🏋️‍♂️ Workouts 🏋️‍♀️

- Overview: This is the ninth and final week of our 9-week Build strength cycle. This is a back-off week to let the body recover a bit before transitioning to the new strength cycle beginning next week.

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

Week 4: Back-off with alternate lifts

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

Week 8: 5-rep max tests

Week 9: Back-off with alternate lifts

- You can choose to build in weight (between the prescribed percentages) over the working sets, or stay at the same weight across.

- The barbell should come from a rack.

- Your torso and legs must remain static throughout the rep, and heels must stay on the ground.

- Bar must be locked out over your centerline overhead and return back to tap the front of the shoulder or clavicle in the bottom of your reps.

- Fitness Attribute Improved: Absolute Strength

STRICT PRESS

- Sub Kettlebells or Dumbbells

- Push Press

- Push Jerk

- Strict Handstand Push-ups

0:30 Plank Shoulder Taps

0:30 Down Dog Stretch

5 Push-ups

0:30 Empty Barbell Elbow Rotations

0:30 Empty Barbell Overhead Hold

10 Empty Barbell Strict Press

5 Strict Press at a Light Weight

3 Strict Press at a Moderate Weight

Build to Starting Weight

- Overview: This descending rep couplet improves muscular endurance and aerobic power. The v-ups tax the midline and hip flexors, while the devil presses challenge the shoulders and lungs. As reps decrease, your pace can increase.

- Choose weights/reps for both movements that allow you to clear stations in no more than 3-3-2-2-1-1 minutes, respectively.

- Alternating Single-Leg V-ups: Start with both hands on the floor behind your head. Raise your torso/arms and one leg at the same time. Touch both hands to the foot that is raised, ensuring your toes are above head level. Alternate legs each rep.

⁃ Single-Arm Devil Press: Use a single dumbbell. With one hand on the dumbbell, burpee to the side of the dumbbell (chest must touch the ground), then stand up with the dumbbell and bring it overhead to a locked-out position. Alternate arms every rep.

- Intended Intensity: RPE 5-6

- Target Loading: Light-Moderate

- Fitness Attribute Improved: Muscular Endurance

- Target Score: 9-12 Minutes

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

- The beginning of this workout is muscular-endurance-heavy. You can knock out big sets for the best muscular endurance stimulus, or opt for smaller sets with quick breaks that allow you to move continuously for a faster overall time.

- Find a steady pace and rhythm on the devil press. Use your hips to generate momentum, keep the dumbbell close to your body, and lead with your elbow on the way up.

- Practice your devil press mechanics in your warm-up so you can move as efficiently as possible, avoiding any unnecessary movement. Practice a couple of methods to decide what works best for you. To stand up from your burpee, you can either jump both feet up at the same time or step one foot up after another. The closer you can get to your dumbbell, the better. If your feet are further away from your dumbbell, you're more likely to need to swing the dumbbell back between your legs (extra movement) before pulling it overhead.

- The goal is to be able to speed up your pace at the end of the workout as the reps decrease. Pace the beginning appropriately in order to achieve this.

SINGLE-LEG V-UPS

- Single-Leg Leg Raises

- Russian Twists

- Standard V-ups

- Hanging Oblique Raises

- Side Crunches

- Side Plank Hip Lifts

- Sit-ups

- Hollow Rocks

SINGLE-ARM DEVIL PRESS

- Reduce Reps/Loading

- Alternating Dumbbell Snatch

- Single Dumbbell Burpee Deadlift

- Single Dumbbell or Kettlebell Hang Clean & Jerks

- Kettlebell Swings

- Barbell Clean & Jerks, @weight(65/45)

- Burpee To Target

2:00 Easy Row/Bike/Run

10 Sit-ups

10 Push-ups

10 Dumbbell Deadlifts

5 V-ups

Practice devil press mechanics, building to workout weight

2 Rounds:

6 Alternating Single-Leg V-ups

4 Single-Arm Devil Press