The 40 Days of Movement Challenge

For the next forty days, I want you to do the exact same training program every day. Why? Beyond simplifying your life, you will learn how to start and finish something. You will learn that consistency has and always will trump intensity.

This program has you focus on five movements:

A large posterior chain movement. In this case we are using the hinge pattern, so either kettlebell hinge, deadlift, or swing.
An upper body push. We will use standing overhead presses, ½ kneeling, or tall kneeling presses.
An upper body pull, such as pull-ups, rows, or batwings.
A simple, full-body explosive movement. Kettlebell swings do the trick.
A loaded carry and crawling at the end.

With this program, you will never plan or worry about the weight or the load. Auto-regulate based on how you feel daily based on other lifestyle factors like nutrition, sleep quality/hygiene, and stress. We will be squatting during the movement prep portion of the training session, so as to not neglect the pattern but to focus on other movements.

Most important is that you start and finish the program. That is ultimately the secret to success in any endeavor.

The 40 Day Recipe

Frequent, low rep, high quality strength work
Less frequent, high intensity metabolic conditioning
Emphasis on reflexive and low impact cardiovascular conditioning

Pressing

Find a moderately heavy kettlebell (dumbbells will suffice if necessary) that you can comfortably press for 3 reps on each side. When you reach sets of ‘3-3-3-3-3’ or ‘5-5-5-5-5’ add load.

Pulling

The Fighter Pull-Up Program

Day 1 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Day 2 5, 4, 3, 2, 2
Day 3 5, 4, 3, 3, 2
Day 4 5, 4, 4, 3, 2
Day 5 5, 5, 4, 3, 2
Day 6 Off
Day 7 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
Day 8 6, 5, 4, 3, 3
Day 9 6, 5, 4, 4, 3
Day 10 6, 5, 5, 4, 3
Day 11 6, 6, 5, 4, 3
Day 12 Off

Kettlebell Swings

Swings should be performed with ⅓ of total bodyweight.

Warm Up and Movement Prep

Each day, you will begin with the Turkish get up. Do one rep with each arm for three sets, alternating arms.

Then you will do a simple complex of 15 kettlebell swings, 1 goblet squat, and 10 cross crawls. Perform 3-5 sets of this complex, until your body feels fully warmed up and primed.

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 1

Single Arm Press: 5 x 1 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 2

Single Arm Press: 5 x 1, 2, 1, 1, 1 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 5, 4, 3, 2, 2
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 3

Single Arm Press: 5 x 1, 2, 2, 1, 1 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 5, 4, 3, 3, 2
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 4

Single Arm Press: 5 x 1, 2, 2, 2, 1 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 5, 4, 4, 3, 2
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 5

Single Arm Press: 5 x 1, 2, 2, 2, 2 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 5, 5, 4, 3, 2
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 6

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 7

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 8

Single Arm Press: 5 x 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 9

Single Arm Press: 5 x 2, 3, 2, 2, 2 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 5, 4, 3, 3
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 10

Single Arm Press: 5 x 2, 3, 3, 2, 2 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 5, 4, 3, 3
Hinge/Swing: 5 x10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 11

Single Arm Press: 5 x 2, 3, 3, 3, 2 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 5, 4, 3, 3
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 12

Single Arm Press: 5 x 2, 3, 3, 3, 3 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 5, 4, 3, 3
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 13

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 14

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 15

Single Arm Press: 5 x 3 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 5, 4, 4, 3
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 16

Single Arm Press: 5 x 3, 4, 3, 3, 3 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 5, 5, 4, 3
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 17

Single Arm Press: 5 x 3, 4, 4, 3, 3 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 6, 5, 4, 3
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 18

Single Arm Press: 5 x 3, 4, 4, 4, 3 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 7, 6, 5, 4, 3
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 19

Single Arm Press: 5 x 3, 4, 4, 4, 4 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 7, 6, 5, 4, 4
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 20

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 21

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 22

Single Arm Press: 5 x 4 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 7, 6, 5, 5, 4
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 23

Single Arm Press: 5 x 4, 5, 4, 4, 4 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 7, 6, 6, 5, 4
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 24

Single Arm Press: 5 x 4, 5, 5, 4, 4 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 7, 7, 6, 5, 4
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 25

Single Arm Press: 5 x 4, 5, 5, 5, 4 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 8, 7, 6, 5, 4
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 26

Single Arm Press: 5 x 4, 5, 5, 5, 5 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 8, 7, 6, 5, 5
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 27

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 28

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 29

Single Arm Press: 5 x 5 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 8, 7, 6, 6, 5
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

At this point, you have reached 30 days and made it through five sets of five reps in the big movement of this program: the single arm press. If you have followed the program diligently, you have also completed 120 get ups, 2500 swings, 100 minutes of carries, and 100 minutes of crawling… you get the idea.

Now it’s time to increase your weight in the all areas of training and go back to lower rep ranges. Maintain your progress with the pull ups and keep adding reps. If baby crawling is too easy at this point, transition to a more challenging crawl pattern like Spiderman or leopard crawling.

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 30

Single Arm Press: 5 x 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 8, 7, 7, 6, 5
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 31

Single Arm Press: 5 x 2, 3, 4, 5, 1 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 8, 8, 7, 6, 5
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 32

Single Arm Press: 5 x 3, 4, 5, 1, 2 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 9, 8, 7, 6, 5
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 33

Single Arm Press: 5 x 4, 3, 1, 2, 3 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 9, 8, 7, 6, 6
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 34

Single Arm Press: 5 x 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 9, 8, 7, 7, 6
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 35

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 36

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 37

Single Arm Press: 5 x 5, 3, 2, 3, 5 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 9, 8, 8, 7, 6
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 38

Single Arm Press: 5 x 2, 3, 5, 3, 2 (each arm)
Pull up/Row: 5 x 9, 9, 8, 7, 6
Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
Carry: 5 x 1 minute
Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Days 39 and 40: Test Days

Grab a kettlebell that scares you a little and try to press it for a new PR. Go for broke on a set of max pull ups. Try Spiderman or leopard crawl for 10 minutes straight without resting. This is what training is all about: to make strong look simple, enhance quality of life, and prepare you to be awesome at the things you like to do.

More on training for strength:

7 Markers of a Solid Strength Program

References:

1. John, Dan. “Intervention: Course Corrections for the Athlete and Trainer.” Aptos, CA: On Target Publications, 2013. Print.

2. John, Dan, and Pavel Tsatsouline. “Easy Strength How to Get a Lot Stronger than Your Competition – and Dominate in Your Sport.” New York: Dragon Door Publications, 2011. Print.

3. “The Fighter Pullup Program Revisited.” StrongFirst. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.

4. “The Forty Day Workout…Again.” Dan John. N.p., 30 Dec. 2013. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.

5. Petrucci, Kellyann, and Patrick Flynn. Paleo Workouts for Dummies. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.