🏋️‍♂️ Workouts 🏋️‍♀️

- Overview: This is the sixth week of our 9-week Max Effort strength cycle. After months of building volume and power, this cycle shifts the focus to intensity, with fewer total sets, heavier loads, and one max effort set. This will prepare your nervous system for the heavy singles coming in the next cycle.

Weeks 1-3: Compound lifts that increase in load & decrease in reps

Week 4: Back-off with alternate lifts

Weeks 5-7: Compound lifts at higher percentages than weeks 1-3

Week 8: 3-rep max tests

Week 9: Back-off with alternate lifts

- For the final max rep set, stop when bar speed slows significantly or form breaks. Don't grind the last rep. Leave one in the tank. Record your final set reps in the Workout Notes.

- 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

- 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

- Reduce Loading

- Sub Dumbbells

- Floor Press

- Weighted Deficit Push-Ups

- Strict Press

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: Today challenges the pressing muscles. Your limiting factor will be triceps, chest, and shoulder fatigue, then transitions to midline fatigue near the end of the workout.

- Ring Dips: At the top of the rep, elbows must be fully locked out while in the support position above the rings. In the bottom of the dip, shoulders must pass below the elbows.

- Dumbbell Bench Press: Both dumbbells must touch the chest at the bottom and lock out at the top. Choose a dumbbell weight you can use to complete the bench press in 1-2 sets per round.

- 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. The V-ups should ideally be completed unbroken each round.

- Intended Intensity: RPE 6-7

- Target Loading: Moderate

- Fitness Attribute Improved: Muscular Endurance

- Target Score: 10-14 Minutes

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

- The intent of this workout is to build muscular endurance, so it's okay to grind through some reps. However, we never want to take a set to near failure. The pressing fatigue will very quickly accumulate in this workout.

- Ring Dips: Aim for no more than 2 breaks in the beginning rounds. Lean slightly forward and keep the rings close to your torso throughout. Don’t let them drift wide. Use a strong kip with your legs to drive your momentum upwards.

- Dumbbell Bench Press: If you need to break, the quickest option will be sitting up and bringing the dumbbells to rest on your quads, rather than dropping the dumbbells to the ground and having to pick them up again.

- You should be able to keep the v-ups quick and snappy through at least the first half of the workout. As the pressing reps decrease near the end and you have less time between v-up sets, you'll feel some midline fatigue. Fight to keep moving at a quick pace, as the workout will be nearing the end.

RING DIPS

- Reduce Reps

- Banded

- Static Dips (on Box, Bar, Bench, etc.)

- Hand-Release Push-ups

- Overhead Dumbbell Tricep Extensions

- Skull Crushers

DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS

- Reduce Loading/Reps

- Sub Barbell, @weight(95/65)

- Floor Press

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

- 2x Push-ups

V-UPS

- Reduce Reps

- Alternating Single-Leg V-ups

- Tuck Crunches

- Sit-ups

- Hollow Rocks

2:00 Easy Bike/Row/Run

10 Single-Arm Banded Overhead Tricep Extensions (Each)

10 Push-ups

5 Ring Dip Negatives

10 Sit-ups

2 Rounds:

4 Ring Dips

4 Bench Press

4 V-ups