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.
- 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
Preparation
200m Farmer’s Carry
Grab a pair of kettlebells that isn’t too heavy and take them for a 200m walk unbroken. If you can, do this with a partner and try to carry on the conversation the entire duration of the walk. Rest when you feel yourself begin to shut down mentally.
Openers
Openers (see explanations) – Always start with the External Oblique Opener
External Obliques Opener Variation Leg Raises
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/Awareness Work
Leg Extensions
2 sets: 4 rds of Tabata (:20 of raises, :10 hold at the top; 2 min work per set). Rest 1 min between sets.
Sit on the edge of a box on the tall side and put two kettlebells on your feet, or squeeze a dumbbell between your feet. Exhale through pursed lips as you raise the weight; inhale through the nose as you lower it.
If you struggle to feel your VMOs working, try reversing that breathing pattern for the first few rounds. Hold at the top of the movement (legs as fully extended as possible without hyperextending the knees).
Bend a pec stick while doing this to really facilitate IT. It will greatly help you feel the right muscles throughout the chain as it’ll prevent you from leaning back too much. If you STILL don’t have one, you can squeeze a kettlebell or dumbbell between your hands to elicit a similar effect.
TYQ
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats & Squat Jumps
16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2 split squats per leg. After each set, perform a static hold at parallel for the equivalent number of seconds (i.e. 16s hold after the round of 16, 14s hold after 14, etc.) Whenever you need to break, perform 3-7 max effort weighted jumps holding a trap bar, or two dumbbells.
TYQ
Sandbag Front Squats & Reverse Sled Drags
2-3 sets: ME SB Front Squats + ME Reverse Sled Drag. Rest as needed between sets.
Choose a bag that you can do 10-20 SB front squats with and load the sled with a weight you can drag for around 50m or more. Focus on extending the hips using the glute max, medial hamstrings, and the VMOs. Try not to let your heels touch the ground but just push off of the balls of the feet.
TAO
Sandbag over the Yoke
We are going to do a pyramid set of sandbag over the yoke. Set the yoke at sternum height and start with your lightest bag, working your way up to the heaviest bag you can manage to get over the yoke, then get all the bags back to the other side of the yoke from heaviest to lightest. Rest as needed between reps. Focus on a strong exhale from the back of the throat on the extension to get the bag over the yoke.
TAO
Seated Rope Pull
2-3 sets of 30m as heavy as possible.
Anchor your feet against something heavy and load your sled (or car) up as heavy as you can move. Focus on full ET engagement and a loud exhale from the back of the throat on each pull to help you get the most out of this exercise. Your entire body should feel spent when you finish a set.
Disassociation
3min ET energy decompression
The more you feel the need to get rid of anxiety or unexpanded energy at this point the longer you can remain in this phase. 3 min is a very rough guideline and highly depending on your overall level of anxiety and your training sessions.
Pick an ET muscle of your choice. Inhale through your mouth and exhale thoroughly through your mouth. Pay attention to the muscle you are trying to decompress. Which means if my lats feel tight there is too much “energy” in there. Try to get that out by squeezing and contracting that muscle a bit while breathing as described.
Example: Pigeon Stretch – rather than trying to get your nose closer to the ground and relaxing the muscle I want you to push your knee into the ground as hard as possible. Try to “burn out” your glute med.
3min IT Stretching
Pick an IT muscle of your choice. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Try to calm yourself down and pay attention to the muscle you are stretching.
DAY 2
Preparation
200m Pec Stick w/ KB Carry or Med Ball Carry
Really focus on feeling the pecs ‘heat’ up all the way through to the sternum. You’ll feel your inner bicep and tricep as well. Try to really focus on what you are feeling and what you aren’t feeling, and try to get whatever you aren’t feeling to work a little more so that that neurological connection becomes stronger, and you become more aware of that muscle.
Openers
Openers (see explanations) – Always start with the External Oblique Opener
External Obliques Opener Variation Leg Raises
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
Med Ball Knee Tuck Ups
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 per leg + static hold for the same number of seconds as the set reps.
So, 10 tuck ups on the left and right, alternating each time, and then a 10-second hold in the top of a push-up, 9 tuck ups on each side and a 9-second hold, etc.
Grab a wall ball and get into the top of a push up on top of the ball, squeezing into the ball and engaging your pec major, your teres major, external obliques, glute max, and the rest of the IT chain. Exhale through pursed lips as you pull your knee into your chest towards the opposite pec as high up as you can maintain tension. Inhale through the nose as you lower the foot back down. Find a rhythm and try to stay balanced. The static hold is simply at the top of the push up–your starting position. Try to break as little as possible.
You can also perform this on two rings or TRX straps.
Cyclical WOD
500-400-300-200-100m row
20-40-60-80-100m farmer’s carry
Row 500 m, carry 20m; row 400m, carry 40m; 300, 60, etc.
Focus on your breathing staying cyclical and under control. Focus on big mouth exhalations if you are struggling to maintain control of your breath and see if this puts you back in control.
TYQ
Lateral Rope Pulls & Sandbag Shoulder Carries
2-3 sets: 30-40m lateral rope pull per side + ME SB shoulder carry per side. Rest as needed between sets.
For the lateral rope pulls, focus on getting in a nice wide stance and keeping both hands pronated. Reach over as far as you can while inhaling and then exhale as you pull and then push the weight across your body. You’ll drive most of your weight off of the inside of the foot closest to the sled and pull across before punching across the body with the hand closest to the sled once that hand passes your belly button. If you feel your lower back doing a lot of the work, try to lighten the load and stay more parallel to the floor with your torso instead of really twisting up and rotating over, this should help you feel how to fight rotation with your obliques a little more first, and then we can begin actually rotating.
For the shoulder carries, load the weight on the shoulder and think about crunching in to find maximal tension in the obliques. Keep the knees and hips slightly soft to force the obliques and glutes/hamstrings to do the stabilizing work.
TYQ
Zercher Carry
2-3 sets to find a heavy weight for 30m with a turn at 15m. Rest as needed between sets.
TAO
4-Pack Opener + ET Lat Pulldown hold + ET Rear Delt Fly Hold
3-5 sets of 5-12 reps of the 4-pack opener and a 15-20s hold per position. Rest as needed between.
We are going to focus on a little more awareness in ET. For the 4-pack opener, place a weight above the belly button and lie on your back. Take a deep breath in through your mouth and exhale a little from the back of the throat in short, powerful breaths. Each time you exhale, you are going to try to push the kettlebell off of your stomach forcefully by engaging your 4 pack and trying to throw the kettlebell off. As you get more comfortable with it, try to also feel your inner obliques, your lumbar erectors, your glute med, and the other muscles that comprise the ET chain.
For the lat pulldown hold, use a pulley system if you have one. If not, use a thick band and a training bar or a dowel (make sure it can handle the tension). Sit on the floor and try to find ET from head-to-toe. Focus on really activating the lats, the rear delts, the lumbar erectors, and holding that position with as much of a contraction in the muscles as possible. Focus on ET breathing and really trying to squeeze the lower part of the lat as well. Make it cramp and prime it for the pull ups and dips to come.
For the rear delt fly hold, hook a band up on a pull-up bar and weigh it down so that it is stretched to the floor. I use a heavy dumbbell or two or a sandbag to keep it down. Now, get into an ET power position (think the top of a rear delt fly, or a mid-hang position in olympic lifting). Try to pull the ends of the band as far apart while using the rear delt, the lower trap, the lats, outer triceps, etc and hold for as long as you can with as much ET tension as you can.
TAO
Yates Rows & Rear Delt Flyes & Bicep Curls
3-5 rounds of 3-7 reps of each movement. Try to rest as little as necessary to maintain power output.
Focus on explosiveness and really hitting the right ET muscles here. Big exhale from the back of the throat on each rep to really be able to express that power. If you feel it start to fade, move on to the next exercise.
Disassociation
3min ET energy decompression
Pick an ET muscle of your choice. Inhale through your mouth and exhale thoroughly through your mouth. Pay attention to the muscle you are trying to decompress. Which means if my lats feel tight there is too much “energy” in there. Try to get that out by squeezing and contracting that muscle while breathing as described.
Example: Pigeon Stretch – rather than trying to get your nose closer to the ground and relaxing the muscle I want you to push your knee into the ground as hard as possible. Try to “burn out” your glute med.
3min IT Stretching
Pick an IT muscle of your choice. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Try to calm yourself down and pay attention to the muscle you are stretching.