Eleven years ago, my dream was to climb Mt. Everest -- solo and without supplementary oxygen. I kept that dream buried for years until my grandfather's death made me realize how precious life is. The time to live out one's dreams is now. After four years of intensive training, I succeeded in reaching Everest's summit. Since then, I've dedicated my life to helping others achieve their goals and dreams.
I call my approach to training hyperfitness. With hyperfitness, individuals set their own goals and attain them personally and professionally. In the process, people discover they're stronger and tougher than they realized. Hyperfitness is an integrated lifestyle program that addresses three crucial components of wellness: hyperstrength, hyperfare and hypermind. I awaken each day with five minutes of meditation, then move right into my dojo to begin training. I warm-up each day with at least a three-mile run on the treadmill, starting at a comfortable pace and gradually building over each mile. I end each exercise session with at least 15 minutes of stretching and yoga. In between, I am constantly mixing up my routine so it's never stale.
Monday I perform three sets of each exercise series with limited rest, taking a break only for the time it takes to organize equipment for the next drill. Each exercise can vary between eight and 50 repetitions, depending on whether I'm focusing on power, strength or endurance -- or all three.
1a. Bosu Push-Up With 3-Point Foot Push-Off I assume a push-up position with my hands on an upside-down Bosu. I raise one leg off the ground and execute a push-up, switching feet in mid-air after each repetition.
1b. Angled Squat to 45-Degree Cable Biceps Curl and Jump I stand between two cables with my feet angled out in a plié position. I perform a squat and a biceps curl. I hold the bicep curl flex for two seconds and then jump from the plié position to a standard squat position.
1c. Handstand Push-Up With Feet In Cable Straps I place each foot into a strap so my body is near straight. With my hands at shoulder-width stance, I perform handstand push-ups.
2a. Decline Straps Push-Up With 3-Point Stance On Platform With the platform height higher than the straps, I assume a push-up position with my feet on the platform and my hands grasping the handles. I complete a decline push-up with one foot off the platform, switching feet after each repetition.
2b. Ab Roller Single, Then Double I begin on my knees with glutes directly above my knees and arms straightened, and then roll out until my body is straight. I return to my starting position before rolling out halfway.
2c. Squat Jump Touching Floor to Spread Eagle, Then Squat Jump to Daffy I perform a squat touching my palms to the floor, then jump up and spread my legs. I squat jump again, this time bringing one leg in front and the other in back. I repeat the sequence, making sure to switch legs with each daffy.
3a. Cable Pullover On Stability Ball I grasp cable handles while sitting on the ball slightly in front of the cable machine. I roll down so my head is closest to the machine and knees are farthest away. With the ball firmly between my shoulder blades, I bring both cable handles from behind my head to the front of my body.
3b. Ski Mogul Master I get into push-up position with my feet together. I move my legs quickly from side to side four times, jump my legs to a spread-eagle position off the floor four times, then perform quick jumps, bringing my heels to my glutes four times. Next, I jump my feet together and stand before repeating the sequence.
3c. Push-Up to One-Arm Rows and Stand With a dumbbell in each hand, I get into a push-up position and perform push-ups alternating with one-arm rows. After each row I swing my feet under my chest and stand.
I go straight through the next two drills four times with little to no rest between each. 1. Forward to Jump Backward Transition Runs I sprint for 15 yards, then jump in the air off one foot while turning 180 degrees, landing on my opposite leg and continuing to sprint for another 15 yards. With each repeating sequence, I'll alternate the leading leg I use for the jump.
2. Pop-Up to Platform Side Jump. I get into a push-up position with my chest touching the floor and the raised platform on one side of me. I pop up quickly and jump over the side of the platform. On the opposite side I return to a push-up position, pop up and jump sideways back over the platform.
I end the session by performing lying figure eights with a medicine ball, making sure to keep my feet off the floor the entire sequence.
Tuesday Indoors, I use a treadmill. Outdoors, I use a grassy field or dirt trail that ideally has some hills. Each drill is done one after the other, and the exercises following the treadmill sequences can vary between 20 to 100 repetitions.
1. I run at a medium tempo for five minutes at a three percent incline. Then I immediately perform decline stability ball core push-ups. With my hands in push-up position and my feet on top of a stability ball, I perform a push-up, and then bring my knees toward my chest, rolling the ball towards me. I'll hold this position for two seconds before repeating the repetition.
2. I run at near anaerobic pace for five minutes at five percent incline, and then perform dumbbell one-legged squats with big circles. I hold a dumbbell with two hands and stand on my right leg. I perform a one-legged squat, bringing the dumbbell close to my right foot. I come up from the squat slowly swinging the dumbbell clockwise and come back down into a right-legged squat. At that point, I hop to my left leg and repeat the sequence.
3. I run at a tempo pace for five minutes at a seven percent incline, and then perform dumbbell climbs. I hold a dumbbell in each hand and jog in place trying to bring my knees as high as possible with every stride while raising one dumbbell at a time from shoulder height to overhead.
4. I run at an anaerobic pace for two minutes at a nine percent incline, then immediately perform jump split squats with dumbbell shoulder rotations. I begin with a light dumbbell in each hand with one foot in front of my body and the other behind. Keeping elbows anchored to my sides throughout movement and dumbbells straight out horizontally, I perform a split squat, jumping and switching feet in midair while rotating dumbbells inward toward the middle of my body.
5. I run at an anaerobic pace for two minutes at a nine percent incline, then immediately perform jump split squats with the dumbbell shoulder rotation.
6. I run at a tempo pace for five minutes at a seven percent incline, then repeat dumbbell climbs.
7. I run at near anaerobic pace for five minutes at a five percent incline, then repeat the dumbbell one-legged squats with big circles.
8. I jog for five minutes at three percent incline, and then perform decline stability ball core push-ups.
9. I jump rope with a two-pound rope for the time length of two songs.
10. Bosu Squat to One Leg Hold. With both feet on a Bosu and arms outstretched overhead, I perform a squat and touch my toes. I follow my fingertips with my eyes bringing my hands from my toes to above my head. I hold that pose and stand on one leg for five seconds
11. Climb the Rope. Lying supine with my legs crossed, I perform three overhand grabs at an imaginary fixed rope in front of me while crunching forward, holding one second with each grab.
Wednesday I repeat the Monday routine, switching a few exercises within the sequence to keep challenging myself.
Thursday I repeat the Tuesday routine.
Friday I again mirror the Monday workout, switching a handful of the series to keep me mentally absorbed.
Saturday I focus on a long bike and run, altering aerobic with anaerobic efforts. I combine tempo with hill running, spinning, core hyperfitness drills and whatever else I can wrap my mind around. The focal point for this session is endurance.
Sunday I will either take the day off and engage in active recovery activities with the family or go on a 2-3 hour ride on my fixed-gear, single-speed bike. I plan to soon bump up my fixie sessions to assist in training for my new expedition, www.fixedon.org.
Sean Burch, 37, is a world record-breaking athlete. His book "Hyperfitness" is being released in paperback in April. More information on Burch and his programs can be found at www.SeanBurch.com.
Cycling
