🏋️‍♂️ Workouts 🏋️‍♀️

- Overview: This is the second week of our 8-week Power strength cycle. This cycle improves absolute strength & explosive power through contrast training, in which a heavy lift is paired with an explosive movement.

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

Week 4: Back-off with alternate lifts

Weeks 5-7: Push Press/Squats/Power Cleans that increase in load & decrease in reps

Week 8: Explosive power tests

- Today, we're contrasting heavy bench press with light medball chest passes to stimulate power development. BE EXPLOSIVE in your medball throws. Moving with as much speed as you can is what stimulates the body to become more explosive.

- Aim to increase in weight from last week. You can choose to build in weight (between the recommended percentages) over your working sets, or stay at the same weight across. You should be able to move smoothly through all reps with minimal pausing or grinding through the last few reps.

- 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 Attributes Improved: Absolute Strength & Explosive Power

- 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.

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

- Better training and strength adaptations will come from controlled reps.

BENCH PRESS

- Sub Dumbbells

- Floor Press

- Weighted Deficit Push-Ups

- Strict Press

MEDBALL CHEST PASS

- Standing, Kneeling, or Lying

- Plyo Push-ups

- Dumbbell Bench Press (Very Light)

5 Inchworm to Push-up

10 Push-ups

10 Empty Barbell Bench Press

5 Plyo Push-ups

8 Bench Press at Light Weight

5 Bench Press at Moderate Weight

Build to Starting Weight

- Overview: This balanced workout keeps you moving through three complementary movements that challenge different systems. The toes to bar tax your midline and grip, the heavy snatches test pulling off the ground, and the push-ups keep your upper body fatigued.

- Choose weights/reps/variations that allow you to complete the toes to bar and push-ups within 2 sets each.

- Alternating Dumbbell Snatches: Use a single dumbbell and alternate arms every rep. These are from the floor, and both heads of the dumbbell must touch the ground between reps. These are heavier than normal and intended to slow your pace down. You should be able to complete steady singles.

- 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.

- Intended Intensity: RPE 6-7

- Target Loading: Moderate-Heavy

- Fitness Attribute Improved: Muscular Endurance

- Target Score: 5-8 Rounds

- This should be a steady, 12-minute effort. The overall approach should be to just keep moving, steadily chipping away at the work. Your overall pace shouldn't vary too much from beginning to end.

- Toes to Bar: You may go unbroken in the early rounds, but one quick break (8-4 or 9-3 reps) is smart in the later rounds. Break these before you start to really feel it in your grip. Keep a small, tight kip, using the power from your hip snap to bring your toes to the bar. Aim to push down on the bar to engage the lats.

- DB Snatches: Single reps (switching arms when the dumbbell is resting on the ground) will be the best strategy for most due to the heavy dumbbell. Good, efficient mechanics will be especially important. Keep the dumbbell close to your body, traveling in a straight path with your elbow leading the way. Generate power from your hips and legs. Dip under the dumbbell in the catch so you don't have to pull the dumbbell as high overhead.

- Push-ups: Always break before you reach a slow, grindy rep. We want to stay ahead of the upper body fatigue as much as we can.

TOES TO BAR

- Reduce Reps

- V-ups

- Toes To As High As Possible

- Knees To Chest

- Hanging Knee Raises

- GHD Sit-ups

- Sit-ups

DUMBBELL SNATCH

- Reduce Loading/Reps

- Dumbbell Hang Power Snatches

- Plate Ground to Overhead

- Kettlebell Swings at Same Weight

- Barbell Power Snatches, @weight(75/55)

PUSH-UPS

- Reduce Reps

- Box Push-ups (Hands Elevated)

- 24 Plank Shoulder Taps

- Dumbbell Bench Press

- Dumbbell Floor Press

10/leg Single-Leg RDLs

5 Unweighted Good Morning Jumps

10 Dumbbell Good Mornings

Build to DB Snatch Weight

2 Rounds:

4 Toes to Bar

4 DB Snatches

4 Push-ups