If I were to ask you,
Do you want to get stronger?
Lose some body fat?
Decrease any joint pain if you are experiencing any or strengthen to prevent joint pain?
Well, here’s what’s coming next:
Here’s our training breakdown for the next 6-8 week cycle staring 9/19/22:
Monday:
Lower & Upper body Prehab –
Posterior Chain + Accessory Work
Tuesday:
Lower & Upper body Prehab –
Shoulders + Back
Wednesday:
Lower & Upper body Prehab –
Quads, Glutes + Accessory Work
Thursday:
Lower & Upper body Prehab –
Mixed Modal Conditioning
Friday:
Lower & Upper body Prehab –
Arms + Abs
Saturday:
Lower & Upper body Prehab –
Mixed Modal Conditioning
Sun:
Rest
What you’ll notice right away:
Each day has an upper body and lower body “Prehab.”
What does that mean?
It has been my experience that we all have a particular body part that can be bothersome from time to time. Knees, Back, Shoulder etc everyone has at least one.
So we will take time after our general warm up to move through certain ranges of motion that have a particular intention behind them.
Whether this is to strengthen a lagging or weak area, or in a low intensive setting primarily build connective and joint tissue/structure to keep us healthier and feeling good.
If you have some nagging things – this is for you.
And if your body is currently feeling amazing – awesome – we’ll add on that. Keep bulletproofing.
Everyone benefits.
Because without a healthy functioning body – we are not living our best, most fulfilled lives.
TRI-SETS
Another new and exciting thing is we will be utilizing what is called a “Tri-Set.”
A Tri-Set is performing 3 movements that target a similar muscle group, performed, back to back, to back.
Tri sets are so effective for building muscle and losing body fat because they prolong the time under tension of the set.
Your muscles have to work about 3 times longer during a tri-set than they do during a regular set.
This creates an enormous amount of muscle fiber damage and metabolic fatigue within the target muscle. In other words tri-sets help you maximize two of the biggest triggers of muscle hypertrophy!
The 6/12/25 Method
We will be utilizing the 6/12/25 method for our tri sets.
6/12/25 Tri-Set Training Protocol
- Perform exercise #1 for 6 reps
- Perform exercise #2 for 12 reps,
- Perform exercise #3 for 25 reps, rest & repeat
The 6/12/25 method is a special type of tri-set.
It was popularized by the legendary strength coach Charles Poliquin.
That’s not all….
TIME UNDER TENSION…
Each movement comes with a specific “negative” to increase the time under tension.
This will occur during the lowering phase of the movement.
Example:
6/12/25 Tri-Set Training Protocol
- Perform exercise #1 for 6 reps – 4 second lower every rep
- Perform exercise #2 for 12 reps, 3 second lower every rep
- Perform exercise #3 for 25 reps, 2 second lower every rep
- rest & repeat
WOAH
Charles uses these slow negative phases so you accumulate enough time under tension per set to maximize muscle growth and fat loss.
If you do not follow these tempo guidelines then your results will be sub-optimal.
What about conditioning?
Thursdays and Saturdays will have mixed modal conditioning days.
Days where you’ll get that classic fitness, out of breath feel.
What’s VERY VERY Important with this cycle…
We ALL will be lifting a lot less than we are used to.
Some exercises – even no weight to build up in areas.
I tested many variations and the tri set with the tempo is extremely humbling.
It DOES NOT matter how much you lift – it matters HOW you lift and MAINTAINING the tempo’s.
Example:
One day will be
3 total sets:
6 Front Squats – 4 sec negative
Into
12 DB Split Lunge (6/side) – 3 sec negative
Into
25 Heel Elevated Squats – 2 sec negative.
In testing, I performed…
185 x 6 FS
50lb db split lunge x 6/leg
35lb x 25 heel elevated goblet ← and by this point my legs we juiced!
I was blown away how effective the tempo and LIGHT loads were.
Even more mind-blowing was ARM day.
So again – absolutely ZERO ego throughout this cycle, the load matters much less than the tempo and how you move.
BENEFITS!
We won’t have to be lifting as much load to get such effective results in strength and our body.
The time under tension is AMAZING for our joints, tendons and connective tissue.
[A Healthy body is our foundation.]
Slowing down will dramatically help
- improve technique,
- form,
- body awareness
- self trust with movement
- on top of the physical gains.
Extremely effective in a short amount of time = most bang for buck. 129 reps.
You get the best of every rep range – strength, build muscle and muscle endurance.
Our bodies will get ‘shocked.’
The slight break from traditional CrossFit (couplets, triplets) will be a welcomed break for the body but have no fear…
When those things return, they will only be better.
Consistency = key
If you come 3 days a week – I strongly recommend trying to commit to the same 3 days each week if you can to maximize your benefits in those particular muscle groups/focuses.
Same if you’re a 4 day a week person.
And same for 5.
The mixed modal days will serve as conditioning days that will still somewhat compliment the objective of this cycle while still providing that old familiar feeling we all have come to know, love and appreciate.
In closing…
Follow the tempo –
Follow the guidance of your Coaching team –
Earn your gains –
Eat well outside the gym –
And you have the opportunity to make some serious progress not only strength wise – but body wise also.
See you in the gym –
Coach Shawn
