O D Y S S E U S
COUCH TO BARBELL PROGRAM
“I cannot tell you how long this road shall be, but fear not the obstacles in your path, for fate has vouchsafed your reward. Though the road may wind, yea, your hearts grow weary, still shall ye follow them, even unto your salvation.”
The Blind Seer's Prophecy
"O Brother Where Art Thou?"
SUMMARY
Name Significance: Named in honor of one of the most important characters in the Western cannon, Odysseus' long path home took him 10 years after 10 years at war. He survives many dangers to include encounters with the Lotus Eaters and Sirens only to face another challenge: homecoming - where it can feel like coming out of one war into another. Odysseus is at first unrecognizable to his wife - coming back as a different person (literally as he has disguised himself) - but through trials and pain is able to return and take his place as king once again.
Homer's "The Odyssey" speaks directly to the struggles many veterans face today - that even though they survived the war and came home, this is only the beginning of a new war at home. Another key theme throughout the epic are the pitfalls of temptation and the importance of discipline.
This program was created to help older veterans break the cycle and lead the fullest life they can imagine.
For more background on the this program's name significance, please take the time to read "Odysseus in America" by Dr. Jonathan Shay.
Dr. Shay worked extensively with Vietnam veterans and provides great metaphors for the allegory presented in Homer's "The Odyssey." The audiobook is also widely available and can be completed quickly during the walking that is prescribed throughout the program.
Intended Audience: 35-65+ year old carrying around extra pounds (40+), dealing with pain/mobility issues. This program can also be leveraged by those returning from injury or even those who have never lifted before.
For some, a full Phase 1 onboarding may not be needed depending on their current fitness level, so this program can serve as an 8 week (Phase 2 and Phase 3) onboarding program for beginners. But if there has been a significant time gap from exercising, Phase 1 is strongly encouraged to build habits and avoid injury. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Take the time to do it right the first time.
Equipment Needed: No equipment needed until Phase 2 (Week 5 and on), where you will need a squat rack, dumbbells, plates, and pulleys. With alternate exercises provided for pulleys, this program can be completely in a decently equipped garage gym.
Experience Needed: None to beginner, designed for people dealing with chronic pain and mobility issues.
Length/Frequency: 12 weeks, movement (walking) required daily, and builds to three lifting days per week.
Design: Beginning with just stretching and walking, conditions are set for increased resistance through a controlled progression from bodyweight to barbell training. Movement is prescribed everyday to foster habit formation and to alleviate mobility issues.
Concept: From the Daily Dozen Stretches, to the how both the bodyweight and lifting days are designed, there is a constant focus on the full body each training day. This makes adherence more manageable, if you something comes up one day, you can easily adapt your schedule to still get in the workout - be it bodyweight or lifting - walking and stretching must become a daily habit.
SCHEDULE*
Monday (D1): Lifting Day
Tuesday (D2): Stretch + Walk
Wednesday (D3): Lifting Day
Thursday (D4): Stretch + Walk
Friday (D5): Lifting Day
Saturday (D6): Stretch + Walk
Sunday (D7): Stretch + Walk
* = Phase 1 builds to this level through walking, stretching, and bodyweight exercises
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Week 1
The whole point of this first week is to just start moving and begin to build a habit of daily movement. Take the time to work through the Daily Dozen Stretches (DDS). Some may be very difficult at first, but with daily effort your gains will become compounded over time.
Feel free to walk longer than 30 minutes if you feel up to it on any and all days, but make sure you get 30 minutes of walking everyday.
Daily Dozen Stretches
1. Hamstring stretch standing - legs far apart, down to the left, right, center
2. Standing quadracep stretch
3. Raised calf stretch
4. Overhead arm pull
5. Upperback stretch
6. Childs pose (30 seconds total)
7. Cobra/sphinx pose
8. Seated butterly stretch
9. Seated hamstring stretch - legs far arpart, down to the left, right, center
10. Hurdlers stretch
11. Single leg over
12. Scorpion stretch
Walk 30 minutes
- if you have been experiencing a lot of mental chatter, walk without music/audio
DAILY DOZEN STRETCHES DEMO
Week 2
Odysseus W2D1
Daily Dozen Stretches
Bodyweight
Choose 1: reps or time
2 sets of 30 seconds or 10 reps
each: pushups, situps, airsquats
Pushups 2 x 10
Situps 2 x 10
Air Squats 2 x10
Pushups 2 x 30 seconds
Situps 2 x 30 seconds
Air Squats 2 x 30 seconds
Walk 30 minutes
- if you have been experiencing a lot of mental chatter, walk without music/audio
Week 5
Odysseus W5D1
Warmup
10 min low impact cardio
(elliptical, incline treadmill, bike, row)
Maximum of 8 RPE for all efforts
Back Squat: 3x5
Bench Press: 3x8
Lat Pulldown: 3x8
DB Curls: 2x10
Tricep Pushdowns: 2x10
Core: 2x20
⠀⠀⠀
COOL DOWN⠀⠀⠀
Walk 400m⠀⠀⠀
5 minute stretch
Odysseus W5D3
Warmup
10 min low impact cardio
(elliptical, incline treadmill, bike, row)
Maximum of 8 RPE for all efforts
Deadlift: 3x5
Overhead Press: 3x8
Lunges: 2x10 (E/L)
DB Curls: 2x10
Tricep Pushdowns: 2x10
Core: 2x20
⠀⠀⠀
COOL DOWN⠀⠀⠀
Walk 400m⠀⠀⠀
5 minute stretch