Functional Fitness Training Block: Fall 24′
We are excited to announce the start of our Fall cycle for functional fitness classes! We’re returning to a more structured and consistent approach to our strength progressions. Here’s the outline we have for the upcoming weeks ahead:
- Mondays: Squats
- Tuesdays: Upper pulling strength or gymnastic skill progressions
- Wednesdays: Pressing progressions
- Thursdays: Active recovery
- Fridays: Hinge and posterior chain work
We are also placing a greater emphasis on absolute strength development. Our aim is to create more opportunities to teach lifting and gymnastic techniques during these strength sessions. You will still see some movement variations to keep things fresh.
Our conditioning will continue to focus on building an aerobic base, but we will now implement this foundation into different time domains. Both the Build and Perform programs will include a conditioning test called “Venti,” designed to promote continuous movement through moderate rep ranges without being limited by strength.
Let’s make this a successful and rewarding cycle by brining our best efforts and showing up consistently!
Track Expectations In BOTH TRACKS, expect to see:
- A Back Squat day;
- A lower body hinge strength day;
- Strict press capacity/strength training;
- Core endurance work;
- Testing and improving our aerobic power (“Venti”);
- A low intensity day each week to work on aerobic endurance, skill, and/or complementary strength from other days of the week.
Track Specific Goals
Build
As we embark on the second cycle of the summer, our focus will be on back squats, progressing to heavier sets with moderate rep ranges, and incorporating Myo reps at the end of each session. Myo reps consist of timed clusters performed until failure or until the intended rep range cannot be achieved. Additionally, we will emphasize horizontal pulling strength, along with a variety of upper pushing strength exercises, including bench press and vertical pressing variations. Deadlifts and single-leg strength exercises will alternate each week.
Our conditioning program will emphasize straightforward engine work. The “Venti” will serve as our longer workout test for this cycle, featuring a 20-minute AMRAP of burpees, dumbbell hang cleans, and step-overs. We will also test “Helen” and include a high-power workout with a short time domain. Expect simple yet effective conditioning routines that enable athletes to maintain consistency and pace without being hindered by strength or skill bottlenecks.
Perform
We aim to strike a balance between absolute strength progressions and technique work in both gymnastics and lifting. Our program includes a linear back squat progression with alternating weeks: one focused on snatch/overhead squat technique and the other on heavy deadlifts. Gymnastics skill progressions will also follow an A-B week format, emphasizing kipping skills and toes-to-bar (T2B) endurance, along with gymnastic pulling drills integrated with metabolic conditioning.
Wednesdays will be designated as pressing days, alternating weekly between overhead pressing and horizontal pressing. Each session will feature a superset combining one weightlifting movement with a bodyweight gymnastic or plyometric exercise.
Conditioning will continue to develop our aerobic base while incorporating more variation in time domains and skills to build upon the previous cycle’s work. “Venti” will be our longer workout test for this cycle, consisting of a 20-minute AMRAP of burpees, dumbbell hang cleans, and step-overs. We will also test “Helen” and include a high-power workout with a shorter time domain.