March 18-24, 2019 – Julien Pineau’s Strongman Program

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.

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
See explanations above. 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

Shoulder Burner 

Awareness Breathing as long as you can maintain it and then switch to Action

You get to pick the song from the following choices:

Halo by Beyonce

Flower by Moby

My Name Is by Eminem

Every time Beyonce signs “Halo,” or Eminem raps “My name is,” or Moby sings “Sally Up” you have to raise the plates up. The rest of the time, you will hold the plates at arms length, hands at ear level and shoulders DOWN (no shrugging allowed).

Demo video: https://instagram.com/p/BUy5krIBgKq/

You can see that Kike is dying in the back

Don’t be Kike!

Sled Drags & Sandbag Squats

3 rounds with 2mns breaks in between

Sled Drags
Choose a weight that allows you to get 50m on the drag. Try to move the sled as fast as possible still, do not let your heels touch the ground

Straight into:

Sandbag Squats

Choose a weight that will allow you to get 15-20 reps on the first set (it ain’t happening on the 3rd round) and do as many reps as you can.

I would think, your legs being shot you will learn to use those hips…

TYQ – Overhead Yoke Carry & Rope Pulls

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3 rds max weight for 50m with 90s rest

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:

Rope Pull

The rope pull is for around 50m and 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.

Here is a video demonstrating rope pulls:

https://instagram.com/p/BQOh0bQA2ZA/

200m Sled Sprint & 400m Sandbag Carry

Alternate Breathing

The 200m is a full blown sprint. DO NOT PACE IT. The 400m sandbag carry is just mean, no other reason

 

DAY 2

Openers
See explanations above. 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

Sloth Press

Awareness Breathing

2 sets. Focus on getting 10 great reps on each set. 2 minutes rest between sets.

Form is everything. The point here is to keep tension throughout the body.  Pressing is internal torque, so engage the lats and pecs as hard as possible and you can NOT shrug during this movement at any time. Shoulders should be down, lats and pecs engaged.

Demo videos

1 arm at a time with Matt:

https://instagram.com/p/BCvujX-C801/

Facing forward with Julien:

https://instagram.com/p/_mrNUTC8xU/

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Yoke Carry & Farmer’s Walk & Sandbag Carry

3 rounds with 2mns break

Yoke Carry

Max weight for 40m

Tightness is paramount.You want your hands on the side (ideally) so that you can press the Yoke forward like a bench press, creating pec engagement (and internal torque).Put the Yoke bar as far back on your back as possible (notice i said back, not low) so that the weight stays centered with your hips and not past them which otherwise would make it quite rough on the lower back

Take short, quick steps keeping your hips square and legs slightly bent

Demo Vid

https://instagram.com/p/BEPXOaEC88t/

I expect you to do at least your squat weight MINIMUM.Thruthfully my benchmark is 150% of your back squat weight for 20m

This is THE best structural exercise for the barbell squat and one of the best overall. It strengthens the T-Spine structure (think lats, pecs, etc…), the erectors (in an isometric way/in accord with their primary function) and obliques. It is a Load + Carry + Load, making it very balanced.  The “carry” part means you have to use both legs equally (to a degree) while working on anti-rotation on both sides – winning!

Straight into

Farmer’s Carry

Max weight for 50m

Straight into

Sandbag Carry

Max weight for 50m

The Animals

I am sure you have been waiting all week for this. I wouldn’t want to disappoint!

2 sets of the exercises below. You can do each exercise for 2 sets before moving on to the next one or do all of them in a row and repeat. 60s break max in between each set and each exercise. If you can move faster, do so.

The Crab ?

https://youtu.be/YOWyyxi_yKE

Go 25m facing each way

The Rabbit ?

https://youtu.be/l-XHvt6SyDc

Go 25m and back

Someone asked to do this one again, so here it is… (Well I think that’s what she was asking for. There was talk about me being crazy. I think she meant smart)

The Cricket

https://youtu.be/0nQlsYOvN2U

Go 15m… hopefully

400m Sandbag Carry into 200m Sled Sprint

On the carry, make sure you breathe through your nose. No mouth breathing allowed. If you feel yourself panicking a bit, take 3 breaths through the mouth and switch right back to nose breathing.

Sent from my iPad
Attachments area

Preview YouTube video Inner Hamstring Opener – Hinge

Preview YouTube video Shoulder Opener

Preview YouTube video Biceps Opener

Preview YouTube video Jefferson

Preview YouTube video External oblique Opener

Preview YouTube video External Obliques Opener variation: leg raises

Preview YouTube video T-Spine Opener

Preview YouTube video the Crab warm up

Preview YouTube video The Rabbit warm up

Preview YouTube video The Cricket warm up

400m Sandbag Carry into 200m Sled Sprint

On the carry, make sure you breathe through your nose. No mouth breathing allowed. If you feel yourself panicking a bit, take 3 breaths through the mouth and switch right back to nose breathing.

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