From time to time we’ll get an athlete who asks “what could I do on a given day when I want to train by myself, do something hard, and not concern myself with all the fancy programming”. In each case I reply “the answer to that is something simple, but it’s none too easy”. If there is anything I can tell you it’s that, regardless of the sport you play or where you are in life, success and the ability endure, finish first, and in some cases simply finish what you start, begins and ends in the mind. In the case of athletics where an opponent’s skill and abilities are almost level, winning comes down to who’s willing to dig deep, suffer, and endure.

The SMMF or “Single Movement Mind F***” is what it sounds, a single movement done for high reps, long period of time or for distance. It’s also a good way of training the mind, introducing something different into your training, and getting in a workout with very little thought about programming. You can try:

100 unbroken Burpees

500 Push-ups, incline, decline, on a set of gymnastic rings or on your knees

1-mile sled or tire drag

Heavy kettlebell swings to failure (or hell if you feel that’s a more a fitting way of describing it).

Find a box or place to do step ups that’s roughly 2/3 shin height and do 1000 step ups. Add a pack at about 5-15% body weight to make it a bit more functional if you’re a hiker/backpacker.

Max repetition get-up of choice (Turkish, bodyweight, sandbag, etc) at a difficult but manageable weight in 20 minutes.

In place running for 20-30min or a half to full marathon on a 400m track.

You’re only limited by your imagination on the types of exercises you can use and how you do them. Keep it simple, avoid anything dangerous, and remember to fuel up and hydrate post workout.