Conditioning

General Principles

The primary goal of this module is metabolic conditioning.
The secondary goal of this module is muscular endurance.
These are short, intense circuits, emphasizing functional movements, and almost always under 10 minutes. These should not be as hardcore as most CrossFit WoDs, although on occasion you may use a short WoD here.
Circuits with AMRAP (as many reps/rounds as possible) of a motion or series of motions within a time span 10 minutes or below are often the easiest method for building a workout.
Emphasis on: bodyweight movements, kettlebells, sandbags, sledgehammers, odd objects, carrying, running, swimming, rowing, medicine balls, dumbbells.
Emphasis on: metabolic taxation rather than muscular fatigue. Avoid muscular failure, it’s not worth it.
This module is a relatively low priority; your conditioning should never be so intense that it impinges upon your other training.

Avoid injury.
Avoid high-skill movements such as complex gymnastics, barbell Olympic lifts, and the like.
Generally, avoid the basic barbell lifts; use this opportunity to manipulate other types of objects or your own body.
Include plenty of horizontal movement such as running, jumping, carrying, and throwing.
You don’t have to do these in the gym. Try the track, a park, or your back yard.
Keep weights high enough to pose a challenge, but low enough that you’re not stopping due to muscular failure; ideally you should be able to plow right through these workouts.

For sledgehammer training, check out this series from BB.com, plus this article and this one from Ross.
Sledgehammers are usually 8–16 pounds. Be smart if it’s new to you. You’ll need a big tire. Swing HARD.
Here’s how to make a sandbag from Ross.
For sandbag exercises, check out this article at T-Nation, and this document from Performt.
Anything you can do with a barbell, you can do with a sandbag, though be sure to try carrying and shouldering as well. Sandbags are usually 50–150 pounds. Be smart if it’s new to you.
Try some strongman-type events.
Here are lots of general ideas from Kelly Baggett including sledges, barbell complexes, medicine balls, and so forth.
Here are ideas for medicine ball exercises from Dynamax.

These are in order of increasing difficulty. They can be done as a six-workout cycle or used individually.

6×200 meter sprints with 200 meters walk or jog in between.
8×200 meter sprints with 200 meters walk or jog in between.
4×400 meter sprints with 400 meters walk or jog in between.
2×400 meter sprints, then 4×200 meter sprints, walk or jog in between the same distance you ran.
1×800 meter sprints, then 2×400 meter sprints, then 4×200 meter sprints, walk or jog in between the same distance you ran.
4×600 meter sprints, walk or jog 800 meters in between.

» Source: Brandon Bergin

Be careful and don’t drown.

5–15 minute set of kettlebell swings, clean and jerks, snatches, etc. You should know the right weight for you if you’re trying this.
5–15 minute set of sandbag movements.
5–15 minute set of sledgehammer slams.
Pick a recent metcon workout from the CA website.
Pick a sub-10 minute workout from the Concept2 workout database.
5–15 minute medicine ball “hard play.”
Spar, box, or grapple for 5–10 minutes.
5–10 minute Cindy.
50 burpees for time.
Tabata intervals; try front squats or dumbbell thrusters.
Try something of Ross’s.
Dumbbell burpee clean thrusters, AMRAP in 5–10 minutes.
Take an appropriate workout from Eva T.’s blog.
Carry dumbbells, a barbell, a sandbag, or a big rock for time or distance. Go heavy. Try running up a steep hill.
Run stairs for 5–10 minutes (fast up, slow down). Weighted vest is optional.
Make a 5–10 minute workout with bodyweight movements (pullups, pushups, situps, air squats, etc.) and any of the above.