Friends,

4 weeks have come and gone and a new programming block is upon us!  Please keep reading to learn where you’ll be headed over the next four weeks.

*Mobility Flow Sequence A returns to the beginning of class to warm you up.  All you’ll need is a light assistance band for this one.  No need for a PVC pipe/plate, kettlebell!

Week 1 Day 1, Week 2 Day 6, Week 3 Day 5, Week 4 Day 4
SKILL:  Agility
STRENGTH:  Speed Strength, Power
Energy System Development (ESD):  Aerobic

Moving and reacting quickly in the frontal plane (side to side) is something we work on frequently here at Steelworks.  Today’s SKILL work continues that journey.  We’ll superset that with some piked rotational medball throws.  Full snatches will in the STRENGTH section.  The last four weeks we’ve been working on the transition between the first and second pulls of snatch with lifting below the knee.  Now, you’ll get to see if you can implement those patterns in the full lift!  This day will feature the longest ESD effort of the block.  Efficiency of movement and repeatability of effort are the major goals of this AMQRAP.

Week 1 Day 2, Week 2 Day 1, Week 3 Day 6, Week 4 Day 5
SKILL:  Balance
STRENGTH: Speed, Maximal
ESD:  Aerobic

Very rarely do folks move backwards in their training.  Effective and efficient movement patterns in this direction opens up another level of solving potential movement problems (lack of stability, coordination, etc).  Backward single leg rudiment hops are the major focus of SKILL today, but we’ll superset some higher volume chinups with it.  RKC “active” plank holds and unbroken tempo back squats will be found in the STRENGTH.  Time and time again, I see heavy squat failures occur less as a result of leg strength and more from weak cores.  This superset will teach you how to recruit and activate the core more effectively in order to squat better and heavier.  A moderate duration, moderate intensity INTERVAL session.

Week 1 Day 3, Week 2 Day 2, Week 3 Day 1, Week 4 Day 6
SKILL: Reaction
STRENGTH:  Speed Strength, Maximal
ESD:  Aerobic

Athletic movement is driven by a “perception<–>intention<–>action” continuum.  Listening is way we gather data about our surroundings to make a decision about how and when to move.  We’ll be challenging this in today’s SKILL.  Tall kneeling medball tosses will be superset with this task.  STRENGTH will feature a single leg bending movement in the form of the kickstand deadlift and some upper body horizontal pressing/stabilization with the strict ring dip.  ESD will feature a moderate duration, moderate intensity WINDOW session.  Cuidado, amigos….this one could get really nasty if not paced appropriately…

Week 1 Day 4, Week 2 Day 3, Week 3 Day 2, Week 4 Day 1
SKILL:  Agility
STRENGTH:  Speed Strength, Power
ESD: Alactic

Quite the complex for today’s SKILL:  single leg vertical and horizontal hopping with a medball throw to finish!  Creating, absorbing, and transmitting force dynamically are the goals of this part of the session.  ESD and STRENGTH are combined in today’s session.  Power Snatches in an EMOM (Every minute on the minute) setting will kick off this section.  Explosive prowler sprints follow.  Those will be grouped with some tall dumbbell muscle clean to strict presses and the dreaded dragonflag!  Great day for folks looking for some quicker/explosive work with less traditional conditioning.

Week 1 Day 5, Week 2 Day 4, Week 3 Day 3, Week 4 Day 2
SKILL:  NONE
STRENGTH:  Power, Maximal
ESD:  Glycolytic

To save more energy for the intense ESD work, no SKILL work today.  STRENGTH will feature a technical variation in the clean:  the no feet clean.  This is a great variation for folks who struggle with controlling the power of their hips with full leg extension.  Effective bar paths in cleans and snatches are controlled through strong leg drive.  The hips are the major power house of extension, but the legs direct that force into the floor.  Too much hip extension without knee extension causes the bar to kick out away from the body.  This variation is superset with strict unbroken max effort pullups.  The order of this superset will be arranged based on your ability to perform strict pullups.  ESD concludes the day with high intensity, shorter duration power INTERVALS.  Get ready to move quick and suffer….a bit….

Week 1 Day 6, Week 2 Day 5, Week 3 Day 4, Week 4 Day 3
SKILL:  Balance
STRENGTH:  Speed Strength, Power
ESD:  Aerobic

Upper body and lower body balance work will be found in today’ SKILL.  Handstand pushups with a slow eccentric will be coupled with some single leg medial rudiment hops (stand on right leg, jump to the right).  Improving dip drive mechanics and overhead stability in the split jerk are the major focus of today’s STRENGTH.  Split jerks with 2 sec pause in the dip and catch kick off this portion of the session.  Don’t put that barbell away afterwards as there will be some high bar lateral lunges to complete STRENGTH.  ESD will feature a moderate duration, moderate intensity CHIPPER style piece.