It’s that time again, we are switching gears and beginning a new training cycle. Here is our overview:
Monday: Press + Conditioning
Wednesday: Lower Body/Upper Body Super Set + Conditioning
Friday: Olympic lift Cycling or Conditioning Specific Day
Saturday: Pause Squats (front/back) + Conditioning
Monday
Press Cycle
3×5 Linear Progression
Start light enough to add weight throughout the cycle.
Wednesday
Lower Body/Upper Body Super Set
A1 – Front Rack Step-Ups:
Each week will be 3 sets of 8-12 reps each leg. Start light enough to make 12 reps each rep without too much difficulty and move up in weight week to week from there. Use your non-dominant leg to set the weight and only do as much weight and as many reps as you can perform on that side. The end goal is to perform 8-12 reps on each leg with 1/3 of your back squat 1RM. Use a height that allows you to be at full depth (hip crease below knee) when the working leg is on the box. Come to full standing using the working leg before the trail leg touches down for balance. Do not use the trail leg to help you stand up. Use the trail leg as little as possible to push off from and use a tempo where the down/eccentric phase of the movement is slower than the up/concentric phase. The barbell comes off the floor. Stop the set when you’re not sure you can do another rep or two (i.e., do not bail a bar on a box).
Superset with…
B – Chin-Ups or Supinated-Grip Body Row:
Perform 4 sets of max reps. Once you can no longer clear your chin over the bar, your set is over. Each rep starts from a dead hang. Initiate the movement by pulling the shoulders down away from the ears and pull the elbows as far down/back as possible. If you can touch your chest to the bar on each rep then do it. You should really be feeling these in your lats.
If you don’t have Chin-Ups yet…
Perform 3 challenging but sub-maximal sets of 2-4 reps, using bands or a small partner assist as needed to achieve full range of motion, followed by a max-rep set. These should be tough sets in a low rep range with the goal of performing around 10-15 total reps. If you can do them unassisted but only 1 at a time, then pepper in as many singles as you can in between sets of Step-Ups during the lifting segment.
Friday
This day will vary between cycling the olympic lifts (Snatch or Clean&Jerk) or just a straight up conditioning day.
Saturday
Weeks 1-8:
3 x 5 of each Pause Back Squat and Pause Front Squat
Move directly from the Back Squat to the Front Squat. There should be a discernible pause at the bottom of each rep. Start at 60% for each and add weight each week throughout the cycle.