This template will be split into:
- Task Oriented Workouts (TAO) – These will always be done with exercises where external torque (ET) is needed. They are designed to hit the sympathetic nervous system, so you should go at them hard and with the proper mindset. No pacing here: I want 100% explosion on each rep. Put on System Of A Down or something similar, get angry and go kill ’em reps! Do not cheat yourself. If you go too light, the workout will be ineffective.
- Til You Quit Workouts (TYQ) – These will always be with internal torque (IT) exercises. They are designed to hit the parasympathetic nervous system, so I want muscle failure with each and every one of them. Pacing is welcomed, as long as you push to that last rep. I would recommend a more mellow music, as the mindset is quite different. You will push just as hard and it will hurt just as much as the TAO workouts, they will just be a different kind of effort.
- Overtraining – I believe that if you respect the order of TAO followed by TYQ, you will create a strong arch of tension within your nervous system that will allow you to increase the intensity without crashing mentally, which is what overtraining is. This way to approach workouts will change the way we train. We will train based on the affect on the nervous system more than just on the affect on muscles. You will be exhausted physically, but mentally sharp.
- Intensity Training – Any who have worked with the StrongFit templates or methodology before understand that this is the foundation. Intensity is best done in a group setting to truly push mental and physical boundaries. Beyond routine conditioning, true intensity work moves beyond the usual domains and aims to “scare” the system into rising to the next notch. This portion of the templates is not necessarily targeting the muscles, but mental fortitude and truly anaerobic threshold so don’t be let down if you can’t complete it every time. In fact, it’s designed that way. If by the end of these sessions you aren’t cursing the name of Julien, you may need to reconsider your efforts.
- Structural Work – This would be considered your accessory work and will be specifically used to ensure the structure is strong and balanced to handle both training and sport. You will use both traditional and unique exercises of StrongFit to rebuild your foundations and further grow from there.
- Mobility Exercises – Mobility work will be done through the StrongFit Openers and some additional assistance exercises.
- Static Lifts – Performed with “awkward objects” such as the sandbag, you will be prompted into more natural movement patterns that minimize risk of injury or even learning time. Barbells do not always mimic the most functional patterns due to the weight being on the outside of the body. In comparison, most of our day to day “lifting” has been done between our hands for our entire human existence. For that reason, you will use objects that will more naturally follow basic patterns of movement that will prove incredible benefits to CrossFit athletes.
- ‘Gym’ Work – These will be classic accessory exercises performed with traditional gym equipment that can be performed as a stand-alone session or in addition to another, but must be performed once or twice per week. These will be movements focused on internal rotation torque and may be followed in any order:
- Lat Pulldowns – Get a pump and feel those lats. Engage your pecs as hard as possible as you perform the rep. 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps.
- Cable Crossover – The eccentric is external torque and concentric is internal torque here. Do not do this exercise mindlessly. The point is to teach you to create tension correctly through the range of motion, which is the very definition of mobility itself. Being able to do this correctly will tremendously lessen the stress on your shoulders. 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps.
- Breathing – So as a rule: if you have issue on a movement (whether it is discomfort, trouble with the skill, lack of awareness & mobility) inhale through your nose on the phase that gives you trouble (eccentric or concentric). You can even inhale through the nose on both phases, making the entire movement one long nose inhale. Do not discard the importance of this, it has allowed our people to make huge improvement. The TAO wods are all action, all ET so inhale through your mouth and exhale short & forcefully.
- Openers – Mobility is range of motion while maintaining proper torque. The point here is to work on mobility, not flexibility therefore tension is paramount. This is not about performance, so do not focus on how many reps you can do, the weight or how far you can go. This is about quality and finding torque, nothing else. Be patient, you will get better over time. For reference, I worked the Shoulder Opener for two sets, three sessions per week for 12 weeks before I got good at it.
- Hinge: https://youtu.be/eL2RAFOa1CE
- Shoulder Opener: https://youtu.be/C6GcYZi7G7k
- Biceps Opener: https://youtu.be/MTmUnExmBXc
- Jeffersons: https://youtu.be/pJK7LGDCgK0
- External Obliques Opener: https://youtu.be/uihlk3ki78M
- External Obliques Opener Variation Leg Raises: https://youtu.be/7FqzZFzH-UU
- T-Spine Opener: https://youtu.be/lONjflzDsu8
AM vs. PM Training
Based on when you train, you may want to reorder the elements of each workout. Read on…
AM:
If you are training in the morning and you want to give your body a push for the day, finish with the last TAO portion (assistance work). This will trigger your sympathetic nervous system and give you more energy for the remainder of your day. I know it is hard to do more work after TYQ, but give it a shot and thank me later for winning the day and staying awake in your meetings.
So you will do e.g. Skill Work – TAO – TYQ – TAO.
PM:
If you are training in the afternoon/evening and you want to give your body a chance of having a good night’s sleep, finish with the TYQ portion. This will trigger your parasympathetic nervous system and mellow you out.
So you will do e.g. Skill Work – TAO – TYQ – TAO – TYQ.
As always – try it, test it, do it the other way around and see how your body reacts. Don’t blame me for falling asleep at work though if you finish with TYQ in the morning.
Maintaining tension in the arch concept
The concept of maintaining tension in movements is being able to switch between internal torque/IT, starting with the main arch being the core (external obliques, lower abs, etc.) and external torque/ET (starting with the main arch being the core internal obliques, six pack, etc.) as needed without form breaking. It requires changing to what is needed to successfully execute a movement. Your body just wants to make sure you survive, sometimes quite literally. So it won’t disengage one torque to work on the other. You will increase tension through both, with more focus on the most appropriate one, depending on the more dominating torque chain.
Take a look at the picture below. If you have ever tried to create an arch without using adhesive materials, you noticed that you have to apply equal pressure from both sides of the arch to hold the keystone in place. If pressure is applied unequally, the arch will collapse to one side or the other.
I recently witnessed this with a bunch of kids at the California Science Center using soft toy bricks and it was fascinating to see how they applied basic principles of engineering and physics to build the arch. By the way, in real life using real bricks/stones, you will need a supporting wood construction in the shape of an arch to hold the weight until the final stone (the keystone) is inserted, making the arch hold itself. Does that sound like a helping hand in order to build tension and torque? Welcome to coaching. We are the supporting wood construction that can, and at some point has to be, removed in order for the arch to hold itself.
Each session should not take more than 90mns, hopefully 75mns. Have all the equipment set up and the correct weights chosen already. Keep the rest times on target, and if you need more time, cut the number of sets down. Do not lengthen the workout. The point is to keep the intensity going, not to have marathon sessions. As you get used to the programming and fitter you will be able to do more sets but still keep the sessions short(ish).
More is not better, better is better!
DAY 1
Openers
Openers (see explanations) – Always start with the External Oblique Opener
External Obliques Opener Variation Leg Raises
You do not necessarily need all of the Openers each session. Work on your needs, choose 2 or 3 and go at them with maximum focus.
Skill Work
Sandbag Halo
Grab a sandbag, put the song “Halo” by Beyonce and every time she says
“Halo” press it over your head (do not push your head through, please, as it is pretty bad for your neck). Your “resting” position is with the sandbag in a front rack position, ready to press. Such a good song, but you might hate it by the end!
Rope Pulls & Dumbbell Strict Press & Dumbbell Push Press
3 rds with 90s rest
You will notice that doing the rope pulls first makes this triplet even more fun. That is not a coincidence.
Rope Pull
The rope pull is for around 50m, still pull as fast as possible. If you are not cramping everywhere after the second set, you either went too light or too slow. This will be a heavier weight, challenge yourself
- Your main focus should be to move your hands as fast as possible.
- Chest faces the ground. Do NOT stand up, this would cause you to use your biceps more and your lats less.
- Do not default to your traps.
- Try not to use your hips too much.
Straight into:
Dumbbell Strict Press: Choose a weight that allows you to get 10 reps.
Straight into:
Dumbbell Push Presses
From there switch to push presses with the same weight. How many reps? All of them. Stop when your arms fall off. Make sure you perform push presses and not push jerks.
Sandbag Squats & Sandbag Carry & Sandbag Lunges
AMRAP 8mns of:
5 Sandbag Squats + 20m Carry + 5 Sandbag Squats + 20 m Sandbag Lunges (bear hug)
200m Sled Sprint followed right away by a 400m Sprint
The 200m Sled part is a full blown sprint. DO NOT PACE IT
DAY 2
Openers
Openers (see explanations) – Always start with the External Oblique Opener
External Obliques Opener Variation Leg Raises
You do not necessarily need all of the Openers each session. Work on your needs, choose 2 or 3 and go at them with maximum focus.
Skill Work
Stiff-leg Deadlift
Max reps for 2 sets with 60sec rest in between
Focus is on the eccentric
You are shooting for a weight that allows you to go for at least 60 sec. This should be done with weights only AFTER you are efficient at hinging. If you are not, keep working on the Opener. Once you know how to hinge, work your way up to some weight for a max reps for 60 sec for 2 sets. Keep the weight light, around 25% of your max deadlift. I am currently doing those with 60kgs and am sore for the next 2 days.
TAO
Paused Barbell Back Squats
Work up to a 5-rep max
Paused Squats with a wide stance and no shoes (low bar-ish)
Work your way up to a max 5 reps over the first 5 sets and stay at that weight for the reminder of the EMOM. These require a lot of concentration to do them right, do not zone out. Most of the squatting done in Olympic Weightlifting is done with a narrow stance and, over time, this will create imbalances. I am not saying you should not squat Oly-lifting style, just that you should learn to squat in all the different styles. Do not become too much of a specialist, it goes against the homeostasis concept. Too much of Oly lifting is quad-dominant, so the point here is to engage the glutes and get those hamstrings working, hence the wide stance.
Key points are:
- Keep tension throughout the body. Do NOT relax at the bottom of the squat, stay around parallel with as much tension in the glutes, quads and hamstrings as possible.
- Hold for three “French seconds” (those are lazy seconds so make them loooong)
- Explode up
- Do not break past parallel. I know, I am asking you, a Crossfitter, to not squat ATG. Just do it when no one is watching. The point is to work on the Squat pattern and your external torque, below parallel is a natural switch to internal torque and therefore a different movement pattern than i want for this
- Do these barefoot. Through my seminars, I see too many ankles collapsing out (the “knees out” cue has a lot to do with this) and shoes allow you to hide this major issue. Have your training partner point it out if/when you do it.
Here is a video of the incredible Maddy Myers with near perfect execution and a lot of weight. By the way, with her we discovered that her max 3-rep weight corresponds to her clean: https://instagram.com/p/
TYQ
Overhead Yoke Carry & Arm-Over-Arm Rope Pulls
3 sets with rest as needed
Doing the OH Yoke Carry first should allow you to use more weight. The point here is to challenge yourself. So if you can do the full length without stopping, add some weight (but not so much weight that you drop the Yoke more than once).
Overhead Yoke Carry – Max weight for 50m
This is another very important exercise. This one teaches you how to properly engage your lats (teres major) in an overhead position. It will work the low traps (always very tricky), lat mobility, anti-rotation (so great obliques work), erectors, etc. The yoke forces you to stabilize toward and away from you (frontal plane) and not up and down (sagittal plane). If the yoke at the gym is too heavy (or they do not have one) create a yoke by drilling holes on 4x4s and stick them on an Axle bar. Put some nails at the bottom of the wood to carry weights and voila – yoke! A sandbag works as well, albeit not as well.You can use a bar with chains (not bands), but be aware that the weights moving side to side make this very aggressive on the shoulders.
Straight into:
Arm-Over-Arm Rope Pulls – Max weight for 100’ (35m)
This one is done sitting, with your feet bracing against something (can be a tire, a Yoke, a big sandbag, etc…) Reach with your arms as far as possible and pull on the rope using your legs as much as possible (imagine pushing that tire away). Learn to use your legs, your grip will not last otherwise. This exercise will allow you to use more weight than the typical rope pulls. It is an absolute killer on the grip and core. By the time I am done, I want to die and so do my forearms and abs!
Demo vid with Julien https://instagram.com/p/
Demo vid with Val https://instagram.com/p/t6itk-
The key is to focus on grabbing the rope 3 times when you reach for it. You can see, I start losing my rhythm whereas Val keeps hers. Be like Val!
Sandbag Front Squats & Presses
AMRAP 5mns of: 5 Sandbag Front Squats + 5 Sandbag Push Presses
That simple 🙂 that usually means it’s going to be horrible…
TYQ
200m Sled Sprint
Straight into
400m Sandbag Carry
On the carry, make sure you inhale through your nose. No mouth inhale allowed. If you feel yourself panicking a bit, take 3 breaths through the mouth and switch right back to nose breathing.