Coaches Corner June 2025

Build - Back to some basics. There are always phases in training, some are harder then others, some are more novel then others. With the main goal of continuing progress in a wide variety of attributes and keeping fitness enjoyable for the long term, things need to change and stimuluses adjust accordingly. There are targets that need to be met, but the approaches can all be different. We shoot for building and maintaining lean mass, and working through the cardiovascular energy systems and, hopefully, integrating self accountability in our training populace, so that the standards we lay out, become second nature and through that avenue, increase in mobility and durability over time. Range of motion should always come first, once it is controlled, and consistent, then add load accordingly. 

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Hard But Doable (HBD) = For clarification, this means that a set of 8 reps, is done at a weight that maybe you could get for a total of 10-12 at complete failure. So it is really heavy, but doable. This scales for all movements and rep ranges. If you are getting a couple sets in on each strength movement we do, each week, then you are in the goldilocks zone of effort. If every set is done with weights that “feel” hard, but your speed never slows and you could do a lot more reps before failure, then in most situations, it is to light for you. This could also be referred to as the grey zone, makes you feel like you are doing something, but not actually hard enough to make any substantial tissue changes. It is a lonely vast space of wandering souls looking for answers.

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Grind - Threshold effort. This zone falls into the 8-20min mark…Not always exact, but roughly. It is a really hard effort, and loading is usually just outside your comfort zone. It should be repeatable, but very uncomfortable. Pace of individual movements should adjust for the loading you choose to use, and you can play with lighter and really fast, or heavier and pretty fast. But the goal should always be the same, consistent flirting with disaster. The times are to short to get much out if it if you use a Sustain pace in a Grind workout. 

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Sustain - Longer effort. Mostly aerobically driven. There may be points at which you cross the line, but you should not go so far that you can't come back. We want sustainable efforts across the board, and that does not mean easy, just consistent. Loading is usually a little lighter, but turnover of reps and transitions should be fast. And for god’s sake, the bike erg is not a rest station. All of the Erg’s, the bike included have the potential to be the most potent tool to build a massive engine, or at least give that motor a good overhaul. But using them to stay busy, while chatting with your neighbor is not…What I am trying to say, is that using your pace on a Erg, should be just like the example given above of Hard But Doable (HBD)…So short efforts should be really fast and longer efforts are a little slower, but not casual. You should have different speeds for different times and distances. Not a one size fits all…

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Josh