The Prowler is one of my favorite training tools. It builds lower body strength and power, increases GPP (general physical preparedness), is great for conditioning, and builds unbeatable mental strength.
Problem is, not everyone has access to this awesome training device.
Next week, I’ll cover making your own sled &/or Prowler. But today, I’m going to show you some ways to get the same training stimulus without a Prowler. There was a time when I trained people without a Prowler. This is how we finished their sessions with equal brutality!
Plate Pushes
Just what it sounds like – take a weight plate, place it on the gym floor and push it!
Check out my man Jeff in the picture below dominating a 45# plate. The trick is to keep the hips low and keep your shoulders BEHIND your hands. If the shoulders get on top of the hands, you’ll simply push the plate into the ground and it won’t budge. This is an awesome move for developing total body tension, as it hammers the lats, serratus, abs, and of course – the lower body!
Treadmill “Pushes”
Using a treadmill that is NOT TURNED ON, you will start in proper sprinting form – good forward lean, hips forward, and torso up tall. Lean onto the treadmill with your hands and begin pumping your legs in a sprinting motion. You’ll have to start slow to get the belt moving but then you can really accelerate and get after it.
Stairmaster/Lunge Superset
The stairmaster is another amazing piece of equipment. Hated almost as much as the prowler, this beauty can be used to torch the legs and the lungs. Here’s what you do: alternate short bursts of high intensity “sprints” on the stairs with sets of bodyweight lunges. Do a 10-20 second sprint on the stairs, then immediately follow that with 10-20 lunges per leg. 3-4 rounds is usually all it takes!
Add these 3 finishers to your next lower body days! Keep a puke bucket handy, but know this…to the victor go the spoils.
[quote style=”1″]Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. – T.S. Eliott[/quote]