Try this functional strength workout for full-body gains

Take on this intense functional strength workout devised by former SAS operative and ThruDark founder Anthony Stazicker.

When Anthony ‘Staz’ Stazicker left the Special Forces with 13 years of military service under his belt, his training intensity didn’t let up. This circuit is proof of his uncompromising, all-encompassing approach to fitness. It’s a highly functional full-body workout that – if you manage to complete it – will develop your mental strength as well as physical prowess. This might be one for the gym, where you have access to ropes, pull-up bars and sleds, as well as dumbbells and kettlebells.

“I usually train at a high intensity and complete all my workouts within 45 minutes,” Staz tells MF. “The below exercises are my go-to, and I’ll usually combine five or six of them into a circuit. I tend to do these circuits three to four times a week, and I’ll sometimes add in a weighted vest to increase the challenge.”

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How to do the functional strength workout

Pick out five or six of the following exercises
Complete 10-12 reps of each exercise, moving from one to the next with minimal rest
Once you’ve completed 1 round of exercises, head over to the air bike or rowing machine and work until you’ve burned 50 calories
Rest 90 secs, then repeat
At the end of the second round, go for 40 calories on the bike or rower – then 30 on the third, 20 on the second, and finally 10 on the last round
Do 5 rounds of the functional strength workout in total

1. Rope climb

Anthony Stazicker demonstrating how to do a rope climb

“An integral part of basic military training and fitness, rope climbs utilise multiple muscle groups,” says Staz. “I will sometimes add weight or isolate to arms only etc. to increase the difficulty.”

Grip the rope overhead, positioning it in the centre of your body
Make sure your knees move as close as possible to your chest
As you climb, wrap the rope on top of the dominant leg’s foot
The free foot catches the rope, steps on the rope, and pinches the rope between the feet
Pull with your arms to reach them overhead, while extending the hips and knees to stand up at the start of each pull

2. Dumbbell man maker

Anthony Stazicker demonstrating how to do a dumbbell man maker

“These are a great full-body workout in their own right, usually completed with 20kg dumbbells,” says Staz. “Concentrate on controlling the movement throughout.”

Start in a standing position with a dumbbell in each hand
Lower your dumbbells to the ground and assume a push-up position, with hands on the dumbbells
Perform a full push-up
As you return to the top of the push-up, pull one arm up into a row
Repeat the same movement with the other arm
Next, jump both feet towards the outside of your hands and stand up, going straight into a full squat clean thruster
You should be in a low squat, holding both dumbbells over your shoulders
In a continuous movement, stand up and perform an overhead dumbbell press, lifting the dumbbells straight into the air
Return to the squat position, placing the dumbbells shoulder-width apart again on the floor, jumping both feet back into the modified press-up position in which you started

3. Pull-up

Anthony Stazicker demonstrating how to do a pull-up as part of a functional strength workout

“Pull-ups are a great benchmark for upper-body strength,” says Staz, “and these have always been a go-to exercise for me.”

Grip the pull-up bar with your hands more than shoulder-width apart. Brace your abs and pull yourself up until your whole head is above the bar
Lower your body under control until your arms are straight. Keep your shoulders engaged and don’t sag at the bottom

4. Sled push

Anthony Stazicker demonstrating how to do a sled push

“I have a lower-back injury, so I really like sled pushing and pulling as an alternative to squatting,” says Staz. “I can still maintain a high weight load and really target the legs and core.”

Stay flat and low – your aim is to push the prowler along the floor, not into it
Keep a straight back, as a rounded back acts as a shock absorber, taking force out of the prowler
Keep strong, straight arms; by keeping your arms rigid and strong you’ll ensure there’s no loss of power by having ‘soft’ shoulders and elbows
Take long, powerful strides. As you fatigue, the temptation will be to take shorter strides, but always try to take the longest, most powerful strides you can. This will ensure better power transfer and keep momentum in the prowler

5. Handstand push-up

Anthony Stazicker demonstrating how to do a handstand push-up

Anthony Stazicker demonstrating how to do a handstand push-up as part of a functional strength workout

“I’ve always been interested in gymnastics, and handstand push-ups really hit the shoulders and core like no other exercise,” says Staz. “These can be performed anywhere, with just your bodyweight.”

Place your hands about 30cm from a wall and kick your legs over your head and rest them against it
If you’re struggling, lead with one leg and progressively kick harder until you feel the wall, then bring your other foot up to meet it
Brace your core and lower your head towards the floor. Take a progressive approach with this and only go as far as you feel you can control. As you get stronger, you’ll be able to move your head closer to the ground
At the bottom of the press-up, tense your core again and push down hard, straightening your elbows until you’ve returned to the start

6. Turkish get-up

Anthony Stazicker demonstrating how to do a Turkish get-up

“This is my favourite core exercise,” says Staz. “It requires minimum space, and either a kettlebell or dumbbell. Turkish get-ups target the whole body, and help with coordination and movement patterns.”

Lie on the floor on your right side, with arms and legs bent, holding a kettlebell by the horns with your right hand
Roll onto your back while bringing your left arm and left leg down flat and out to the side slightly. At the same time, punch your right arm up to the ceiling (locked out), keeping your right leg bent, with your knee pointing up to the ceiling, and your foot flat on the floor
Using your core, roll onto your left forearm, pause, then shift your weight onto your left hand, while keeping the right arm locked out and vertical above your shoulder
Press through your left palm to a tall, seated position, with both arms now straight
Press through your right heel to extend your hips up so your torso forms a straight line from right knee to right shoulder
Move your left leg under your hips and behind you until your left knee is in line with your left hand
Shift your weight until you’re in a half-kneeling position, with your torso vertical and left hand off the floor
Push through the back foot to a standing position, right arm still locked out with the kettlebell above your right shoulder
Pause for a few seconds, then slowly reverse the movement to eventually return the kettlebell back to the floor in the position you started

7. Kettlebell lunge

Anthony Stazicker demonstrating how to do a kettlebell lunge

Anthony Stazicker demonstrating how to do a kettlebell lunge as part of a functional strength workout

“Isolating the legs and core with lunges works really well for me,” says Staz. “Take each lunge slowly and controlled for maximum muscle activation.”

Stand tall, holding a kettlebell in one hand
With your chest up, core tight and back straight, take a big step forward with your opposite leg and bend your knees to lunge down
Push back off your front foot to return to the start
Switch the kettlebell to the other hand and lunge with the other leg – that is 1 rep

8. Box jump

Anthony Stazicker demonstrating how to do a box jump

Anthony Stazicker demonstrating how to do a box jump as part of a functional strength workout

“Box jumps are great for explosive power and coordination,” says Staz. “I alternate heights and angles of the jumps when required.”

Stand just in front of a box with feet shoulder-width apart
Swing arms and hinge hips back with a tall chest, flat back and engaged core
Swing arms forward, using momentum to jump up and slightly forward, landing softly with both feet completely on the box
Stand up, locking out your knees and extending your hips
Carefully step back down to the ground

9. Farmer’s walk

Anthony Stazicker demonstrating how to do a farmers carry

“Nothing is as simple – or difficult – as moving heavy weight under control over distance,” says Staz. “Farmer’s walks are great for grip strength, which is often ignored.”

Grab two heavy dumbbells or kettlebells and walk for 30-40m, lifting as heavy as you can without your grip giving out before the end
If you don’t have a 30-40m track at your gym, walk back and forth over a shorter distance, drop the weights at one end, turn around and pick them straight back up until you’ve completed the requisite distance

10. Sumo deadlift high pull

Anthony Stazicker demonstrating how to do a sumo deadlift high pull

“A great movement for any functional strength workout, which isolates almost every muscle group,” says Staz. “It’s vital to maintain good posture and form throughout.”

Hold a barbell with an overhand grip with hands around shoulder-width apart
Stand tall and let the bar hang at arm’s length in front of your thighs
Hinge at your hips and lower your torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor
Pull the bar as high as you can toward your chin by explosively standing up as you bend your elbows and raise your upper arms
Reverse the movement to return to the start

The Strongway 20kg 7ft Olympic Bar is a great choice for the sumo deadlift high pull

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