The "300" Workout
 

Supposedly, this is the workout that the actors in the movie 300 used to get their lean physiques. It looks pretty brutal, especially the pull-ups and the "floor wipers". I might try it just for a switch up though. I doubt I can do the 50 reps each exercise calls for though. Basically, it's a 300 rep workout with no rest, switching exercises after 50 reps (25 with pull-ups).

My goal is to be able to do this by the end of the summer. I'm starting by doing a 150 rep version, then month by month trying to build up to 200, 250, and finally, 300.

So have you already been working on it? I just discovered it yesterday and it looks like a great challenge. I like your approach to it. The only thing I'm missing in my garage gym is a pull-up bar but that's an easy fix.

I've known about it for a while, but only in the past two weeks or so have I been gearing up to try to take it on. At this point, the thing that is most out of reach are the floor wipers, but the only thing I can say for sure that I can do right now are the 50 pushups. It's a good goal, methinks.

Interestingly enough, the gym where the actors were working out is in Salt Lake-- Gym Jones.

Those look like a Darwin Award waiting to happen. I fear those things.

So I did my "150" today. Don't suppose there's any chance in hades that I'll be able to pull off the 300 by the end of the summer.

Oh well-- it will be interesting to see how close I can get.

How long did it take you to complete it? Did you use the same amount of weight and just lower the reps?

About 6 minutes or so. I just did half the reps:

13 pull-ups
25 dead lifts (@ 135 lbs)
25 pushups
25 2' box jumps
25 floor wipers
24 35 lb. dumbell clean presses (12 for each arm-- we don't have any kettle bells)
13 pull-ups

I'll try to do a 200 rep version next month at about 34/33 reps; next month is the 250 at 42/41 reps; finally, the 300 at 50 reps.

We'll see how it goes.

How many times/wk are you going to do this workout? Are the floorwipers as dangerous as they look?

I don't do this workout at all, except the one time a month when I try the new level. I think of it the same way I think of the one-rep max-- it's there for setting a new level of achievement, not necessarily as a work out per se. The 150-rep version gassed me out pretty good, but didn't work the muscles as much.

I do the floor wipers beneath a squat rack, set a couple of inches below where the bar will be with my arms fully extended. Maybe that's cheating. I dunno.

I'm going to try floor wipers with just the bar.

:)

I can do..... 1 pull up.... maybe.

I just realized that you said you did your workout in 6 minutes. That's awesome AA. I think I could do the 13 pull-ups and be into the dead lifting around the time 6 minutes was up. You must be in pretty good shape.

Did the actors in 300 do this workout 2-3 times a week?

My understanding was that it was a benchmark, not a workout. Maybe I'm wrong.

The best actor's time was about 18 minutes, as I recall.

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.js...81474976938738

I did the 200 rep version today (in 10 1/2 minutes) and I think I understand now why the 300 is such a ballyhooed workout. It's not an exercise of strength, per se-- it's one of endurance. I did 17 pull-ups to start the thing off in one set with little difficulty. I could only squeeze out 10 at the end before I had to stop, take a few breaths, and crank out the last seven.

I have also gained a newfound respect for dead lifts. Once upon a time, I shrugged them off as the inferior little sibling of squats and cleans. I have since changed my mind.

along with steroids...