🏋️‍♂️ Workouts 🏋️‍♀️

- Overview: This is the fifth 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 are contrasting heavy push press with plyo push-ups to stimulate power development in the pressing muscles. Be explosive in your plyo push-ups. Moving with as much speed as you can is what stimulates the body to become more explosive.

- 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.

- Push Press: The barbell starts at the shoulders. Dip with the knees, drive through the legs, and press the barbell to full lockout overhead. Your elbows must be fully locked out with the bar directly over your midfoot at the top of each rep.

- Plyo Push-ups: Lower your chest to the ground in a controlled push-up. Explosively push off the floor, aiming to get your hands as high off the ground as possible. Land softly and immediately descend into the next rep.

- Fitness Attribute Improved: Explosive Power

PUSH PRESS

- Reduce Loading

- Dumbbell Push Press

- Strict Press

- Dumbbell Strict Press

- Push Jerk

- Strict Handstand Push-ups

PLYO PUSH-UPS

- Clapping Push-ups

- Regular Push-ups (Explosive)

- Box Push-Ups (Hands Elevated)

- Dumbbell Bench Press (Light, Explosive)

- Kneeling Medball Chest Passes

- Medball Throws

- Medball Slams

5 Push-ups

3 Plyo Push-ups

0:20 Empty Barbell Overhead Hold

0:20 Back Rack Elbow Rotations

5 Empty Barbell Strict Press

5 Empty Barbell Push Press

8 Push Press at Light Weight

5 Push Press at Moderate Weight

Build to Working Weight

- Overview: This workout is a heavy, muscular grind that will tax the shoulders, midline, and grip. Your limiting factor will likely be muscular fatigue rather than cardiovascular fatigue. Each giant set should take 1:15 to 1:45 to complete.

- Choose a dumbbell weight you can complete unbroken each round that still feels heavy. The snatches are from the hang position, so the dumbbell should not touch the ground between reps.

- V-ups: Should ideally be completed unbroken. 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 7-8

- Target Loading: Heavy

- Fitness Attribute Improved: Muscular Endurance

- Target Score: 10-14 Minutes

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

- Grind through the dumbbell work at a manageable pace where you can keep good form and not fail any reps. Then work through the v-ups as quickly and efficiently as you can before the rest period.

- This is a heavy dumbbell, so we want to use as much of our lower body as possible to help move it overhead.

- Hang Snatch: Cycle deliberately. Keep the dumbbell close to your body and drive aggressively with your hips. The stronger your hip pop, the less your arm and shoulder have to work.

- Push Press: Make sure you use your legs to drive the dumbbell overhead, rather than solely muscling it up with your arm. Keep a vertical dip, aggressive leg drive, and braced core.

SINGLE DB HANG SNATCH

- Reduce Loading/Reps

- Double Dumbbell Hang Snatch

- 8 Barbell Hang Snatch, @weight(95/65)

- Single Dumbbell Hang Clean & Jerks

- Plate Hang to Overhead

- Sub Kettlebell

SINGLE DB PUSH PRESS

- Reduce Loading/Reps

- Double Dumbbell Push Press

- 12 Barbell Push Press, @weight(95/65)

- Dumbbell Strict Press

- Kipping Handstand Push-ups

V-UPS

- Reduce Reps

- Alternating Single-Leg V-ups

- Tuck Crunches

- Sit-ups

- Hollow Rocks

2:00 Easy Bike or Row

50m Single DB Overhead Walk (L)

50m Single DB Overhead Walk (R)

10 Sit-ups

2 Rounds:

2 Single Dumbbell Hang Snatch (L)

2 Single Dumbbell Hang Snatch (R)

3 Single Dumbbell Push Press (L)

3 Single Dumbbell Push Press (R)

5 V-ups