🏋️‍♂️ Workouts 🏋️‍♀️

- Overview: This is the seventh 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.

- 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.

- 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: You should be able to move smoothly through this full-body, moderate-pace workout. The bike drives the heart rate up, the bench works pressing endurance, and the high box jumps challenge coordination under fatigue. Each movement is designed to take about 1:00 or less, and you should never be stopped in your tracks at any moment.

- Box Jumps: Choose a higher box than you normally use. Must reach full lockout/extension of the hips & knees at the top of the box. Step down off the top of the box - no rebounding.

- Intended Intensity: RPE 6-7

- Target Loading: Moderate

- Fitness Attribute Improved: Aerobic Power [Lactate Threshold]

- Target Score: 5-7 Rounds

- A smooth pace is key. Find a pace you can hold for 15 minutes from minute 1.

- Bike: Bike at the fastest pace that allows you to get off the bike and immediately rep out the bench press without hesitation. The bench and high box jumps are less cardiovascularly taxing than many other movements, so you may feel like you have more in the lungs to give to the bike.

- DB Bench Press: These should be completed unbroken each round. If you have to break, the weight is likely too heavy.

- Box Jumps: Approach these calmly and with consistency. The higher box requires more mental focus and coordination, so stay engaged. Make sure to use your arms for momentum.

15/12 CALORIE ECHO BIKE

- 1:30 Time Cap

- 18/15 Calorie Bike Erg

- 18/15 Calorie Row

- 15/12 Calorie Ski

- 200m Run

- 1:00 Effort on Treadmill/Runner

- 18 Shuttle Runs (1 rep = 10m)

DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS

- Reduce Loading/Reps

- Sub Barbell, @weight(95/65)

- Floor Press

- Hand-Release, Weighted, or Deficit Push-ups

- 18 Push-ups

BOX JUMPS

- Reduce Box Height

- Box Step-ups

- 18 Squat Jumps

- 18 Jumping Lunges

- Alternating Single-Leg Squats

- 18 Reverse Lunges

- Broad Jumps

2:00 Easy Bike

10 Push-ups

10 Box Step-ups

10 Light Dumbbell Bench Press

5 Box Jumps (Lower)

Build to Workout Weight

2 Rounds:

6/5 Calorie Bike

4 DB Bench Press

3 Box Jumps