One more month until the unwanted baked goods and holiday cheer can be shelved until next year.
Build - Not intentional, but by the time this block was programmed out, it resembled our older style quite a bit…Not to say it is bad, just different and ever sense a couple years ago, we had to get creative in how we did workouts because there was space and equipment sharing issues. This block we have some pretty traditional strength movements along with some new, at least to us movements as well. As always it is best to stay lighter in the beginning of the block, get a feel for the exercises, and progress in weight as the weeks go by. Sometimes, getting too heavy to soon can be a detriment to learning to move the load correctly. The reps are put there with intention, so be cognizant of following them to the best of your ability. Is it better to go heavier and do less reps? Then to go a little lighter, and do all the reps? Math is easy on this one…10 reps @ 200 pounds = 2000 pounds lifted. 8 reps (Suppose to be 10) @ 220 = 1760 pounds lifted. So by letting your ego lift for you, you actually lifted less weight overall for that set. Now there is a time and place for everything, and yes this is not entirely black and white, but what I am getting at, is when there is a prescribed number of reps, try and do the correct number, and use range of motion and ability to hold great form and technique as a guide to increase intensity…Not the fragile voice in your head that is screaming for public validation.
Build + Grind 1 & 2 - Interval Weight Training. Lift something heavy, do something hard and fast, rest, and do it a couple more times. We want to start a little lighter, build in weight as you go, knowing that as the rounds tick by, fatigue will build. We want to end at weights that are hard but doable for the prescribed reps, and use a pace on the cardio that is hard, but sustainable. That means being able to repeat the effort each time you get on an erg.
Grind - Alphabet soup. But we use numbers instead of letters. The only reason being is that other folks use letters, and we want to be our own people, not sheep who only do what has been done before. We are pioneers walking right next to a path that is already been worn in. Like the settlers of old, foraging for…Anyways, all it means is that we are changing the order of the exercises that we start with each round. It’s fun. See if you can make each round repeatable in time to finish…They should be, if it not, journal about it at home, and see if you can’t figure out why you are a less superior version of what you could be. The other day is a “for time” effort, we would still like to see a continuous pace, but mostly because that is how you will be able to finish the fastest.
Sustain - Long interval day with exercises that we are not always use to doing for long durations. Typically we do these with ergs or running involved which makes it easier to cruise if you find yourself in a little bit of a hole. Think about how you will feel in 20 minutes and start at a pace and weights that you wold want to use then…Not when you are fresh and fired up.
Cool Down - Core, wrists, and stretching.
Josh