Weekly Aerobic Base Training with Integrated Strength and Mobility

Yes, it’s January. I’m publishing a workout program in January. The timing isn’t lost on me.

But I’m not chasing a beach body or trying to “transform” in 30 days. My goal is simpler: stay healthy and functional for the long term. I spend my days doing office work, and I’m now 50+. I want the rest of my life to be active—both physically and mentally.

Sustainable performance in demanding professional roles requires physical capacity. Aerobic fitness supports cognitive function and stress management. Strength work prevents injury. Mobility keeps you moving well through decades of desk work.

When I did my compulsory military service years ago, I appreciated the BRAK programs—basic fitness, mobility, general strength, and endurance training. Simple, effective, minimal equipment. This program follows that same philosophy, adapted for fitting training around work and life.

This weekly program builds on an aerobic and mobility base, with bodyweight strength work integrated three days per week. It’s designed to be sustainable, require minimal equipment, and fit around a full-time work schedule.

Program Overview

Weekly Totals:

• Aerobic activity: 6 sessions (7+ hours total)
• Strength training: 3 sessions (45 minutes total)
• Mobility: 6 sessions (30-40 minutes total)
• Rest: 1 complete day

Equipment Needed:

• Pack for rucking
• Weight for pack (10-15% of body weight)
• Pull-up bar
• Sturdy bar, table edge, or gymnastics rings for inverted rows
• Heart rate monitor

Recovery Indicators:

• Take an extra rest day if you experience persistent fatigue, elevated resting heart rate (5+ bpm above normal), or joint pain
• It’s better to skip a session than to train through genuine fatigue
• The program is designed for consistency over intensity

Aerobic Conditioning

Rucking forms the aerobic base of this program. You’ll ruck 6 days per week with varying durations.

Standard Rucking Sessions (Mon-Fri)

Guidelines:

• Duration: 60 minutes
• Load: 10-15% of body weight
• Pace: Based on Maffetone 180 formula (for me at 52 just getting back into training more often: 180 - 52 - 5 = 123 bpm max aerobic heart rate)
• Focus: Aerobic base building, stay below max aerobic heart rate

Long Rucking Session (Sunday)

Your weekly endurance challenge.

Guidelines:

• Duration: 120+ minutes
• Load: Same as weekday rucking
• Pace: Slightly slower than weekday pace, stay below Maffetone threshold
• Focus: Time on feet, mental resilience, endurance building

Notes

• Pack: I use a hiking backpack, but a dedicated rucking pack works too
• Sunday variation: The long session works well as a forest hiking session with stops for rest and scenery. Aim for 120+ minutes of active movement, with breaks extending total time to multiple hours. This adds the benefits of shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) while making the extended duration more sustainable and enjoyable.

Strength Training

BRAK is a Swedish Armed Forces acronym for a short training session (10-15 minutes) that stands for Buk (abs), Rygg (back), Armar (arms) & Knän (knees), with focus on mobility and injury-preventive strength.

During my military service, we did BRAK sessions regularly—quick, efficient, no excuses. The idea was to maintain functional strength and mobility without needing a gym or much time. That philosophy stuck with me.

This version is performed on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday after the rucking session. It provides full-body strength work in just 15 minutes.

• Work: 30 seconds per exercise (60 seconds for plank and side plank)
• Intensity: Moderate (RPE 6–7)
• Focus: Technique and continuous movement (not failure)

Exercise Overview:

Total time per round: ~7 minutes
Total workout time: ~15 minutes (including transitions)

Exercises

1. Squats

   • Feet shoulder-width apart, chest up, core braced
   • Descend until thighs parallel (or as deep as mobility allows)
   • Drive through heels to stand
   • More detailed instructions

2. Side Lunges

   • Step wide to one side, bend working leg, keep other leg straight
   • Push hips back, chest upright, weight in heel
   • Push off to center, alternate sides
   • More detailed instructions

3. Calf Raises

   • Rise onto balls of feet, pause at top
   • Lower with control (2 sec up, 1 sec pause, 2 sec down)
   • Use wall for balance if needed
   • More detailed instructions

4. Push-Ups

   • Hands slightly wider than shoulders, body straight from head to heels
   • Lower chest to just above the floor, elbows at 45°
   • Core braced, glutes engaged
   • More detailed instructions

   Take 30 seconds to transition and recover before pull-ups

5. Pull-Ups

   • Overhand grip, start from dead hang
   • Pull shoulder blades down and back, chin over bar
   • Lower with control, no kipping or swinging
   • More detailed instructions

6. Inverted Rows

   • Body straight, core engaged
   • Pull chest to bar, squeeze shoulder blades together
   • Lower with control to full extension
   • More detailed instructions

7. Plank (60 seconds)

   • Forearms on ground, elbows under shoulders
   • Body straight from head to heels, core braced, glutes engaged
   • No sagging or piking, breathe steadily
   • More detailed instructions

8. Side Plank (60 seconds total)

   • Forearm on ground, elbow under shoulder
   • Lift hips to form straight line, engage obliques
   • 30 seconds per side (alternate starting side each session)
   • More detailed instructions

9. Prone Back Extension (Superman)

   • Lie face down, lift chest and shoulders as high as comfortable
   • Focus on thoracic extension, not excessive lumbar arch
   • Pause at top, lower with control
   • More detailed instructions

10. Glute Bridges

    • Lie on back, knees bent, feet flat hip-width apart
    • Drive through heels, squeeze glutes at top (full hip extension)
    • Lower with control, tap ground lightly
    • More detailed instructions

Notes

• Prioritize quality over quantity—maintain continuous movement and focus on form, not failure
• Stay consistent with the routine, even if it means doing fewer repetitions or shorter durations
• Listen to your body: modify exercises if experiencing pain or discomfort
• Progression: Add time to exercises that feel too easy, or do one more circuit
• Regression: Reduce time or modify movements that feel too difficult

Mobility Work

Mobility work is done after all other workouts. Focuses on shoulder movement, scapular control, upper-back mobility, and hip mobility—essential for desk workers and pull-focused training.

Exercise Overview:

Total time: 8-15 minutes

Back-to-Wall Arm Raises

• Stand with back against wall, core braced
• Raise arms overhead, stop before lower back arches
• 8–12 reps, 2–3 seconds up/down
• More detailed instructions

Wall Angels

• Back against wall, elbows bent 90°, forearms on wall
• Slide arms upward, keep ribs down and shoulders relaxed
• 8–10 reps, pause 1–2 seconds at top
• More detailed instructions

Doorway Cross Body Stretch

• Grab door frame at chest height, arm across body
• Lean away from frame, allow shoulder blade to move freely
• 20–30 seconds per side, 1–2 rounds
• More detailed instructions

Dead Hang

• Hang from pull-up bar, allow body to relax completely
• Let shoulders elevate naturally, breathe slowly
• Relax neck and jaw, no active pulling or shrugging
• 20–40 seconds, 1–2 rounds
• Scaling: Partial hang with feet on floor, or use box to reduce load
• More detailed instructions

90/90 Stretch

• Sit on floor, front leg bent 90° in front, back leg bent 90° to the side
• Keep both hips on ground, torso upright
• Lean forward over front leg to increase stretch in hip
• 30–60 seconds per side, 1–2 rounds
• More detailed instructions

Butterfly Stretch

• Sit on floor, soles of feet together, knees out to sides
• Hold feet with hands, sit tall with straight spine
• Gently press knees toward floor with elbows
• 30–60 seconds, 1–2 rounds
• More detailed instructions

Notes

• Decompression and mobility drills, not strength exercises—movements should feel opening and controlled, never forced
• Can be performed as standalone mobility break during workday
• When time is limited, prioritize dead hang and one other exercise