October 2-8, 2017 - 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.
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

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

You get to pick the song. Here are the 3 choices

Halo by Beyonce

Flower by Moby

My name is by Eminem

So every time Beyonce says Halo, Eminem My name is, or Moby Sally Up you have to raise the plates up. The rest of the time you will hold the plates at arms’ length, hands at ears level and shoulders DOWN (no shrugging allowed)

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

Now as you can see Kike is dying in the back. Don’t be Kike.

TAO

Dips & Sandbag Toss

EMOM 10mns. 5 reps each exercise; both on the minute.

Dips

Max weight for 5 reps

I want you to use external torque to target the lateral head of the triceps. This will disengage your pec major to a degree, this is a trade-off to work on tricep strength.

Key points

Use bars not rings. The rings would require stabilization and thus the pec major. This is not what we are after here.
Use weight around your waist and put the weight behind you, not in front. This will target the triceps even more (I got that one from the Chinese Oly lifters)
External torque means strength. Go heavy.
External torque means internal obliques and rectus abdominis. Use both on the way up.
Internal Torque on the way down (the eccentric part of the movement)
Take a deep through your nose at the top of the movement, we are not looking for a cyclical movement.Think of this as 5 times 1 rep

Sandbag Tosses 5 reps

Grab that sandbag and throw it as high as you can 5 times. It’s that simple.

Shoot for around 3 meters. https://instagram.com/p/BUcCRVEliN-/

Get that triple-extension going.This is not an over-the-shoulder thing, this is a TOSS so throw as high as possible on every rep

Make it fun. Set a distance to beat, race your partner, etc…

Evolution has found the same way to teach mammals new skills for a million year now: play! Always remember this: you cannot learn new things without having fun, that is programmed deep within you

TYQ

Harness Bear Crawl Sprints & Yoke Carry

3 Rds with 90sec rest

Work your way up beforehand on the Yoke Carry so that you can do that first set at 70% of your max weight for the same distance.If you feel you can go heavier on the next workout sets by all means do

I remember the first time i did this workout.I was training the Invictus team (and training with them)

I very clearly remember my legs buckling for 5mns after this workout.I had used only 60% of my max and that had been the hardest Yoke Carry i had ever done

Fun times

Harnessed Bear Crawl Sprint

Max weight for 25m

Think of this as strength training session, not conditioning. Most of the weight should be on your hands as you bear-crawl your way forward with very short, fast, choppy steps. Put the absolute most weight you can on that sled, move your feet fast and get it moving. Focus on weight first – absolutely murder yourself! Here is a short demo video: https://instagram.com/p/6-kgGfi83Z/

Eventually, you should feel this in your glute major. Again, keep your steps short and fast and try to keep your hips low. This is not a quad exercise, it is a Gluteus Major annihilator.

Straight into:

Yoke Carry

25m

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

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! It also means you are into internal torque chain

TYQ

Sandbag Squats & 200m Sled Sprint

3 rds with 2mns break

Sandbag Squats

Max reps, and we are shooting for 18-20 reps.If you can go over 25 reps the weight was too light, and you need to go up on the next set

You will find your groove and see your form improving as the set progresses. Keep tension throughout the movement even if it means cutting the depth. Remember the definition of mobility? You will notice after a few weeks that your ankles collapse less and less on those as you find proper torque.

The descent is internal torque so focus on your external obliques.
Bounce out of the bottom still in internal torque until your hips go past parallel and then…
Switch to external torque (focus on internal obliques).
The sandbag should put you in the correct movement pattern.I am reminding you of what we are looking for but usually the sandbag does it for me

TAO

Pronated Barbell Rows & Side / Rear-Delt Raises TAO

EMOM 5mns of 5 reps for each exercise, both on the minute

Barbell Rows

Max weight for 5 reps – pronated grip

Make sure you use ET on this. That means biceps (long head), latissimus dorsi, NO TRAPS, and internal obliques and glutes medius. You need to go heavy, if you can do 5 reps throughout the workout, the weight was too low. By the end you should only be able to do 3 reps correctly.

Side / Rear Delt Raises

5 reps of each

Use dumbbells, go heavy and create external torque through your whole body. That means using your lumbar spine, yes.

TYQ

400m Sandbag Carry

DAY 2

Openers

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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

Stiff-leg Deadlift –

Max reps for 2 sets with 60sec rest in between

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. https://youtu.be/eL2RAFOa1CE

TAO

Anderson Squats & Max Broad Jumps TAO –

EMOM 8mns. 5 reps of each exercise, both on the minute

Anderson Squats

Max weight for 5 reps. Most likely the reps will go down to 2-3 by the end of the EMOM.That is totally normal, and expected.I would say that if you manage to keep the rep range at 5 through 7 sets you did not go heavy enough

Anderson Squats are named after the impossibly strong Paul Anderson, the god-father of Powerlifting. He brought squatting to Russia and was arguably the strongest squatter of all time and a gold medalist in Olympic weightlifting (within 18 months of picking up the sport!). He would perform various acts of strength for the camera and one of them was this one where he squatted two 55 gallons full of concrete: https://youtu.be/XRBst03LtnI

Focus points are:

This exercise will allow us to train the squat pattern (think jumping).
For our purpose, the best way to set is up is on a yoke.
The bar should be set up in a way that, at the beginning of the lift, your hips are above parallelHere is the demo vid: https://youtu.be/55WKyyQ8auQ
This movement is all external torque so you are looking to engage your glute medius, internal obliques, outside hamstring & quads to the max.
If you feel it in any way in your external obliques and/or erectors you are doing this wrong.
Go heavy.5 reps means you cannot do 6 at that weight

Straight into:

Max Broad Jumps

5 reps. The point here is that you get the most explosion out of those. Try to establish the max distance you can reach and that first jump and try to be that distance on every single jump

TYQ

Deadlift & Wall-Balls 1rd all out

Rest 90s then

Deadlift & Dumbbell Thrusters 1rd all out

Rest 90s then

Deadlift & Dumbbell Front Squats 1rd all out

Deadlift

Conventional, so that means Internal torque. Max reps (it should be in the 10-12 reps range). Reset each rep.

Straight into:

Wall Balls, Dumbbell Thrusters, Dumbbell Front Squats

Max reps. The point here is to get 15-20 reps. If you can get more than 30 reps you just went too light on the deadlift, and you need a heavier weight on the medball or the dumbbells.

TYQ

Dumbbell Strict Press & Dumbbell Push Press & Rope Pulls

3 rds with 90s rest

Dumbbell Strict Press

Choose a weight that allows you to get 5-6 reps

Dumbbell Push-Presses

From there switch to Push-Presses.

How many reps? All of them

Stop when your arms fall off.Make sure you keep those push-presses and not push jerks

Straight into

Rope Pull

The rope pull is for around 50m but keep going if you can, 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/

TAO

Side-Delt Raises & Biceps Curls TAO

EMOM 5mns, 5 reps each exercise. Both on the minute.

Side-Delt raises

Go heavy, 5 reps should be the max you can do. Make sure you stay in External Torque.

Biceps Curls

You can use a barbell, in which case you want a wide grip, or dumbbells. I like kettlebells. Just make sure you crank in ET. If your wrists bend it is absolutely normal. Use your lumbar spine as well (within reason).

TYQ

200m Sled Sprint for time

Rest 60sec

400m Sandbag Carry for time

On the carry make sure you breath 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

Day 3 – OPTIONAL

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 Viking Press –

AMRAP 60 seconds, rest 1 minute and do it again

This is about form, not reps so don’t worry about counting. This is one of my favorites to work on lat mobility. The point here is to 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. As you lower the weight, engage your internal obliques and also feel it through your glute medius and latissimus dorsi. Pressing is internal torque, so on the way up you must engage your external obliques, the lats (teres major) 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 for the Sloth Press: https://instagram.com/p/_upHIni87D/

TAO & TYQ

Sumo Deadlift & Sandbag Squats

4 rds with 90sec rest

Sumo Deadlift

5 reps – that means you cannot do 6. The whole point is to challenge you strength-wise. These require a lot of concentration to do them right, so do not zone out.

Key points are:

You are to create External torque
If you feel you cannot find external torque from the floor, raise the weights on blocks til you do (you need to experiment to find where that spot is for you)
Use straps if you have to but no mixed grip. It leads to very bad habits.
No bouncing, learn to reset each rep.
Explode up but do not rip the bar off the blocks. Find tension through those internal obliques first.
Do these barefoot

Straight into:

Sandbag Squats

Max reps, and we are shooting for 15-18 reps.If you can go over 25 reps the weight was too light, and you need to go up on the next set

The descent is internal torque so focus on your external obliques.
Bounce out of the bottom still in internal torque until your hips go past parallel and then…
Switch to external torque (focus on internal obliques).
The sandbag should put you in the correct movement pattern.I am reminding you of what we are looking for but usually the sandbag does it for me

TYQ

Bench & Rope Pulls

3 sets with 90s rest in between

Bench (decline if you can)

Find your max weight for 5 reps of close-grip bench press, followed immediately by 5 reps of bench press, followed immediately by 5 reps of wide-grip bench.If you can still keep going switch back to regular grip and bang 5 more reps. Just keep going to muscle failure.

Straight into…

Rope Pull

The rope pull is for around 50m but keep going if you can.Stop the set when your form breaks down to the point that you have to stand up and switch to external torque. The idea is intensity through muscle failure, so 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 exercise is VERY difficult, even for me, and I am really good at rope pulls. We want MAXIMUM blood flow into the lats – this is far more important than you know.

Your main focus should be to move your hands as fast as possible.
Stay in rhythm.It usually means you are in internal torque and doing the exercise correctly
Chest faces the ground. Do NOT stand up, this would cause you to use your biceps more and your lats less.
Try not to use your hips too much.

Here is a video demonstrating rope pulls:

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

Those last sets will give you somewhat of a pump…

TYQ

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2 sets of those exercises.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 & each exercise.If you can move faster, do so

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