALL going to die. Just not today if we do it right.

​
Week 1 / Day 1: Monday, July 30

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Walk 3 Miles
3. Finisher: 100 yards of lunges

Week 1 / Day 2: Tuesday, July 31

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Sprints / Crawlbacks: 5 x 40 Yards - Sprint 40 yards, return with crawl (alternate bear crawl, crab walk, inchworm, lizard walk, lunge)

Week 1 / Day 3: Wednesday, August 1 

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Ruck 3 Miles - 25 Pounds
3. Finisher: 100 yards of lunges

Week 1 / Day 4: Thursday, August 2

1. Strength Routine x2 - Two sets of the following exercises, :40 on, :20 rest: push ups, dips, pull ups (or dead hang ENGAGING SHOULDERS AND CORE), pistol squats (5 each leg, then switch legs), lateral lunges, step ups, squat / overhead press with sand bag (comfortable weight), hollow man hold, butterfly sit ups, L-sit
2. Finisher: The Give Team 15

Week 1 / Day 5: Friday, August 3

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Walk 3 Miles

Week 1 / Day 6: Saturday, August 4 - TEAM WORKOUT

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. 3 Mile Team Cindy Carry: Every 1/2 mile stop for 20 lunges, 20 bear crawls (ea. leg), 20 lunge jumps, 20 burpees, and next teammate carries Cindy

Week 1 / Day 7: Sunday, August 5

1. 5 Mile Long Run: Every 1/2 mile stop for 20 lunges, 20 bear crawls (ea. leg), 20 inchworms, 20 burpees
2. Finisher: The Give Team 15
3. Finisher: 100 Table Pull Ups (10 Table Pull Ups every 1:00)

*Table Pull Ups: lay under table holding body in a tight plank and pull so chest touches table edge and squeeze, then lower body by straightening arms.

Week 2 / Day 8: Monday, August 6

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Walk 3 Miles
3. Finisher: 100 yards of lunges

Week 2 / Day 9: Tuesday, August 7

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Sprints / Crawlbacks: 10 x 40 Yards - Sprint 40 yards, return with crawl (alternate bear crawl, crab walk, inchworm, lizard walk, lunge)

Week 2 / Day 10: Wednesday, August 8

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Ruck 3 Miles - 25 Pounds
3. Finisher: 100 yards of lunges

Week 2 / Day 11: Thursday, August 9

1. Strength Routine x2 - Two sets of the following exercises, :40 on, :20 rest: push ups, dips, pull ups (or dead hang ENGAGING SHOULDERS AND CORE), pistol squats (5 each leg, then switch legs), lateral lunges, step ups, squat / overhead press with sand bag (comfortable weight), hollow man hold, butterfly sit ups, L-sit
2. Finisher: The Give Team 15

Week 2 / Day 12: Friday, August 10

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Walk 3 Miles

Week 2 / Day 13: Saturday, August 11

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. 3 Mile Team Cindy Carry: Every 1/2 mile stop for 20 lunges, 20 bear crawls (ea. leg), 20 inchworms, 20 burpees, and next teammate carries Cindy

Week 2 / Day 14: Sunday, August 12

1. 6 Mile Long Run: Every 1/2 mile stop for 20 lunges, 20 bear crawls (ea. leg), 20 inchworms, 20 burpees
2. Finisher: The Give Team 15
3. Finisher: 100 Table Pull Ups (10 Table Pull Ups every 1:00)

*Table Pull Ups: lay under table holding body in a tight plank and pull so chest touches table edge and squeeze, then lower body by straightening arms.

**If you want to know what comprises The Give Team 15, hit the link and it'll take you to the blog post that lists the exercises. 

ANY QUESTIONS, leave them in the comments below, or you can e-mail me at brad.mason@justkeeppouring.com

school he's helping turn around in the South Bronx with an amazing team.

Following the trip to New York, my wife and I returned to her parents' home in Connecticut in the town where we both went to high school. Every day since then, I've met with someone different from my past with the highlight being the workout I led with my high school alma mater's football team. They won the Connecticut Class L State Football Championship last fall, and will press hard to repeat this season. The workout included The Give Team 15 as a warm up and about 3 miles running with 3 cinder blocks with three groups of 10 guys. Everyone finished tired, and on the path to getting stronger.

Overall, it's been a nice break away from Florida with cooler weather.

I put together a training plan for The Spartan Beast, which will be a beast. The training program will need to reflect that fact, with a common theme being MOVEMENT. There will be NO DAYS OFF this plan because movement is the foundation of momentum, and MOMENTUM IS MAGIC.

For those following along at home, here are the Week -1 and Week 1 Plans. Don't worry. It'll get harder. And remember, if you can't see the sweat, you're doing it wrong. BE STRONG! GIVE MORE!

Prep Week / Day -7: Monday, July 23

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Run / Walk 3 Miles: Run 3:00, Walk 1:00
3. Strength x2 - :40 Skaters / :20 Rest, :40 Left Calf Raise on Stair / :20 Rest, :40 Right Calf Raise on Stair / :20, :40 Dips / :20 Rest, :40 Push Ups / :20 Rest
4. Run / Walk 3 Miles: Run 3:00, Walk 1:00
5. Finisher: 100 Push Ups (10 Push Ups every 1:00)

Prep Week / Day -6: Tuesday, July 24

1. Warm Up: 3 Mile Jog
2. Sprints / Crawlbacks: 10 x 50 Yards - Sprint 50 yards, return with crawl (alternate bear crawl, crab walk, inchworm, lizard walk, lunge)
3. The Give Team 15
4. Return: 3 Mile Jog
5. Finisher: 100 Table Pull Ups* (10 Table Pull Ups every 1:00)

*Table Pull Ups: lay under table holding body in a tight plank and pull so chest touches table edge and squeeze, then lower body by straightening arms.

Prep Week / Day -5: Wednesday, July 25

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Ruck 3 Miles - 25 Pounds
3. Finisher: 100 yards of lunges / 100 Push Ups (10 Push Ups every 1:00)

Prep Week / Day -4: Thursday, July 26

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Strength Routine x2: Two sets of the following exercises, :40 on, :20 rest: push ups, dips, pull ups (or dead hang ENGAGING SHOULDERS AND CORE), pistol squats (5 each leg, then switch legs), lateral lunges, step ups, squat / overhead press with sand bag (comfortable weight), hollow man hold, butterfly sit ups, L-sit
3. Finisher: 100 Table Pull Ups (10 Table Pull Ups every 1:00)

*Table Pull Ups: lay under table holding body in a tight plank and pull so chest touches table edge and squeeze, then lower body by straightening arms.

Prep Week / Day -3: Friday, July 27

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Walk 3 Miles
3. Finisher: 100 yards of lunges / 100 Push Ups (10 Push Ups every 1:00)

Prep Week / Day -2: Saturday, July 28 - TEAM WORKOUT

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. 3 Mile Team Cindy Carry: Every 1/2 mile stop for 20 lunges, 20 bear crawls (ea. leg), 20 lunge jumps, 20 burpees, and next teammate carries Cindy
3. Finisher: 3:00 Plank / 3:00 Hollow Man Hold

Prep Week / Day -1: Sunday, July 29

1. 5 Mile Long Run (run 3:00 / walk 1:00): Every 1/2 mile stop for 20 lunges, 20 bear crawls (ea. leg), 20 lunge jumps, 20 burpees
2. Finisher: The Give Team 15

Week 1 / Day 1: Monday, July 30

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Walk 3 Miles
3. Finisher: 100 yards of lunges

Week 1 / Day 2: Tuesday, July 31

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Sprints / Crawlbacks: 5 x 40 Yards - Sprint 40 yards, return with crawl (alternate bear crawl, crab walk, inchworm, lizard walk, lunge)

Week 1 / Day 3: Wednesday, August 1 

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Ruck 3 Miles - 25 Pounds
3. Finisher: 100 yards of lunges

Week 1 / Day 4: Thursday, August 2

1. Strength Routine x2 - Two sets of the following exercises, :40 on, :20 rest: push ups, dips, pull ups (or dead hang ENGAGING SHOULDERS AND CORE), pistol squats (5 each leg, then switch legs), lateral lunges, step ups, squat / overhead press with sand bag (comfortable weight), hollow man hold, butterfly sit ups, L-sit
2. Finisher: The Give Team 15

Week 1 / Day 5: Friday, August 3

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. Walk 3 Miles

Week 1 / Day 6: Saturday, August 4 - TEAM WORKOUT

1. Warm Up: The Give Team 15
2. 3 Mile Team Cindy Carry: Every 1/2 mile stop for 20 lunges, 20 bear crawls (ea. leg), 20 lunge jumps, 20 burpees, and next teammate carries Cindy

Week 1 / Day 7: Sunday, August 5

1. 5 Mile Long Run: Every 1/2 mile stop for 20 lunges, 20 bear crawls (ea. leg), 20 lunge jumps, 20 burpees
2. Finisher: The Give Team 15
   
3. Finisher: 100 Table Pull Ups (10 Table Pull Ups every 1:00)

*Table Pull Ups: lay under table holding body in a tight plank and pull so chest touches table edge and squeeze, then lower body by straightening arms.

**If you want to know what comprises The Give Team 15, hit the link and it'll take you to the blog post that lists the exercises. 

ANY QUESTIONS, leave them in the comments below, or you can e-mail me at brad.mason@justkeeppouring.com