🏋️‍♂️ Workouts 🏋️‍♀️

- Overview: This is the eighth and final week of our 8-week Stamina strength cycle, where we test our 10-rep maxes. 10-rep maxes tend to land between 70% and 80%. Take no more than 2 sets to establish your 10RM.

Weeks 1-3: Bench/Squats/Deadlifts that increase in reps and decrease in load

Week 4: Back-off with alternate lifts

Weeks 5-7: Bench/Squats/Deadlifts at higher percentages than weeks 1-3

Week 8: 10-rep max tests

- A true 10RM should feel like you have 0-1 reps left in the tank, while not losing proper form and technique. If you could have done 12+ reps, it was too light.

- Grip should be near shoulder width, varying 1 inch in or out as desired.

- The barbell must reach full lockout at the top and touch the chest at the bottom of your reps. Ensure you make it to full lockout on your final rep before re-racking.

- If you don't have a spotter, do not use collars on the bar for safety in case you miss a rep and need to dump the bar.

- Fitness Attribute Improved: Absolute Strength

- Warm up thoroughly. Your first working set should feel moderate, not challenging.

- Suggested Build: ~50% x 8, ~60% x 6, ~70% x 5, ~75% x 10 (first real attempt), then build from there.

- Keep rest periods 3-5 minutes between heavy attempts. You need full recovery to express true strength.

- Aim to have 5 points of contact at all times when benching: feet flat on the ground, hips/glutes on the bench, shoulders in contact with the bench, head firm and stable against the bench, and a full grip on the barbell.

BENCH PRESS

- Sub Dumbbells

- Floor Press

- Weighted Deficit Push-Ups

- Strict Press

5 Inchworm to Push-Up

10 Glute Bridges with Pause at Top

10 Push-Ups

10 Empty Barbell Bench Press

8 Bench Press at Light Weight

6 Bench Press at Moderate Weight

5 Bench Press at Moderate-Heavy Weight

Build to First Attempt

- Overview: This workout attacks your pushing muscles, creating interference with the upper-body pulling. The v-ups are meant to work your core, while giving your upper body a rest. Your muscles should be the limiting factor in this workout, not your lungs.

- The push-up buy-in should be completed in 4 minutes or less. Choose a barbell weight you can complete unbroken for all sets and a strict pull-up variation that can be completed in 2 sets for the rounds of 5's and 4's, and 1 set for the round of 3's.

- Push-ups: Keep a streamlined position, keeping your hips from sagging or piking. Bring your chest to the ground, and reach full extension of the elbows at the top.

- Pull-ups: These are strict pull-ups, so you should not be using your hips to drive your momentum upward. If you cannot complete a strict pull-up, use the lightest band needed to complete each set unbroken.

- V-ups: Hands touch the ground behind your head at the bottom of your rep. The torso and the legs leave the ground at the same time. Hands touch your feet at the same time at the top of your rep. Toes must be higher than the top of your head when this occurs.

- Intended Intensity: RPE 6-7

- Target Loading: Light-Moderate (45-55%)

- Fitness Attribute Improved: Muscular Endurance

- Target Score: 9-12 Minutes

* If time-capped, add 1s to your score for every incomplete rep.

- Today, you will be limited by your musculature. Never take a set to failure, always leaving 1-2 reps in the tank. A good rule of thumb is that if you have to pause between reps, you should just take a quick break.

- Push-ups: Break into quick sets that allow you to keep your cycle rate high. These are just a buy-in to pre-fatigue you. The workout is not won here, but can certainly be lost.

- Push Press: Focus on a strong drive of the legs and lockout of the elbows with the bar directly overhead.

- V-ups: Use these to bring your heart rate down between the upper body work, chipping away steadily.

- The descending ladder should get easier. If the first block buries you, you pushed too hard early.

PUSH-UPS

- Reduce Reps

- Box Push-Ups (Hands Elevated)

- 70 Plank Shoulder Taps

- Dumbbell Bench Press

- Dumbbell Floor Press

PUSH PRESS

- Reduce Loading/Reps

- Sub Dumbbells, @dumbbell(35/25)s

- Strict Press

- Push Jerk

- Kipping Handstand Push-ups

STRICT PULL-UPS

- Reduce Reps

- Banded Strict Pull-ups

- Kipping Pull-ups

- Jumping Pull-ups with Controlled Descent

- Ring Rows

- Dumbbell or Barbell Bent Over Rows

V-UPS

- Reduce Reps

- Alternating Single-Leg V-ups

- Tuck Crunches

- Sit-ups

- Hollow Rocks

2 Rounds:

10 Arm Circles (forward)

10 Arm Circles (backward)

10 Push-ups

5 Strict Pull-ups or Ring Rows

5 V-ups

5 Empty Barbell Strict Press

5 Empty Barbell Push Press

5 Push Press at Working Weight