February 22, 2021 – Invictus Athlete Program

Primary Training Session

Mobility & Activation

Two sets of:
Band Assisted Hip Flexor Stretch x 45 seconds per side
Band Assisted Lat Stretch x 45 seconds per side

and then …

Two sets of:
Banded Monster Walks x 20 reps fwd/bck
Banded Lateral Walks x 10 reps each direction
Banded Squats x 10 reps

Finish with …

3 Minutes on the Assault Bike with nasal breathing only

A.
In 15 minutes build to today’s 3-RM…
Pause Front Squat @ 33X1

Same tempo as last week, and your goal is to match or get close to the weight achieved last week. Please adhere to the tempo – 3 second descent, and a 3 second pause in the bottom position.

B.
Every 2 minutes, for 16 minutes (8 sets):
Snatch x 1.1
(rest 10 seconds between singles)

*Sets 1-2 – 55-65%
*Sets 3-4 – 65-75%
*Sets 5-6 – 75-85%
*Sets 7-8 – 85-95%

C.
For times:
15 Squat Snatches @ 45-50% of 1-RM
Rest 60 seconds
12 Squat Snatches @ 55-60% of 1-RM
Rest 60 seconds
9 Squat Snatches @ 65-70% of 1-RM
Rest 60 seconds
6 Squat Snatches @ 75-80% of 1-RM

D.
Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 15 minutes of:
30 Air Squats
20 Pull-Ups
10 Burpees to 6″ Touch

Athlete Notes:
Squat Snatch Monday! This week you are being tested on how quickly you can move through assigned reps of your squat snatches at different percentages. You will record your times for each rep scheme and change out your weights during the 60 second rest. It may seem silly but be efficient with your weight adjustments. This has been a skill tested in the Open, so practice how you will quickly remove and/or add weights and give yourself a little pure rest time.

The primary conditioning should be a fun one fore everyone. These are simple movements that will require an aggressive pace and high effort. Most athletes will be well-served to approach this with fast reps on the burpees and air squats. That may not be what you wanted to hear, but it’s the best way to optimize your results. The pull-ups are important, but are unlikely to make the difference in the workout if you manage them well. Even with small sets and quick breaks, most athletes will lose far less time on the pull-ups than they will if they’re not pushing the pace on their burpees and squats. Below is a time breakdown of fast quick, reps of air squats and burpees versus a relaxed, comfortable pace:
30 Air Squats can be done in 40 seconds at a fast, quick pace or 70 seconds at a comfortable relaxed pace
10 Burpees can be done in 25-30 seconds at a fast, quick pace or 45-50 seconds at a comfortable relaxed pace

If you can push those two movements then you will see good results because, as you see above, there could be as much as a 50-60 second difference if you approach this at a comfortable pace. Use your transitions to grab a calming breath or two and focus on the next movement. Set small goals of knocking out each movement and give yourself checkpoints to force you stay focused on your goal pace.

Optional Additional Work Sessions
*Please choose to perform only those sessions that are most focused on your weaknesses, and only perform as much of the additional work as you can recover from successfully before your next training session.

Strength Accessory Option
Five sets of:
20 Russian Kettlebell Swings
20 Band Pull-Aparts
20 Banded Overhead Triceps Extensions
20 Banded Hammer Curls
20 Hanging Knee Raises or V-Ups
Rest 2 minutes

Engine Accessory Option
Every 8 minutes, for 24 minutes (3 sets) for times:
Three rounds of:
15/10 Calorie Row
8 Burpee Box Jump-Overs (24″/20”)

Running Endurance Option
Twelve sets for max distances of:
45 Seconds of Running @ 85-90% of 400m PR pace
Rest 90 seconds

This session will take 27 minutes. Note the total distance achieved over the course of the 12 sets.

Rowing Endurance Option
Every 4 minutes, for 40 minutes (10 sets) for times of:
Row 500 Meters

Your goal should be to maintain consistent pacing across all sets – at the same or faster paces you held for last week’s 8 sets. If possible, wear a heart-rate monitor and note how your heart rate follows your perceived rate of exertion over the course of your workout.