The Ezio Auditore Workout

Ever wanted to Fight Like Ezio Auditore?  Now you can, with the Video Game Combat Guide: Assassin's Blades!
Alrighty!  Happy Monday, everyone, hope yours didn't involve a two hour traffic jam like mine =P  So today, we take a look at Mr. Auditore's general fitness level, and take a stab at a workout that will help us imitate it.  Ezio, first off, spends most of his life running.  Towards targets, away from guards, across town.  As a result, he has a relatively slim build(you can see in Brotherhood when he goes to the "fight club" beneath the barracks that he has a relatively unassuming build, he's no Hulk).  However, as a body tooled for explosive climbing, combat, and escape, he has a very high power-to-weight ratio.  That is, he's capable of generating incredible amounts of force in relation to his overall bodyweight.

In this(an all fitness posts) I'm going to provide a series of exercises organized by days, then laid out in a weekly schedule.  I'll provide progressions for very early beginners to advanced levels.  I am  NOT a licensed personal trainer, however I've got a lifetime of martial arts and personal fitness training behind me, so of course, take my suggestions with a grain of salt, and don't hold be liable if you manage to hurt yourself, just have fun and know your limits.  =)  If you're unsure of how to do any exercises, I'll leave an index of youtube video links at the bottom of the post.

Equipment Needed:
Chinup Bar
Chair
Hill

Cardio:
Level 1(beginner):
Walk at a brisk pace for at least thirty minutes.  Pick a pace that will be strenuous for you, without completely killing you, then just do that for half an hour or more.  Vary your inclines/terrain for added challenge.
Level 2(moderate):
This is more of a general progression.  Interval running/walking.  Walk for two minutes, run for one minute.  Repeate this for at least half an hour.  When this gets easy, decrease walking time and increase running time until you're running for the full half hour.
Level 3(advanced):
Run at an even pace for two and a half minutes, sprint as fast as you can for thirty seconds.  Repeat for half an hour or more.
Level 4(assassin):
Level 3 for at least half an hour, finish up by finding a good steep hill, sprinting up it, and walking back down it as many times as you can.

Strength:
3x10=three sets of ten repetitions.  Perform all exercises listed in order for one set, rest two minutes, then go again.
Level 1(beginner): 3x5-10 Chair assisted pullups(palms facing away), 3x5-10 Kneeling pushups, 3x10-20 Bodyweight squats, 3x10-20 Standing Lunges, , 3x10-20 Calf raises, 3x10-25 Crunches, 3x10-25 Leg lifts.
Level 2(moderate): 3x5-10 Hanging pullups(palms away), 3x5-10 Standard pushups, 3x20-30 Bodyweight squats, 3x10-20 Calf raises(one legged), 3x10-20 Jumping lunges, 3x10-25 Bicycle crunches.
Level 3(advanced): 5x10-20 Hanging pullups(palms away), 5x10-20 Burpees(with pushup), 5x50-70 Calf bounces(calf raises but hopping into it), 5x10-30 Jumping lunges, 5x25-50 Leg lift crunches.
Level 4(assassin): 5x10-20 Muscle ups, 5x15-30 Burpees with clap pushup and jump at end, 5x50-70 calf bounces, 5x10-20 tuck jumps, 5x20-40 Jumping lunges, 5x25-50(per side) russian twists holding weight plate, medicine ball, or heavy bookbag.  Shorten rest between sets to one minute, perform sets as fast as you can.

Schedule:
Day 1: Light cardio, followed by strength workout.
Day 2: Cardio.
Day 3: Light cardio, followed by strength workout.
Day 4: Cardio.
Day 5: Light cardio, followed by strength workout.
Day 6: Cardio.
Day 7: Rest.
Light cardio means either do the cardio workout one level down from your normal difficulty level, or do your normal difficulty level with less intensity.

Make sure you eat well and get plenty of sleep between workouts.  I'm gonna go over nutrition at some point, but that would be too much to add into this post so it's left for another day.  Start slow on your workouts, progress to the next difficulty level when you feel ready for it and no longer too challenged by the level you're at.  And LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.  If it says "Ow" for any extended period of time during an exercise, particularly in joint areas, take a break on that exercise, let your body heal, then try again.  Ezio's workout it designed for lots of jumping and tumbling so it can be kind of rough on the joints if you progress too quickly.  Take it slow and safe.  Rome wasn't climbed/freerun/assassinated in a day.

Any questions can be posted to the comments section!

Exercise index:
Chair assisted pullups: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GDrlYxrEQo
Kneeling Pushups: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1lE0soriHo
Bodyweight Squats: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up_48p-BMug
Standing Lunges: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnUEsp-mQpU
Crunches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK1eTLViYXI
Leg Lifts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP45ZJd3TIM
Pullups: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQa7iV9sE_w
Pushups: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh00_rniF8E
Jumping Lunges: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zLTDUFjbXA
Bicycle Crunches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqoD0Bdggto
Burpees: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s26u-tbCgzQ
Leg Lift Crunches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk8Z5KACVK8
(note: if you have the medicine ball, great, otherwise just raise your legs while you do your crunches)
Tuck Jumps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrdMYjy8P6M
Russian Twists: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtDH26PvGV4
Muscle Ups: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJX1pxL-NMo
Note: I do not endorse and am not affiliated with any of these youtube channels, they just had good exercise demonstrations.

Ezio Auditore, Assassin's Creed, and all other property therein are © Copyright Ubisoft Entertainment