JOURNAL

June '23 Programme

by tom MCADAM
30/05/23

Programme Overview

June is a big month as we build towards another testing week. We'll be testing your strength with 1 rep maxes on all the main lifts and your strength endurance with a max reps test at 80% of your 1RM. We will also test your progress on push ups, pull-ups and core work.

On the conditioning side, we'll be testing your endurance with the Basis triangle as well as a workout styled on the now popular Hyrox event. In the Work class we'll be testing some classic CrossFit workouts... back to back!

Monday Force

Full body strength: back squat waves, bench press waves, gorrilla rows, bicep / tricep assistance work, FFE split squats

Tuesday Energy

Medium length intervals starting at 3 minutes and decreasing in length across the month. Building towards the Basis triangle!

Wednesday Work

Barbell or gymnastic skill followed by varied metcons

Thursday Force

Full body strength: Turkish get-ups, deadlift waves, overhead press waves, chin ups, core work

Friday Energy

Varied workouts involving running, ergs and functional movements building towards the mini Hyrox test.

Saturday Work

As usual - longer, harder partner workouts

Sunday Force

Full body strength: power cleans + a long circuit involving sissy squats, nordic curls and other movements.

Sunday RUN CLUB

Track session - ALL welcome!

Force Programme:

Ok, the pauses are behind us and I know that is a relief to many of you! With that strong foundation in place, we now move to a wave programme where the reps vary in each session, building towards testing week.

You'll notice that we have swapped the days again so we're squatting on Mondays and deadlifting on Thursdays. We've introduced power cleans on Sundays instead of front squats and we'll be starting Thursday's sessions with Turkish get-ups.

We’ll be using the following rep ranges respectively on the four compound lifts (squat, bench press, deadlift, overhead press)

Week 1: 8/6/4/4/4
Week 2: 7/5/3/3/3
Week 3: 6/4/2/2/2
Week 4: 5/3/1/1/1
Week 5: Test - 1RM + Max reps at 80%

We're not providing precise percentages this month. Instead we want you to go by feel. Make sure to start week 1 conservatively with an effort level of 7/10 (RPE 7). In each set you should feel like you could have got 3 more reps. Weeks 2 and 3 should be at an effort level of 8/10. Week 4 is a 9/10 and of course testing week is a full 10/10 effort!

In each session, as the reps go down, the weight on the bar goes up.

Energy programme:

Last month's Energy programme focused on short sharp intervals performed at high volume (lots of intervals). This month we shift focuse to slightly longer intervals to build a bit of a base. As the month progresses, the intervals get shorter. We finish the month with the Basis triangle test (see below).

Week 1: 9 intervals of 3 mins work / 1 min rest

Week 2: 12 intervals of 2 mins work / 1 min reset

Week 3: Reach a target calorie number every 90 seconds for 24 rounds

Week 4: Reach a target calorie numbe every 75 seconds for 24 rounds, but with an additional 1 minute rest afer every 3rd interval

Week 5: the Basis Triangle test

The Basis Triangle:

40 minute EMOM (every minute on the minute)

Min 1: Row for cals

Min 2: Ski for cals

Min 3: Bike for cals

Min 4: Rest

(x10 rounds)

The Basis Triangle is based on a classic endurance test from the CrossFit world called Mikko's Triangle (named after past CrossFit Games champion Mikko Salo). The only difference is that we use the Concept 2 bike rather than the assault bike for the third minute (you should be grateful for that!).

The goal with this workout is to pick a number of calories to hit on each machine and try to stick with that for the whole 10 rounds. In the classic version of the test, the number of calories is the same on each machine but this can be relaxed, especially for those of you that really struggle with the ski erg.

To give you an idea of how to approach this workout here are some numbers:

Elite: 20/17 calories on each machine (m/f)

Advanced: 18/15 calories on each machine

Intermediate: 15/12 calories on each machine

Moderate: 12/10 calories on each machine

Novice: 10/8 calories on each machine

Weeks 3 and 4 give you a chance to practice your calorie targets in longer intervals (90 seconds or 75 seconds). If those sessions prove super hard, you may want to revise your targets!

Friday's session will continue to be varied but it builds towards the mini Hyrox test as below:

For time:

Run 900m

50 burpees

Run 450m

50 air squats

Run 450m

50 box step ups

Run 450m

50 wall balls

Run 900m

WORK PROGRAMME:

In the Work programme, we're mixing up the skill work by introducing some more barbell skill work as well as continuing with the gymnastics work. So we'll be working on power cleans and power snatches as well as inversions, handstand push ups and pull-ups.

These skill elements will be followed up by a metcon that is designed to really challenge you. Wednesday is game day, as it were. Grit your teeth and go!