Programming Update - Fall 2023
New season, new training cycle!
This cycle, we’re testing and re-testing 1RM clean and jerks and the benchmark workout Mary:
AMRAP20:
5 handstand push ups
10 alternating pistols
15 pull ups
Clean and jerks will test strength and power, building on the slower strength work we did earlier this year, as well as the 1RM power cleans from our last cycle. Mary is a longer, high-skill gymnastics workout. We’ll use it as a vehicle for training handstand push ups and pistols (single leg squats), two movements we haven’t been doing frequently in classes.
In addition to the group programming, we have a number of events at the gym in the next eight weeks!
Friday Night Lifts - starting 10/6
Nutrition Challenge - starting 10/9
Saturday 11/11 - Veterans Day: hero workout Chad
Thursday 11/16 - TPH Friendsgiving: closing after the 12PM class, gym-wide Friendsgiving potluck in the evening
Training Schedule and Movement Focus
This cycle, we’ll train movements on a consistent schedule each week. One benefit to this approach is members can get in a routine and know what to expect; and when they know in advance, they can often adjust their other commitments to make sure they attend the classes they want.
As much as we want to train for “the unknown and the unknowable,” training is not the same as testing, and most of what we do in the gym is training. You get the most out of training when you come prepared, and you’re more likely to be prepared when you know in advance whether you’re going to be running a 5K or squat cleaning heavy. Knowing our plan makes it possible for our members to plan their workouts around what they need and want to work on, while still rewarding members who consistently come 4-6 times per week.
Clean and Jerk
We’ll use lifting complexes to train the clean and jerk, alternating between jerks and cleans for five weeks before putting them together. Complexes are helpful for three main reasons. First, they build work capacity specifically geared toward the Olympic lifts. Second, they give us ample opportunity to practice specific parts of each lift and train with a purpose. Third, complexes help counteract the tendency to always want to lift as heavy as possible. Even when we tell people not to build to a max in the gym, we often see members keep adding weight until they fail a couple times, then calling it a day. Complexes force people to stay at submaximal weights and help take the mental “but I should be lifting more than this!” component out of it.
Mary
We’ll train pistols and handstand push ups on Wednesdays and Thursdays. When they appear on Wednesdays, they’ll be done as accessory work; Thursdays, as a primary movement. Why two days each week? Because if we alternated movements and kept them to one day like we’re doing for clean and jerks, we’d only get three days to work on each movement in the entire eight week cycle! That’s really not enough frequency to move the needle on skill acquisition. Having one accessory and one primary day lets us play with the format a bit more, while still allowing for varied programming within each week.
After starting with strict handstand push up progressions, we’ll spend a majority of the cycle teaching and practicing the kipping handstand push up as a skill. If you feel like handstand push ups are out of reach for you at this point, don’t worry! The progressions we’ll be using are designed so even people who don’t yet have handstand push ups will be able to practice and learn. For pistols, we’ll focus on bodyweight movement progressions. As with the handstand push ups, progressions will allow our members to develop mobility and balance as well as strength.
We realize not everyone cares about being able to do handstand push ups (or pistols, or other advanced skills). And it’s true that you can be very fit without being able to do them. But training handstand push ups will help increase your upper body strength, as well as improve your balance, spatial awareness, and body control. Similarly, working on pistols will increase your flexibility, balance, motor control, and strength. These physical skills are helpful for any other physical pursuit, whether or not you come out of the eight week cycle being able to do the movements as prescribed.
For those of you who feel like these gymnastics skills are eons away from your current capability — we realize it can be discouraging to look at a WOD and see all movements you aren’t able to do yet. But those often end up being the most rewarding days to take class! Enjoy playing with your body, exploring movement, and learning something new. Embrace a beginner’s mindset and free yourself from the weight of self-imposed expectations.
Conclusion
Between clean and jerks, high-skill gymnastics, and snatches on Friday nights, we have a lot going on this cycle! If you’re the type of person who likes to know what the plan is and you want to make sure you don’t miss anything, check the schedule earlier in this post so you can plan your gym attendance accordingly. If you just want to come in and work out, don’t worry about which days you come in – just get in here and we’ll take care of the rest!