Welcome to the Highlander Workouts, a series of functional-based circuits aimed at developing power, explosive movement, speed, balance, coordination and strength building.
Click below to skip the introduction and go straight to the workouts!
Table of Contents
The Highland Clans - A Wee History
Highlanders were the peoples who lived in the Highlands of Scotland in kinships or groups known as Clans. The clans were originally extended networks of families who had loyalties to a particular chief and were the main political system in Scotland until the time of the battle of Culloden in 1746 and the Highland clearances which were effectively the end of the clan system.
The most important clan chiefs held power over the lands within their control, acting as king, protector and judge. If a clan chief expanded territory, the new peoples swearing him allegiance often took the clan name.
The history of clans is complex and interwoven, with clan names being usually associated with land or an area of Scotland where the particular clan lived. The clans lived off the land, with cattle being their main source of wealth and, along with border disputes (the prime cause of inter-clan unrest). There were many bitter rivalries and feuds throughout Scottish history, indeed the violence meted out by Highland clans reached epic proportions as honour, power and territory were pursued and defended in often, barbaric measure.
Fearsome Reputation
The remoteness and ferocious reputation of the clans in the highlands lent them a kind of independence which made them for a time untouchable. Scottish history is rife with tales of jealousy, atrocity, and endless raiding of cattle, goods and women! Trust no-one, more treachery and skullduggery here than an episode of Game of Thrones!!!
Throughout history, Scottish shock troops and in particular the Highlanders became famous for their reputation in the ‘Highland Charge’ (a Berserker like fearless all-out frontal attack!!). Indeed, the English valued their ferocity so much that they incorporated them into their colonial armies and during various wars. The Highlanders were often sent in during difficult sieges because enemies knew that if they faced the Highlanders (or the Gurkhas) little quarter would be given.
"Scottish by birth, British by law, Highlander by the grace of God."
— Ancient Scottish saying.
Highlander Workouts
The Scottish clans’ existence was a hardy one, exposed to harsh climates and rugged terrain, strength, skill, speed, mental toughness and physical endurance were prized attributes. The 4 highlander workouts I have below are based on the pursuit of these. I hope you enjoy.
An equipment heavy workout this one, so if you don’t have access to the equipment you will have to be extra inventive! (See section on home training equipment) You will need…kettlebells. A bench. barbell plate. Room to sprint, A battle rope. Cones. A sandbag. A tyre. A hill to run up (or a treadmill with incline). A stopwatch with a bleep function. Skipping ropes. Suspension cables and dumbbells.
The Highlander workouts should take you roughly half an hour. Go easy if you are still new to highlander workouts, regress some of the exercises if you need to. If you are more advanced you may consider doing 2 or 3 x rounds!
The Battle of Stirling Workout
Equipment Required:
Sandbag. Kettlebells. Skipping ropes. Barbell Plate.
Set and Reps:
Complete all stations of the circuits, as quickly as possible.
Stations of the Workout:
- Alternating hands single hand kettlebell swing – changing hands swings x 1 minute.
- Bunny hops on a bench – x 1 minute.
- Squat hold with a barbell plate – Hold the squat position with a barbell plate held at arm’s length for 1 minute. To make the exercise more difficult alternate rotation of the hands left and right throughout to work the obliques.
- Sprints with inchworms – Sprint 1/4 of room. Perform an inchworm. Sprint the next 2/4 of the room. Inchworm. Repeat for time (2 minutes).
- Battle-ropes – (1 minute Total) 30 seconds of fast battle rope waves 1 minute, then 30 seconds of battle rope slams.
- Full Burpees – Press-up burpees non-stop for 1 minute.
- Agility drills – Run in and out of cones from one end of the room to the other. Then jump over cones on the way back. (1 minute total).
- Sandbag jumps – Big jumps with sandbag rested on your shoulders or in the ‘rack’ position (pinned to your chest by your forearms) x 10 reps.
- Plank walk with sandbag drag – Plank walks to the end of the room with sandbag drag. Have a sandbag on the floor underneath you at chest level. Walk forward on both hands, drag sandbag forward with one hand whilst maintaining plank with the other hand x 25 yards.
- Jump rope or bench step-ups – Skipping rope for 1 minute or alternating feet taps on a bench (if you have no skipping ropes).
- Sprints with sandbag rows – Run across the room with a sandbag. Stop in the middle and end of the room and undertake 10 sandbag rows. Repeat for time (1 minute).
The Battle of Bannockburn Workout
Equipment Required:
Sandbag. Kettlebells. Skipping ropes. Barbell Plate.
Set and Reps:
Complete all stations of the circuits, as quickly as possible.
Stations of the Workout:
- Plank with extra weight – Hold a plank position with a weight on your back (such as a barbell plate) for 60 seconds.
- Shuttle run sprints – Bleep test. 2 minute round. 15/20 seconds to do 2 X there and back sprints of room, if you fail to do that in 15/20 seconds, add 5 penalty Burpees (do at end of station). 10 seconds rest then repeat. Total of 4 Sprints and 4 rest periods.
- Tire flip – (As many as possible for 1 minute).
- Bosu ball weighted goblet squats – Stand on an upturned Bosu ball and undertake weighted goblet squats for 1 minute, keeping balance and using core throughout.
- TRX push ups/mountain climbers – TRX T-push ups x 4. Then immediately proceed to 10 x mountain climbers (both legs = 1 rep) and repeat for time. 1 minute.
- Heavy bag assault – All out assault on the punchbag for 1 minute. Maximum effort.
- Kettlebell man makers – AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible) for 2 minutes.
- KB/DB lunge with rotation – for 1 minute.
- Alternate side squats – for 1 minute.
- Hill running with squat holds – (Treadmill hill running for 2 minutes with a squat hold for 1 minute at the end).
- Farmers walk and bear crawls – Farmers walk with DB/KB/SB the length and back of a room. Then Bear crawl the length and back of a room. Alternate.
Ready for a battle? I hope so!
Highland Outlaw Workout
This is a predominantly sandbag based highlander workout with the incorporation of stability exercises and speed drills.
Equipment Required:
A sandbag, A BOSU ball, A punchbag. dumbbell or kettlebell and a plyo-box.
Set and Reps:
We are aiming for 3 x rounds of this workout. 2 x rounds if a beginner. 4 x rounds if advanced.
Stations of the Workout:
- Shield deadlifts – Stand on a Bosu ball and undertake single arm KB/DB deadlifts. x 1 minute.
- Bent over row – Using SB/DB’s/KB’s Lean your torso forward and squeeze the shoulder blades together bringing the centre of the weight up towards your chest. x 1 minute.
- Front to back squat sandbag flow – Essentially you just repeat the following pattern, front squat – overhead press – back squat – overhead press x 1 minute.
- Sandbag good mornings –Start with the sandbag resting on the shoulders, with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Bend forward at the hips, moving them back until you are almost parallel to the ground. Stand back up straight by pushing through the glutes and hamstrings x 1 minute.
- Cattle Raid – Sprint to the end of a room, pick up a sandbag, kettlebell, dumbbells and return at a jog, then immediately sprint back for the next item x 4 rounds.
- Sandbag step-ups – Rest the SB across the back of your shoulders then step onto a plyometric box or platform and down again for x 1 minute without rest. Alternate legs for the leading leg stepping up.
- Lunges with rotation – Hold the weight of choice in your hands (KB/SB/DB) Step forward on one leg. Lower your hips down until your trail knee almost touches the ground before pushing back off the lead leg to the standing position. At the same time rotate the trunk to the side on the same side as the forward leg. Keep the core tight and squeeze the obliques. Repeat, alternating the lunging leg and rotation side each time. x 1 minute maximum reps.
- Sandbag shouldering with overhead press – Simple and effective. Undertake the squat of your choice for 1 minute. Back squats, goblet squats, Zercher squats. the choice is yours!
- Shield push-ups – Use the Bosu ball for instability x 20 reps.
- Superset: Sandbag tricep extensions/Biceps curls – x 15 reps. Hold the sandbag handles separately behind your head and let the bag hang down the line of your spine. Extend your triceps fully, keeping your elbows as close to your head as possible. Use the straps to curl the sandbag in a slow and controlled manner, pausing briefly to squeeze at top of the movement.
- Highland charge – Sprint as fast as you can, twice from one end of the room to the other or around a room twice to a punchbag of your choosing. Hit the bag as hard as you can with any combination of strikes for 60 seconds. If you don’t have access to a bag undertake shadow boxing.
Highland Games Workout
The Highland games began as tests of strength and conditioning for Scottish troops. Tree trunks would be made into cabers and tossed by the strongest military men. Smooth rocks from river beds would be heaved for distance and lead weights would be tossed underhand over a bar more than twice as high as the athlete. The competitor who accumulated the most points from the contests would be named the Heavy Events Champion.
Since it is dangerous to throw weights or cabers around in a gym, or anywhere, I have made the workouts based on sandbags and kettlebells, it will be aimed at Strength building so challenge yourself and use the heaviest weights you are safe to use undertaking this highlander workout.
Equipment Required:
A sandbag, dumbbell or kettlebells (various sizes if possible) and a plyo-box.
Set and Reps:
We are aiming for 3 x rounds of this workout. 2 x rounds if a beginner. 4 x rounds if advanced.
Stations of the Workout:
- Heavy two-handed kettlebell swings – 20 x reps.
- Kettlebell Turkish get-ups – with a medium kettlebell for 2 minutes (alternate sides).
- Sandbag overhead squat – x 15 reps.
- Kettlebell around the worlds – x 20 reps on each side.
- Kettlebell Cleans – x 12 reps each side or uses two KB’s.
- Sandbag burpee then 2 x sandbag row – (1 minute).
- Sandbag press up and drag through to the other side – Repeat x 20 reps.
- Double kettlebell shoulder press and push press – x 12 reps.
Whichever workout you undertake
Remember to cool down and drink water!
Workout complete!!
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Very good info. Lucky me I discovered your site by accident (stumbleupon). I have saved it for later!
Thank you Irmgard, I am glad you enjoyed this post. Hope you are well and enjoying your training.