(Specialty warm-up: 5L, 5R Mace shovel, 10 weighted walking lunge)

5 rounds of: 10 Mace shovel (Left) 10 Walking lunge (Mace in top shovel position- left) 10 Mace shovel (Right) 10 Walking lunge (Mace in top shovel position- right) :20 sec. rest/ assessment Mace shovel: Lower body starting and ending position and order of operations should be a seamless transfer from deadlift- make adjustments as needed. If suitable weight is not available, movement may also be scaled by shortening the distance between hands, always leaving the rear hand at the very end of the handle.

Lunge: Arms remain locked-out with both hands above eyeline during entire set; If lock-out fails, or becomes balance (as opposed to tension), reset briefly, find it, and continue safely. Addition of the mace does not change any foundational element of the lunge; If organized overhead position becomes involuntarily unsustainable, adjust to lunge with mace in the extended-arm position.

Then, 10 minutes of:

5 Sumo squat @ minimum 25lb. W, 35lb. M (use bumper plate held directly at chest)

5 Rocking chair @ same

5 Push-up/ Airplane push-up 5 breath reset (up to but not to exceed :15 sec.)

Bumper plate stays in-hand and in-place for the 10 level-change reps. Focus in this drill are posture- position- transition; Insist on ONE-step transitions from Sumo to rocking chair in each round, both to ensure awareness of their differences and to keep switches quick and efficient. Energy spent in excess movement can easily take away from solid work pace and sustained output.

Sumo squat: Especially when learning this variation, we find the challenge is often how the weight is addressed on the ground or held on the body; It is either too high, too low, too far back, too far forward... Holding a bumper