Venture into the savage and wasteland outside Mega City One. This circuit contains savage callisthenics and cardio exercises that can be done outdoors or indoors. Will you adapt and survive or cave in and perish?
🚨 Main Workout
🏜️ About the Workout
The Cursed Earth Circuits use a progressive Ladder format. The workout begins with low reps, then becomes harder with every round as the volume steadily increases. Your objective is to complete 10 rounds and survive whatever the wasteland throws at you.
🪜 How the Ladder Works
Choose a starting point of one to four reps per exercise, depending on the difficulty of the movements and your current ability. Complete every exercise on the list in order to finish the first round. Add one rep to every exercise at the beginning of each new round and continue until you have completed all 10 rounds.
For example, if you begin with three reps, perform three reps of every exercise during round one, four reps during round two, five during round three, and so on.
🔁 Going Back Down
If climbing the Ladder is not enough, reverse the process after round 10. Reduce every exercise by one rep per round until you return to your original starting number. This nearly doubles the total workload, so only attempt the descent if you can maintain your pace and technique.
⏱️ Rest and Pacing
Move directly from one exercise to the next without planned rest between stations. If necessary, take 30 to 45 seconds between rounds, but keep it controlled. The workload will rise quickly, so pace the early rounds and maintain good form as fatigue builds.
💥 Final Judgement
Each Cursed Earth workout concludes with a Finisher, delivering one final test of your conditioning and mental resolve. Complete it after the Ladder and see whether you have what it takes to make it out of the Cursed Earth alive.
Warm ups
(Always warm up before starting any routine). Start by performing mobility drills on shoulders, hips, ankles, wrist and neck muscles. Use light core stretches to activate the muscle groups we shall be using.
After mobility drills use three rounds of the warm-up drills below.
☢️ Cursed Earth Circuit 1
🎚️ Choose Your Level
Each level follows the same 10-round structure, adding one rep to every exercise after each round:
- Beginner: Start with 1 rep and finish with 10 reps.
- Intermediate: Start with 3 reps and finish with 12 reps.
- Advanced: Start with 5 reps and finish with 14 reps.
Take 30 to 45 seconds of rest between rounds. For an additional challenge, reverse the Ladder after round 10 and reduce each exercise by one rep per round until you return to your starting number.
- Burpees.
- Incline Push-ups.
- Mountain Climbers.
- Shoulder Push-ups.
- Curtsey Lunges.
- Squat Jumps.
- Bicycle Crunches.
- Bodyweight rows/Pull ups.
- Bulgarian Split lunges.
- Triceps Dips.
☠️ Cursed Earth Circuit 2
🎚️ Choose Your Level
Each level follows the same 10-round structure, adding one rep to every exercise after each round:
- Beginner: Start with 1 rep and finish with 10 reps.
- Intermediate: Start with 3 reps and finish with 12 reps.
- Advanced: Start with 5 reps and finish with 14 reps.
Take 30 to 45 seconds of rest between rounds. For an additional challenge, reverse the Ladder after round 10 and reduce each exercise by one rep per round until you return to your starting number.
- Triceps extensions.
- Bench Box jumps.
- Archer Push ups.
- Dynamic Jump Lunges.
- Handstand Pushups.
- Dragon Flags.
- 5 second sprints (then 10, then 15 etc – to 50 secs sprint on final round).
- Nordic Hamstring Curls.
- Pistol Squat
- L-Sit Hold.
☢️ Cursed Earth Circuit 3
🎚️ Choose Your Level
Each level follows the same 10-round structure, adding one rep to every exercise after each round:
- Beginner: Start with 1 rep and finish with 10 reps.
- Intermediate: Start with 3 reps and finish with 12 reps.
- Advanced: Start with 5 reps and finish with 14 reps.
Take 30 to 45 seconds of rest between rounds. For an additional challenge, reverse the Ladder after round 10 and reduce each exercise by one rep per round until you return to your starting number.
- Clock Lunges.
- Sumo Squat.
- Kneeling To Standing:
- Judo push-up.
- Suicide Planks.
- Forearm Side Plank Twists.
- Side plank crunches.
- Lizard crawl.
- Plank Jacks.
- Explosive Pushup.
🚶 Finisher
The Long Walk
The Long Walk is a five-minute finisher inspired by the final journey of retiring Judges beyond the walls of Mega-City One. It tests total-body strength, grip and endurance. Hold the weight, keep moving and meet the end on your feet.
🎒 About the Circuit
Weighted carries such as the Farmer’s Carry challenge grip strength, core stability, balance and postural control while forcing the entire body to work as one unit. They are simple, demanding and easily scaled by adjusting the weight, distance or duration.
⚖️ Choosing Your Load
Select a load you can carry for 30 to 60 seconds without losing your upright posture or control of the weights.
- For conditioning, use a moderate load that allows longer carries and shorter rest periods.
- For strength and grip, use a heavier load for shorter carries, resting briefly between efforts.
🏁 Completing the Long Walk
Set a timer for five minutes and cover as much distance as possible. When your grip or posture begins to fail, place the weights down safely, rest only long enough to regain control, then continue. Keep moving until your final five-minute sentence has been served.
🚶 Choose Your Walk
Select one carry variation for your five-minute Long Walk. Each changes how the load is held and places a different demand on your grip, core and upper body.
- Suitcase Carry: Hold one heavy dumbbell or kettlebell at your side. Resist leaning towards the weight to challenge lateral core stability.
- Farmer’s Carry: Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand. This balanced carry allows heavier loading and places considerable demand on the grip and entire body.
- Waiter’s Walk: Hold one weight overhead with the arm stable and fully extended. This challenges shoulder stability, core control and balance. Use a manageable load and switch arms regularly.
- Rack Carry: Hold one or two dumbbells or kettlebells in the front-rack position. Keep the torso upright as the shoulders, upper back and core work to support the load.
- Sandbag Carry: Hold a sandbag against your chest or over one shoulder. The shifting, uneven load forces the stabilising muscles to work continuously. Switch shoulders between efforts.
- Zercher Carry: Hold a barbell or sandbag in the crooks of your elbows. This front-loaded position heavily challenges the core, upper back and arms.
- Trap Bar Carry: Stand inside a loaded trap bar and carry it using a neutral grip. The centred load allows heavier weights while testing grip, leg strength and total-body stability.
🚨 End of Shift: Cool-Down
The sentence has been served, but the shift is not over. Spend 5–10 minutes gradually lowering your heart rate with easy walking, cycling or gentle movement.
Follow with static stretches for the major muscle groups used during the workout. Focus on the quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, chest, shoulders, back and forearms, holding each stretch for 20–30 seconds without bouncing.
Breathe steadily, rehydrate and return to the Sector House. Mega-City One will still need you tomorrow.
💧 Remember to Cool Down, Stretch and Drink Water!
🦅 Workout Complete!!
Only the strong survive the Cursed Earth.
