JOURNAL

July '23 Programme

by tom MCADAM
30/06/23

Programme Overview

With Testing Week now behind us we move on to a new phase of training emphasising higher volume strength training and longer duration endurance training at lower intensities. The idea is to build a base of strength, hypertrophy and aerobic fitness to set up for the rest of the year.

If that sounds boring, don't be fooled. We have LOTS of fun workouts coming up for you. Building a base doesn't need to be tedious!

Note that we are swapping the Force days again so that Monday is a deadlift / overhead pressing day and Thursday is a squat / horizontal pressing day.

Monday Force

Full body strength: volume deadlift, push press, volume pull-ups, inverted push ups and core work.

Tuesday Energy

Long partner / team workouts involving ergs and running.

Wednesday Work

Barbell or gymnastic skill followed by varied metcons

Thursday Force

Full body strength: volume squats, volume Pendlay row, volume incline press, flys and reverse flys.

Friday Energy

Varied workouts involving running, ergs and functional movements. A mixture of "for time", AMRAP and EMOM workouts.

Saturday Work

As usual - longer, harder partner workouts

Sunday Force

Full body strength: linear progression squats, Turkish get-ups with varied presses, skin the cats, Nordics, reverse Nordics.

Sunday RUN CLUB

Track session - ALL welcome!

Force Programme:

There quite a few changes with the Force programme. We are shifting from a focus on low reps and heavier weights to lower weights and higher reps (=volume). As such, the variable that we will be progressing is total number of sets / reps in a session to slowly push volume higher.

Training at higher volumes will produce a strong hypertrophy stimululs. In other words, it's a great way to build lean muscle. Bear in mind: this is important even if you don't want to get "bigger". Building a little lean mass while losing a little extra fat will is a powerful way to look and feel leaner as well as improve your general health and performance. Trust us, nobody ever accidentally got too jacked, so don't worry! Those of you who are trying to gain mass know how challenging it can be...

This kind of training provides a strong foundation to build from in the year ahead.

Another big change is that we're going to be back squatting twice a week with a view to building a super strong and capable lower body. The second squat session will be on Sundays and will be based around a basic linear progression where we do 3 sets of 5 reps and increase the weight by 2.5kg per week. This is a simple and incredibly effective way to get stronger.

We have made some changes to the movements included in the programme.

We've introduced a Push Press to start moving heavier weights overhead and develop skill and power.

We've brought the Pendlay Row back to emphasise raw horizontal pulling strength which is so important for function and injury prevention.

We've got an Inverted Push Up to start you on the journey towards a strict handstand push up. Again, we love the skill component of this movement.

We've got the Incline Press to bring about a slightly different horizontal pushing stimulus.

Enjoy team!

Energy programme:

Tuesday's Energy session is focused on building aerobic fitness and endurance and will involve longer, moderate intensity workouts. This month, all the sessions are partner or team workouts. You'll have big distance targets on a machine or a couple of machines and you'll be splitting the work, sometimes with a big of running thrown in!

For example, Week 1's workout is a 10,000m row in a team of 3. 1 team member rows, one team member runs a 450m lap and one team member rests. Team members rotate when the runner returns.

Friday's Energy session will continue to follow the same varied format. There will be a mixture of short, medium and long workouts and a mixture of "for time", AMRAP, EMOM and interval workouts.

WORK PROGRAMME:

The Work session continues much as last month. There will be a barbell or gymnastic skill followed by a challenging metcon workout that puts that skill to the test.

Where the other days are often controlled in their effort level, we think of Wednesday as "Game Day" for those that do it. Go for it, challenge yourself and see if you can get acquainted with a bit of intensity!

Week 1:

Monday Force

A. Deadlift - 3x8 @ 70% of 1RM

RPE 7

B. Push press - 3x5

C1. Pull up drop sets - 3x5-10 strict pull-ups + 5-10 banded pull-ups

C2. Inverted push-up - 3x5-10

C3. Leg overs - 3x10

Tuesday Energy

In teams of 3:

10,000m row for time

*1 partner rows, 1 partner runs a 450m lap, 1 partner rests. Swap when the runner finishes their lap.

**40 minute time cap

Wednesday Work

A. 10x1 cluster EMOM

B. 30 clusters for time

5 burpess every minute on the minute

Performance: 60/40kg

Health: 40/30kg

Thursday Force

A. Squat - 3x8 @ 70% of 1RM

RPE 7

B1. Pendlay row - 3x8

B2. Incline press - 3x8

RPE 7

C1. Incline flys - 3x10

C2. Incline reverse flys - 3x10

Friday Energy

PERFORMANCE

4 rounds of 4 minutes work / 4 minutes rest

Alternating between:

A. AMRAP

15/12 cal ski

12 kettlbell swings 24/16kg

9 burpees

B. AMRAP

15/12 cal bike

12 kettlbell swings 24/16kg

9 burpees

HEALTH

4 rounds of 4 minutes work / 4 minutes rest

Alternating between:

A. AMRAP

12/9 cal ski

12 kettlbell swings 16/12kg

9 burpees

B. AMRAP

12/9 cal bike

12 kettlbell swings 16/12kg

9 burpees

*The aim here is to get 2+ rounds during each AMRAP interval. If you find that you are getting much less and 2 rounds, consider decreasing the calories or the kettlbell weight. The 4x4 intervals format allows you to push each interval really hard, as there is plenty of time to recover. See if you can push yourself in each interval!