Depletion Workout

If you are training for a long endurance event there are times in training where you need to push yourself to the next level and make sure that your body can handle long periods of work.

The depletion workout is a method to accomplish that goal.

de·ple·tion (d-plshn) noun.

The act or process of depleting.
The state of being depleted; exhaustion.
The use or consumption of a resource, especially a natural resource, faster than it is replenished.

Depletion are workouts designed to completely exhaust your body. You must train for weeks and months before you are able to take on something at this level.

We use this style of training for any athlete looking to get to the next level and prepare for a long endurance event.

Question: “How do you train long distance endurance in the water and sand and not get chafed?”. We use Nike compression shorts and Bodyglide anti-chafe balm spread on our crotch, under arms and nipples. It comes in a small tube so you can keep it in the back of your ruck sack if you need it half way through an event.

Check out the list of depletion workouts and notes on each one.

Frog Hill workout
5 laps up Frog Hill (3/4 mile) with 30 lb ruck.
pick an exercise and do 50 reps each time up
5 trips back down
this workout was used by Felix S. and Tom Coffey for Kokoro training (they both graduated in style). Tom has since graduated from RASP. Felix has also graduated from unspecified (security reasons) school.

Tom Rowland shows the Murph Workout:

Question: “Coach, you just finished the GoRuck Challenge and your an older athlete – how did you recover from that tough event?”. Ha; first thing I did was get a good clean meal and take some advil and a hot bath with Epsom salts and soak for 30 minutes. I crashed out for about 4 hours and slept right after the event.

Jebens depletion workouts
Start with full SGPT warm ups (roughly 30 mins)
SEALFIT operator wods (roughly 2 1/2 to 3 hours)
SGPT homework (sandbag wod, obstacle course wod, grip training, ab wod, etc)
5k run
7 mile ruck with 20# (2 to 2 1/2 hours)
5k row
Swim
Yoga (roughly 45 mins to an hour)
Finish it all off at my box with a Crossfit wod (one hour class)

Hi Brad,
My depletion events followed a general pattern, but were never the same from one event to another. I always started at 8 am after dropping the kids off at school and then went until 7 or 8 pm at night.

I allowed myself to fuel appropriately during the events but never spent a lot of time sitting down and eating, just a power bar here and there and a sandwich at lunch. The first depletion event I ever did I actually did the swim first and immediately went out on a run, but my knee ended up tweaking on me. I think from going from the cold swim to a run quickly, so I split that up on subsequent events. Also, I have done Murph with a ruck on more than one of these events, including the first one I did. Travel was minimal. The first part was done out of my garage, then I would drive to a globo-gym to use their rower and pool. Did yoga there too. Then drove to my box. Brandon

Question: “What about keeping your body fueled when your on the go between workouts? How do you do that?”. During the recent GoRuck event I used a type of Goo (liquid protein gel) and I know of one other athlete who did the same. I also carried trail mix (carbs and essential fats) and a mild beef jerky.

Tom Rowland depletion workout
Another depletion workout today
Run Burpee Run from Sealfit challenge section on website
Run 800
100 Burpees
X10 rounds for time
We all got together this morning and did it.
I didn’t have an ocean this time so I did my best to create a redneck Southern California

Question: “What about keeping your feet from blisters? How do you do that?”. We recommend and use double socks for all long distance events. We use a Smartwool outer sock with a thinner liner socks. We always use body glide on our feet and between toes. Some athletes use vaseline but that can also gunk up with sand so you will need to change out socks.

John Golden depletion workout
I went to the highest point around and hiked to the top and back down 5 times. Wearing a 25ish pound ruck. At the top I did 50 reps of an exercise. One round took about 30-35 min each time. Overall time was 2hr 40min.

Exercises while at top: 8count bodybuilders, leg levers, burpees, thruster with rucksack, push-ups

Upon finishing 5th round I was on the backside of the mountain so I had to hike back around to the front to the rendezvous site (aka my car) which took another 30 min.

Took alot of will to keep at it. But definitely a good mountain workout. John

Scott Harlow workout
Hey coach. This is the plan for Sunday’s 8 hour session. We will do a 12hour in June. Have a great day in Chicago.
Scott
1. Airdyne half Murph (weight vest 12/20lb) – Airdyne 1.2, 50 pullups, 100 pushups, 150 squats, airdyne 1.2
2. Drive to Hartland
3. Hike from Hartland through Mt Work to Durrance Lake – ruck style so carrying a pack or weight vest, approx 1-1.5 hours
4. Durrance lake swim wod: 40 pushups, 40 lunges, swim 100m, then 30/30, 20/20, 10/10 with a 100m swim each time
5. Hike from Durrance Lake back to Hartland
6. SEALFit PT test – 2 min max strict pullups, 2 min max pushups, 2 min max situps, squats, 1 mile run
7. Weight Vest Wallball Fran
8. Drive to Cadboro Beach
9. Log carry length of beach and back – 10 burpees every break, ocean entry every second break
10. Sled drag length of beach and back

Notes:
Hey coach. We had a great training day yesterday. Just over 7 hours. Active recovery today and back at it tomorrow. Half murph 19:45
Pt scores. 62 push-ups, 60 sit-ups 91 squats, pull-ups 7. (Inner elbow problem). I’m not prone to injury but this needs attention. No excuses.

From Barry P:
10 mile ruck with 30# in under 3 hours = I did it in 2:57 minutes.
30 minute rest/hydrate/fuel
6 mile run= I did an average of 12 minute miles , I bonked at mile 4 and 5 but finished faster. FAIL
40 minute rest/hydrate/fuel
frog hill work = time was 22:16 .The total distance from 5 trips up and back down was only 1.1 miles. I did 30# ruck push-ups at top and bottom of trips . first 3 sets of push-ups I got 20 and then my numbers started dropping , I only got 7 my final attempt. I need a better hill.
45 minute rest/hydrate/fuel /travel to gym
10,000 meter row = 48:13 .

Questions from athletes in our gym.

Question: Where is frog hill area that you train in Atlanta? It is near the Chattahoochee River. Actually we should call it “tadpole hill” as the original frog hill is on San Clemente island where the Navy SEALs train.

Question: What boots do you recommend to train in? Check out our list of the Top 10 Boots Worn at GORUCK Events.

Question: “Coach, my hands begin to rip on longer workouts like Murph – how do I protect my hands?”. You can tape them but the tape will come off half way through. The best thing is a pair of CrossFit style gymnastics grips. This style of hand grip will eliminate the extra friction that causes blisters.

Question: How do you eat before and during long endurance events? Check out this article on nutrition for hard workouts.

Question: Should I wear compression shorts for a long endurance event? Yes; we really like them. Check out these tips on endurance events.

Question: Hi Brad,
How are you?
I would like to make a half day workout for myself, like hell week at BUD/S but minimized in 12 hours non stop.

Could you please advise some program for this 12 hours according to the grinder PT? I want to make it purely indoor, I have a gym bike, pull up bar, some dumb bells and bar bells, a big plate at 44 lbs(I use it as log training).

Any idea would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Do The Best Or Nothing.
BOB

Answer: Check out the workouts above and see how you can mix in your equipment.

Question: How can I find out more info about training to become a Navy SEAL?

Answer: Check out the Navy website here: