New year.
New block of programming!
Keep reading below to learn about the next month of training.
WHITE AND GRAY
The most noticeable change to the structure of classes starts with the warmup protocol. To help you better prepare for your training sessions, we are recommending some kind of easy cyclical aerobic work to gently wake up the body. This can be done using the erg, Airbike, or even running. However, this will be up to each athlete to do prior to the beginning of class. Build some time in your schedule for this part of your training.
During this block of training, we will be exploring Mobilization + Integration in our mobility/warmup. Instead of the mobility and metabolic prep performed as two separate parts, the warmup will blend both. We’ll perform a mobility piece followed by a movement that places that practice into context. For example, perform the couch stretch for 30 seconds on each leg followed immediately by air or goblet squats.
Mondays
Strength: Speed Strength
Energy System Development (ESD): Primary – Alactic, Secondary – Aerobic
Developing the skill set to change directions safely and powerfully is the major goal of Monday’s session. Strength work following that will feature rotational reactive medball exercises and contralateral single leg/arm dumbbell snatches to develop speed strength, coordination, and body awareness. We’ll conclude the workout with a controlled cardio session which will focus on upper body stability and posterior chain endurance.
Tuesdays
Strength: Maximal
ESD: Aerobic
Mixed tempo back squats are the focus of today’s strength work. A LONG aerobic piece will be a part of Tuesday’s session. Come on in if you want to breath and sweat for a longer stretch of time.
Wednesdays
Strength: Speed Strength, Power
ESD: Aerobic
Mid week we’ll return to rotational speed strength work. For both tracks (especially White) we return to some overhead pressing movements. Push Presses for White and Split Jerks for Gray will be super-setted with some single arm single leg dumbbell rows. A more moderate duration aerobic conditioning piece concludes the session.
Thursdays
Strength: Speed, Maximal
ESD: Alactic
Plyometrics kick the session off with some paused squat jumps. We’ll shift gears into some low volume higher intensity front squats and strict pull-ups for the secondary strength work. A super high intensity, short duration conditioning session (with some new toys!) will conclude the day.
Fridays
Strength: Power
ESD: Aerobic
We focus primarily on Olympic Weightlifting today. Get your core STRONG with some anti-rotation pushing in our secondary strength piece of the session. A moderately paced, moderate duration aerobic session concludes the day’s work.
Saturdays
Strength: Speed Strength, Maximal
ESD: Glycolytic
Explosive posterior chain work starts of Saturdays. Both tracks transition to single leg posterior chain accessory work and upper body vertical pulling. Gray will be focusing on strict muscle up work. If you are looking for a trip to the pain cave, make sure you make it to Saturday’s class. Get ready to burn and hurt!
BLUE
After a nearly 4 week assessment period, Blue programming is returning to a lot of basic hypertrophy work to target some glaring imbalances. Across the board, testing revealed weak low back endurance and stronger upper body pulling compared to upper body pressing. Other key findings were relatively strong countermovement vertical jump results, but lower reactive jump tests.
Major goals of this block:
Improve Scapular Retraction
Improve Lower Back Endurance
Maintain Cardiovascular Endurance
Improve Upper Body Pressing
Improve Cyclical Lactic Power (later in block)
Mondays
Strength: Maximal
ESD: Aerobic
Hypertrophy work in upper body pressing vertical, squatting, and bending. Accessory work will target scapular retraction and rotation. Easy aerobic work concludes the session.
Tuesdays
Strength: Power
ESD: Aerobic
Olympic Weightlifting kicks off the session followed by strict vertical pulling and weighted carries. A moderate duration aerobic piece concludes the session.
Wednesdays
Strength: Maximal
ESD: Aerobic
High skilled gymnastics pressing begins the session. Unilateral pressing and squatting as well as low back hypertrophy work conclude the strength portion of the day. Conditioning will feature a variety of static holds.
Thursdays
REST DAY
Fridays
Strength: Power, Maximal
ESD: Aerobic
Loads of Olympic Weightlifting kick off the session followed by unilateral bending and hypertrophy vertical pressing. The conditioning features a lower duration moderate intensity aerobic session in preparation for tomorrow’s glycolytic work.
Saturdays
Strength: Speed, Speed Strength
ESD: Glycolytic
Plyometrics and rotational medball work deliver a neuromuscular priming to the system. Burn and hurt follow in today’s ESD. Get ready.