TrAINInG gUIDE

Programs for Integrating Prasara Practice

Supplement to The Prasara Primer version 2.0

2010 Real Creative Health
Ryan C. Hurst, CST Faculty Coach
Jarlo L. Ilano, MPT, CST Head Coach
Andy Fossett, CST Instructor

http://prasaraprimer.com

Introduction
This training guide is meant to answer the most frequent questions weve had regarding the
use of the Prasara Primer materials, such as how to get started and where to put the practice
into your current training regimen.

Prasara To Fit Your Goals

Since there are so many dierent programs out there - there are probably as many dierent
workouts as there are people working out! - weve provided program outlines for the common
four general goals that people have for engaging in an exercise program. We have also
included a program for the many people that are having success with TacFit Commando or
similar 4x7 programs.

Muscle Gain

Cardio/Fat loss

Sports/Activity Enhancement

Muscular Endurance

4x7 / TacFit Commando

In each section, we give you a detailed outline on which ows to choose, and how to use them
to best assist you towards your goal.

Learning The Flows

First, youll need to learn how to perform the ows!
As we mentioned in the Course Manual, feel free to jump in and learn the ows in whatever
way you feel is best. For those seasoned and experienced athletes, you probably know your
optimal learning style. However, it is also good to have a sample plan to give you a general idea
of how to begin this practice.
In each of the Flow Charts, weve given you two options to attack learning the ow:

Program #1 is the Slow and Easy progression. In this program, you progress through
your chosen ow slowly and steadily, taking eight training days to learn the entire ow.

Program #2 is the Quick progression, for those that want to get going on the fast
track to learning a ow. It takes four training days to learn the ow using this method.

These two programs show how to learn the ows, with detailed session outlines. You can
perform these sessions whenever you like in your current program.
We recommend at least a day in between training sessions, and have found the optimal
learning curve to be about once every three days, or twice a week. Your prasara ow practice
days can be scheduled as often as every other day, but you must be mindful of using
appropriate recovery methods to prevent overuse injuries.

Plug It In
After you have learned the ows you would like to use, then you can follow the guidelines for
incorporating the ows into your current training program to meet your specic goals.
We provide options for that and sample training programs in the next section.

Muscle Gain
If your current training regimen is focused on muscle building, the Prasara Primer ows are a
perfect complement to your exercise program. The ows are perfect compensation routines
after your heavy workouts. They will help to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS),
and also maintain or improve your exibility, which is essential for performing the full range of
motion exercise to build muscle.
The following are plans based on the variety of training schedules used for a muscle building
routine.

Common Body Part Split Plan

Chest/shoulders/triceps
At the end of your training session, perform the Ocean ow in a slow and smooth manner, for
two sets, resting one minute between each set.

Back/Biceps
At the end of your training session, perform the Wind ow and the Seesaw ow, alternated for
two sets each, resting one minute between each set.

Legs
At the end of your training session, perform the Vine ow and the Cricket ow, alternated for
two sets each, resting one minute between each set.

Push/Pull Split Plan

Chest/back
At the end of your training session, perform the Ocean ow and the Wind ow, alternated for
two sets each, resting one minute between each set.

Legs
At the end of your training session, perform the Vine ow and the Cricket ow, alternated for
two sets each, resting one minute between each set.

Biceps/triceps
At the end of your training session, perform the Seesaw ow for three sets each, resting one
minute between each set.

Shoulders
At the end of your training session, perform the Ocean ow for three sets each, resting one
minute between each set.

Upper/Lower body Split Plan

Upper
At the end of your training session, perform the Wind, Seesaw, and Ocean ows, alternated for
two sets each, resting one minute between each set.

Lower
At the end of your training session, perform the Vine ow and the Cricket ow, alternated for
two sets each, resting one minute between each set.

Full Body Workout Plan

Includes all Clubbell work, Mass Assault, and full body weightlifting routines

At the end of your training session, perform the Ocean, Vine, and Wind ows, alternated for
two sets each, resting one minute between each set. And after the next training day, perform
the Seesaw and Cricket Flows, alternated for two sets each, resting one minute between each
set.

Cardio/Fat Loss
The ows can also be used to enhance a cardio and fat loss regimen.

Jogging
Perform the Vine and Cricket ows on your days o of running. Set a timer and perform each
ow continuously, without rest for the duration. The pace should be slow and steady. Work to
a maximum of 10 minutes on each ow.

Bicycling
Perform the Wind and Seesaw ows on your days o of bicycling. Set a timer and perform
each ow continuously, without rest for the duration. The pace should be slow and steady.
Work to a maximum of 10 minutes on each ow.

Full body training regimens

Clubbell, Kettlebell, TacFit, CrossFit

Perform the Wind, Ocean, and Seesaw ows on the day before and/or after your training
session. Set a timer and perform each ow continuously, without rest for the duration. The
pace should be slow and steady. Work to a maximum of 7 minutes on each ow.

Prasara Only
You can also perform the ows by themselves for a cardio/fat loss routine. In this case, choose
one ow per training day, and work to a maximum of 30 minutes of continuous movement. The
pace should be slow and steady. Switch ows at every training session.

Sports/Activity Enhancement
Refer to the Course Manual to determine which ow is best for your particular sporting
activity, and use that ow in one of the scenarios below.
You may be interested in doing more than one ow for your activity. In that case, either
alternate the ows, or choose the ow that is more dicult and perform that one more often
than the other.

O days
The Prasara Primer ows are a perfect exercise activity for your active recovery days o from
your sport or activity. Just take extra care in keeping your overall level of exertion below 50%
maximum, or it ceases to be rest.
A slow and steady pacing of the ow will really help to enhance the mobility of the primary
joint motions involved in your sport. In addition, the slow and controlled pace is an excellent
way to develop the neuromuscular control in the transitions between the postures, and this
will directly benet your agility level in your favorite sport.
Perform your chosen ow for 5 sets with a one minute rest in between sets.

Warmup or Cooldown
Perform your chosen ow before and/or after your main activity. Set a timer and perform each
ow continuously, without rest for the duration. The pace should be slow and steady. Work to
a maximum duration of 5 minutes. We suggest performing only one ow as a warmup, and a
maximum of two as a cooldown.
This method is great for priming your body for your activity, and for releasing tension after you
are nished.

Muscular Endurance
Strength-endurance work has a primary emphasis on achieving a high volume of work in an
increasingly protracted time period. Choose a ow and a particular timeframe and work
towards increasing the number of repetitions you can achieve in that time period.
It is best to cycle through the ows, so as to develop all areas of your body equally. We
suggest switching up your routine after three weeks.

Prasara to Complement Other Endurance Work

If you are currently on a favorite muscular endurance oriented program, you can plug Prasara
easily into your training schedule by working on your chosen ow after your training session.
We recommend starting with a duration of 10 minutes at the outset. Set a timer and work at a
quick pace for your ow. Record the number of times you can perform the entire ow before
running out of time. A repetition does not count if it is not fully completed. Work on increasing
the number of repetitions you can perform at each training session.
When you hit a plateau, and have not increased the repetitions after three training sessions,
add more time to the duration. Start at 10 minutes, then move up to 15, and a maximum of 20
minutes. Your overall exertion level should remain under 80% maximum.

Prasara as the Primary Training Method

You can choose just to perform the ows themselves as your main muscular endurance
training activity. In this case, begin by choosing three ows.
We recommend working a duration of 10 minutes for each ow. Set a timer and work at a quick
pace for your ow. Record the number of times you can perform the entire ow before running
out of time. A repetition does not count if it is not fully completed. Work on increasing the
number of repetitions you can perform at each training session.
Keep your rest period between ows very brief, down to one minute or less. Then move on to
the next ow. This will be a total of 30 minutes of sustained eort. Your overall exertion level
should remain under 80% maximum.

TacFit Commando
The ows can be inserted into the Low and Moderate days of a 4x7 program, such as TacFit
Commando.
For TacFit Commando, it is recommended that you cycle through the ows, so that you can
reap the full benets of the total body work of the program as written. If youre training on a
4x7 program for a particular goal, choose the ow that best suits your sport/activity. In this
case, its still a good idea to switch to a dierent ow at the end of a cycle.
Pick one Prasara Primer ow and perform that one for the duration of the 28 days, and choose
another for the next 28 day program, cycle through these with each 28 day 4x7 cycle or TacFit
Commando mission.
The interval training method employed in TacFit commando is an excellent approach for
developing a high level of burst-recover-burst metabolic conditioning. We dont want to just
tack on additional activity using this method after you have gone through the complete TacFit
workout of the day.
Instead we will use two other protocols to complement the main training. You will perform on
the minute intervals on the Moderate Intensity days and a slow, steady pace for a specied
time on the Low Intensity days.

Moderate Intensity Days

In the usual on the minute training protocol for TacFit, you perform the particular exercises as
fast as possible in order to have adequate rest before the minute expires and you start again.
Because of the length of the Prasara Primer ows, we will perform the individual sections of
the ows as the exercise activity. They are designated as A, B, and C.
You will perform your chosen ow for 5 one-minute sets. After you complete one set of the
ow, your rest period before the next repetition is determined by how fast you completed the
breakdown.
The Prasara ow practice will be performed after the main workout and before the cooldown
activities.

Follow your Mission Calendar and add the chosen ow breakdown to your day as follows:

Day 3 Flow Section A

Day 7 Flow Section B

Day 11 Flow Section C

Day 15 Flow Section A

Day 19 Flow Section B

Day 23 Flow Section C

Day 28 Full Flow (see below)

On Day 28 youll perform the whole Flow, but this time on the third minute for 3 sets. So just
like the on the minute, you will go through the whole ow, and the rest period will only be as
long as it is from when you stop until the third minute begins. If it takes you two and a half
minutes, then you only get thirty seconds rest.
The ow will be performed after the main workout and before the cooldown activities.

Low Intensity Days

The purpose of a the low intensity day in the TacFit Commando program is to use
compensatory postures to alleviate and counteract the stored tensions from the moderate
and high intensity days. To complement this, you will perform your chosen ow at a slow and
steady pace for seven minutes.
Simply set a timer for the seven minutes, start the ow, and nish when the timer goes o.
Perform the ow before the compensatory postures.

Outroduction
The example programs in this guide are just samples of the many ways you can us the Prasara
Primer ows to complement your existing training. The possibilities really are endless, so dont
take these programs as scripture.
Whichever program you choose, or even if you do something totally dierent, remember that
the key to developing grace, power, and mobility is consistent, conscious practice. As unsexy
as it sounds, lots and lots of practice is the true secret to learning any skill or building any
attribute your could ever hope for. We hope this guide gives you an inkling of the many
options for fun and varied practice that are possible with Prasara Yoga.