Post-Workout Carbs — Should You Refuel Right Away?

Delaying carbs after exercise doesn't improve the body's adaptive response—but it does make your next workout feel harder and shorter.

Why Glycogen Matters

Glycogen is how your body stores carbohydrates in muscles and the liver. After a tough workout—especially one involving high-intensity intervals—your glycogen stores are depleted. Refilling those stores is critical for:

• Energy for your next session

• Supporting performance

• Maintaining training consistency

What the Study Looked At

This 2024 study explored whether delaying carbohydrate intake by 3 hours after high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) would:

• Improve molecular signals that drive long-term training adaptations (e.g., mitochondrial biogenesis)

• Affect muscle glycogen resynthesis

• Influence next-day exercise capacity

The Setup

Nine recreationally active males completed two trials:

• Immediate Carbs (IC): Consumed 2.4g/kg of carbohydrate immediately post-exercise.

• Delayed Carbs (DC): Waited 3 hours before consuming the same carbs.

Both groups consumed a standardized high-carb diet for the rest of the day. Researchers measured:

• Muscle glycogen at 0, 3, 8, and 24 hours

• Key gene and protein activity

• Performance in a repeat HIIE test 24 hours later

What They Found

Muscle Glycogen Resynthesis

• Glycogen levels were depleted ~36% post-HIIE in both groups.

• Glycogen refilled progressively and fully recovered by 24 hours in both groups.

• No significant differences in glycogen levels at any time point.

• Suggests that as long as you get enough carbs later, delaying intake for a few hours won’t hurt glycogen restoration.

Next-Day Performance

• Athletes who delayed carbs performed ~30% worse in a repeat HIIE session the next day.

• They also reported significantly higher perceived effort (RPE) during that workout.

Cell Signaling & Adaptation

• No significant differences in gene expression (PGC-1α, PDK4, etc.) or protein signaling (p38 MAPK, AMPK) between groups.

• Delaying carbs did not enhance exercise-induced molecular responses.

What This Means for You

If you train once per day:

• Delaying carbs by a couple of hours won’t harm glycogen replenishment, as long as total daily intake is sufficient.

• But don’t expect any boost in adaptation or fitness gains from waiting.

If you train multiple times/day or again within 24 hours:

• Refuel ASAP. Delaying carbs will likely reduce performance in your next session and make it feel harder.

• This matters for:

  • Competitive athletes

  • High-volume functional fitness athletes, endurance athletes, or lifting programs

  • Weekend warriors doing two-a-days

Practical Tips

• Within 30 minutes post-exercise: Aim for 1.0–1.2g/kg of high-GI carbs + some protein (e.g., chocolate milk, rice + eggs, smoothie).

• Total daily carbs: Can vary from 2g/kg up to 10g/kg depending on training volume, intensity for form of exercise (resistance training vs long-endurance training as an example).

• Don’t delay carbs if performance tomorrow matters.

Bottom Line:
Unless you're testing advanced periodization strategies, don't delay post-workout carbs. The potential gains in adaptation are unclear—but the loss in next-day performance is very real.

References

Díaz-Lara J, Reisman E, Botella J, Probert B, Burke LM, Bishop DJ, Lee MJ. Delaying post-exercise carbohydrate intake impairs next-day exercise capacity but not muscle glycogen or molecular responses. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2024 Oct;240(10):e14215. doi: 10.1111/apha.14215. Epub 2024 Sep 12. PMID: 39263899.

Understanding Exercise-Induced Fatigue: Central and Peripheral Mechanisms

Fatigue during exercise is a complex phenomenon that results in a temporary and reversible decline in performance. This decline can be attributed to various mechanisms within the central nervous system (CNS) and the muscles themselves. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for athletes, coaches, and fitness enthusiasts aiming to optimize performance and recovery.​

Central Nervous System (CNS) Fatigue

CNS fatigue refers to a reduction in the neural drive or motor command from the brain to the muscles. It encompasses several mechanisms:​

1. Reductions in Coordination

Fatigue can impair the CNS's ability to coordinate movements, leading to decreased efficiency and disrupted movement patterns.​

2. Reductions in Central Motor Command Generation

Known as supraspinal fatigue, this involves a decreased ability of the motor cortex to generate commands, limiting the recruitment of high-threshold motor units essential for powerful muscle contractions.​

3. Reductions in Central Motor Command Transmission

Over time, the transmission of motor commands down the spinal cord becomes less effective, further reducing the activation of high-threshold motor units.​

These central mechanisms can be influenced by factors such as neurotransmitter levels, motivation, and perceived effort.​

Peripheral Fatigue Mechanisms

Peripheral fatigue originates within the muscles and involves several biochemical and physiological changes:​

1. Reductions in Cell Membrane Excitability

Fatigue can diminish the muscle cell membrane's ability to transmit action potentials, affecting muscle activation.​

2. Excitation-Contraction Coupling Failure (ECCF)

This occurs when the process that links muscle excitation to contraction is disrupted, often due to calcium ion accumulation and subsequent protease activation.​

3. Loss of Calcium Ion Sensitivity

Excessive calcium in the cytoplasm can desensitize actin filaments, reducing their responsiveness and impairing muscle contraction.​

4. Phosphate Accumulation

An increase in phosphate levels within muscle cells can interfere with ATP utilization, hindering energy production and muscle performance.​

5. Acidosis

The buildup of hydrogen ions (leading to acidosis) can slow down the detachment of myosin from actin during muscle contractions, reducing contraction speed without significantly affecting force.​

Conclusion

Fatigue during exercise is a multifaceted phenomenon involving both central and peripheral mechanisms. Central fatigue pertains to the brain and spinal cord's ability to generate and transmit motor commands, while peripheral fatigue involves changes within the muscles themselves. Recognizing and understanding these mechanisms can aid in developing training and recovery strategies to mitigate fatigue and enhance performance.​

References:

• Davis JM, Bailey SP. Possible mechanisms of central nervous system fatigue during exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1997 Jan;29(1):45-57. PMID: 9000155

• Taylor JL, Gandevia SC. A measure of central nervous system fatigue. Clin Neurophysiol. 1993 Apr;89(2):106-17. PMID: 8467889

• Allen DG, Lamb GD, Westerblad H. Skeletal muscle fatigue: cellular mechanisms. Physiol Rev. 2008 Jan;88(1):287-332. PMID: 18195089

• Fitts RH. The cross-bridge cycle and skeletal muscle fatigue. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2008 Jan;104(1):551-8. PMID: 18006863

PAWS for a Cause — 3-Person Team Workout Reveal

Get ready to sweat for a cause. This year’s PAWS event, on Saturday, May 10th, is a 3-person team challenge that blends strength, strategy, and synchronized suffering. Whether you’re here for the pups or the PRs, here’s what your team needs to know:

Part A1 – Ground-to-Overhead Total Load

For Time: Teams must accumulate a total load lifted via ground-to-overhead (any method—clean & jerk, snatch, etc.)

•  Choose your own weight (must remain consistent for each individual)
•  Only one athlete works at a time
•  Two barbells allowed

Load Targets by Team Composition:

•  All Male Team: 12,000 lbs
•  2 Males / 1 Female: 11,000 lbs
•  2 Females / 1 Male: 10,000 lbs
•  All Female Team: 9,000 lbs

Score: Time to complete total required load

Part A2 – Chipper Challenge

3 Rounds For Time

60 Wall Balls
45 Toes-to-Bar
30 Box Jumps
15 Synchronized Burpees

Strategy:
•  Divide reps however you want
•  Each athlete must complete at least 1 rep of wall balls, toes-to-bar, and box jumps in each round
•  Synchronized = all 3 athletes hit the floor and jump together for each burpee

Score: Time to complete all 3 rounds

Part A3 – Cardio Calorie Gauntlet

3 Rounds for Time & Calories:

Partner A: 250m Row

At the same time...
Partner B: Max Cal Echo Bike
Partner C: Max Cal Ski

•  Rotate stations each round. Every athlete completes each station 3 times.
•  Partners B & C earn max calories while Partner A rows

Score:
•  Time to complete all 3 rounds
•  Total calories earned from Echo + Ski

Final Score

Total Time (A1 + A2 + A3) + Total Calories (from A3)

Bring the energy, bring the community, and help us raise money for PAWS Chicago while pushing limits and lifting for something bigger than ourselves.

Corollary Discharge, Central Fatigue & How It Impacts Your Workouts

Understanding Movement: How Your Brain Predicts Your Every Move

Have you ever wondered why you can't tickle yourself or why the world doesn't spin every time you move your eyes? It turns out your brain is constantly predicting your movements, and it does this through something called corollary discharge. Let's dive into what this fascinating theory means for you, your training, and your everyday life.

What Exactly is Corollary Discharge?

Corollary discharge is essentially your brain's way of saying, "Heads up! Movement incoming!" Every time you make a movement—whether you're lifting a barbell, running, or just blinking—your brain sends out two signals:

1. Motor command: Tells your muscles exactly what to do.

2. Corollary discharge (or efference copy): A special internal message sent to your sensory system to predict the upcoming movement.

This internal prediction helps your brain distinguish between sensations that you create (like the touch of your own hand) and sensations from the outside world (like someone else tickling you).

Everyday Examples You Didn't Realize

• Why you can't tickle yourself: Your brain anticipates your own touch through corollary discharge signals, making the tickle sensation dull. But when someone else does it, it's unexpected, and you laugh. Teehehe.

• Stable vision: Every time your eyes move, the scene in front of you shifts on your retina. Your brain uses corollary discharge to predict this shift, keeping your vision smooth and stable.

• Your voice sounds different in recordings: When you speak, your brain predicts and slightly dampens the loudness of your own voice. Without corollary discharge (like when listening to a recording), your voice sounds louder or different to you.

How Corollary Discharge Affects Your Training

Understanding corollary discharge can help you get more out of your workouts in a few practical ways:

• Perception of effort: Ever notice some days feel tougher than others? The intensity of your brain's corollary discharge signals helps determine how hard a workout feels. Improving mental strategies—like positive self-talk or visualization—can actually influence these signals, making your workouts feel easier and more manageable.

• Coordination and balance: Your body anticipates movements, adjusting posture and coordination before you even begin. Training consistently improves your brain’s predictions, resulting in smoother, more precise movements. That’s why exercises like Olympic lifting or gymnastics become easier and more graceful with practice.

• Skill learning: Your brain uses corollary discharge signals to compare what you intended to do with what actually happened. Errors between these predictions and reality help you refine your technique. This is exactly why practice makes perfect!

Fatigue: It's Not Just Your Muscles!

When you're tired during a workout, it's not just your muscles; your brain also feels fatigue. Higher effort requires stronger signals from your brain, making you feel mentally exhausted and affecting your performance. Techniques to manage mental fatigue (like mindfulness, good sleep, or even motivational music) can make a significant difference in your training outcomes.

Putting it into Practice at Coalition Strength & Conditioning

Here are some quick tips based on corollary discharge theory that you can start applying today:

• Visualize your workouts: Mentally rehearsing movements can help your brain improve its predictions, making actual execution easier and smoother.

• Listen to your body: Recognize when your effort feels unusually high—this might indicate your central nervous system needs recovery, not just your muscles.

• Practice new skills often: Regular practice helps your brain refine its predictions, making movements more efficient and automatic.

Wrapping Up

Corollary discharge isn't just fascinating neuroscience—it's something you experience every moment you're awake. Understanding this theory can enhance your workouts, make your movements smoother, and deepen your awareness of how your mind and body work together.

Keep training smart, and remember: your brain is always one step ahead!

References

von Holst, E., & Mittelstaedt, H. (1950). Das Reafferenzprinzip. Naturwissenschaften, 37(20), 464–476. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00622503

Sperry, R. W. (1950). Neural basis of the spontaneous optokinetic response produced by visual inversion. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 43(6), 482–489. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0055479

Poulet, J. F., & Hedwig, B. (2007). New insights into corollary discharges mediated by identified neural pathways. Trends in Neurosciences, 30(1), 14–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2006.11.005

Blakemore, S. J., Wolpert, D. M., & Frith, C. D. (2000). Why can't you tickle yourself?. Neuroreport, 11(11), R11–R16. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001756-200008030-00002

Marcora, S. M. (2008). Do we really need a central governor to explain brain regulation of exercise performance? European Journal of Applied Physiology, 104(5), 929–931. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0818-3

Wolpert, D. M., Ghahramani, Z., & Jordan, M. I. (1995). An internal model for sensorimotor integration. Science, 269(5232), 1880–1882. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.7569931

Impact of Kiwifruit on Sleep and Recovery in Elite Athletes – Video Script

Have you ever heard that eating kiwifruit before bed could help you sleep better?

Sounds weird, right?

But a new study with elite athletes suggests it might actually be true. Let’s talk about what they found and what it means for your sleep.

Background

Why study kiwis and sleep? We know that poor sleep is a big problem for athletes, and pretty much everyone else – it can hurt their training, make injuries more likely, and ruin performance​. Whether dealing with elite athletes or general population clients trying to keep up. many often struggle to get quality sleep thanks to daily stressors, training, kids, family, etc.

Kiwifruit caught researchers’ attention because it’s a simple whole food that packs some sleep-friendly nutrients. In fact, kiwis naturally contain melatonin and its precursor - serotonin, both of which are linked to our circadian rhythm. They’re also rich in antioxidants which could help the body recover and unwind. Interestingly, earlier studies hinted that eating kiwis could improve sleep duration and quality in people with sleep troubles​ (PMID: 21669584).

So the question was: could kiwifruit help elite athletes sleep better and recover faster?

What the Researchers Did

The study was pretty straightforward. Researchers recruited 15 elite athletes (national-level sailors and middle-distance runners) to participate​. The experiment lasted 5 weeks in total. First came a one-week baseline period to observe the athletes’ normal sleep and recovery patterns. Then, for the next 4 weeks, each athlete ate two kiwifruit about one hour before bedtime every night. That’s it – no other changes to their routine. During this time, the athletes kept daily sleep diaries and, both before and after the kiwi month, they filled out questionnaires about their sleep quality and how recovered or stressed they felt. This let the researchers compare “before vs. after” and see if the nightly kiwi habit made a difference.

What They Found

The results were pretty exciting. After four weeks of the kiwi bedtime snack, the athletes showed notable improvements compared to baseline:

• Better sleep quality: The athletes rated their sleep quality higher after the kiwi intervention than before​. In other words, their overall sleep satisfaction improved. (This was measured by a standard sleep quality index.)

• Longer, sounder sleep: They also slept longer overall and woke up less often during the night, meaning their sleep was more uninterrupted​. In fact, total sleep time went up and they spent more of the night actually sleeping, increasing sleep efficiency. They weren’t tossing and turning as much.

• Improved recovery: The athletes even felt less stress. The study noted reductions in both general stress and sports-specific stress levels, indicating a better recovery-stress balance. Essentially, after a month of kiwis, the athletes’ bodies seemed to be recovering better from training – they were less frazzled and more refreshed.

All this from simply adding two kiwis before bed each night. No fancy pills, no special equipment – just a couple of pieces of fruit.

What It Means

So, what’s the big takeaway here? In plain language: a simple fruit snack at night made a real difference for these athletes’ sleep and recovery. This suggests that focusing on nutrition can be a natural way to improve sleep quality, not just for elite athletes but potentially for anyone struggling with sleep. If better sleep leads to better recovery and performance for athletes, imagine what it could do for the rest of us in our day-to-day lives. It’s a great example of a “food-first” solution – using whole foods instead of supplements – to tackle a common issue like poor sleep.

Why might kiwis help? Kiwifruit isn’t just tasty; it’s like a mini sleep cocktail in a natural package. As mentioned, kiwis have a notable amount of melatonin, which is the hormone that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle (your internal body clock) and tells your body it’s time to wind down​. They also contain antioxidants (like vitamins C & E) that help reduce oxidative stress in your body, which might improve sleep and recovery. Some experts point out kiwis have serotonin and folate too, which could play supportive roles in sleep health. In short, a kiwi brings a lot of sleep-friendly nutrients to the table.

One cool implication: unlike using a supplement, you’re also getting vitamins, fiber, and other health benefits.

A few caveats: Remember that this was a relatively small study (just 15 athletes). It was also done during a pandemic lockdown, so the researchers had to rely on self-reported sleep diaries and questionnaires – they didn’t use high-tech sleep trackers or lab sleep studies in this trial. The study’s authors acknowledge these limitations and recommend doing further research with more athletes, and using objective sleep measurements, in a controlled trial setting​. In other words, we need bigger studies to confirm just how effective kiwifruit is for improving sleep, and to make sure the results apply to different groups of people.

That said, the findings are promising and add to the slowly growing evidence supporting kiwis as a potential sleep aid. Kiwis are inexpensive, easy to find, and generally safe to eat. For most, there’s basically no downside to giving this a try. If you’re an athlete looking for an edge, or just someone who wants to sleep better, it might be worth conducting your own little experiment: try eating two kiwis about an hour before bed for a few weeks and see if you notice a difference.. Worst case, you’ve added some extra fruit to your diet; best case, you might sleep more soundly and wake up feeling a bit more refreshed.

Doherty R, Madigan S, Nevill A, Warrington G, Ellis JG. The Impact of Kiwifruit Consumption on the Sleep and Recovery of Elite Athletes. Nutrients. 2023 May 11;15(10):2274. doi: 10.3390/nu15102274. PMID: 37242157; PMCID: PMC10220871.

Lin HH, Tsai PS, Fang SC, Liu JF. Effect of kiwifruit consumption on sleep quality in adults with sleep problems. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2011;20(2):169-74. PMID: 21669584.

Collins AR, Harrington V, Drew J, Melvin R. Nutritional modulation of DNA repair in a human intervention study. Carcinogenesis. 2003 Mar;24(3):511-5. doi: 10.1093/carcin/24.3.511. PMID: 12663512.

Morin CM, Benca R. Chronic insomnia. Lancet. 2012 Mar 24;379(9821):1129-41. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60750-2. Epub 2012 Jan 20. Erratum in: Lancet. 2012 Apr 21;379(9825):1488. PMID: 22265700.

13-Week Super Total & 5k Macrocycle Overview

13-Week Super Total & 5K Macrocycle Overview

Context & Purpose

• The Open preseason and season emphasize metabolic efficiency, work capacity, and skill/strength adaptation under fatigue.

• To better manage fatigue and prepare for the Super Total & 5K cycle, we introduced a three-week technical primer on Oly lifts and a 6-week hypertrophy cycle for the power lifts.

• This early technical and building focus allowed us to refine movement quality and build capacity so we can start the cycle with better preparedness.

Progressive & Integrated Approach

• Rather than rebuilding all components (base strength, hypertrophy, technique, movement quality, and running) post-Open, we spread them out over a longer timeline.

• This balanced approach ensures better load management and increases the likelihood for sustainable progress.

• Current cycle standing:

• Performance Athletes: Entering Week 4 of 16

• Fitness Athletes: Entering Week 6 of 18

Athlete-Specific Preparations

• Performance Athletes:

• Completing the first 4-week technical block, testing snatch and clean & jerk triples.

• Fitness Athletes:

• Completing a 6-week hypertrophy cycle, culminating in:

• Heavy deadlift singles this week

• Back squat 5RM attempt next week

Cycle Goals & Outcomes

1. Increase base strength & hypertrophy

2. Refine technical capacity of core lifts

3. Improve movement quality with more unilateral work & tempo work

4. Peak core lifts for the Super Total

5. Build running capacity up to a 5K

 Performance Strength

• Oly

• Split jerk

• Focus | Find those feet and vertical bar path  

• Macro 2 (55-75% 1RM)

• Jerk balance + split jerk  

• Macro 3 (70-85% 1RM)

• BTN jerk + split jerk  

• Macro 4 (75-90% 1RM)

• Push press + jerk or as a clean & jerk complex

• 8-week Push Press progression coinciding with Macro 2 & 3

• Each cycle concludes with heavy triples, doubles or singles

• Snatch

• Focus | Bar path and overhead stability     

• Macro 1 (65-75% 1RM)

• Segment power snatch + snatch balance

• Macro 2 (70-85% 1RM)

• Snatch high pull + floating snatch + OHS

• Macro 3 (75-90% 1RM)

• Snatch pull + snatch + snatch balance   

• Macro 4 | Heavy singles or EMOMs

• Each cycle concludes with heavy triples, doubles, or singles

• Clean     

• Focus | Bar-path, first pull, and turnover

• Macro 1 (70-80% 1RM)

• Segment power clean triples

• Macro 2 (70-85% 1RM)

• Clean pull + hang power clean + hang clean

• Macro 3 (75-90% 1RM)

• Segment power clean + clean

• Macro 4 (75-90% 1RM)

• Clean + front squat + jerk complex mixed with clean & jerk EMOM

• Each cycle concludes with heavy triples, doubles, or singles

Fitness Strength

• Deadlift

• Macro 1 (65-80% 1 RM)

• TNG deadlifts with moderate volume, moderate intensity for hypertrophy stimulus and to repeat movement mechanics.

• Macro 2

• Deficit deadlifts mixed with heavy singles for technique

• Macro 3

• Clusters

• Bench press

• Macro 1

• Pause bench press and moderate volume DB bench

• Macro 2

• Bench press building intensity

• Week 1 – 4x4

• Week 2 – 4x3

• Week 3 – 4x2

• Week 4 – Build to a heavy single

• DB bench press increases intensity

• Macro 3 (75-85% 1RM)

• Heavy pause bench press

• 3-5x5 DB bench press

• Macro 4 (>85% 1RM)

• Clusters

Back squat

• Performance

• Macro 1

• BB back rack split squats

• Moderate volume & load

• Macro 2 (70%+ 1RM)

• Pause back squats

• Macro 3 (75-85% 1RM)

• Back squat 5s, building to 5RM

• Macro 4 (75-90% 1RM)

• Back squat doubles and triples

• Fitness

• Macro 1

• Volume build to 5RM

• Macro 2

• Mix of heavy triples and heavy pause triples

• Macro 3

• Back squat clusters

• For athletes looking to pump up back squat numbers, the program is set up for you to back squat 2x/week if desired. Volume and intensity are balanced over the week between the two tracks so you won’t get obliterated under too much volume-load.

Conditioning

• Running is back… huzzah! 🎉

• We will gradually build capacity to avoid overloading tissues during the buildup.

• Initial focus: 1x/week runs, progressing to 1-2 miles using various interval formats.

• In the last six weeks, most weeks will include a run-only Metcon based on the popular Norwegian 4x4 model (4-minute hard efforts with 3-minute recovery).

• Running will also be integrated into shorter Metcons to increase total running volume leading up to the 5K peak effort.

Research Review: The Role of Patient-Identified Inciting Events in Clinical Presentation of Lumbar Disk Herniation

This research paper examines the role of patient-identified inciting events in the clinical presentation of lumbar disk herniation. The study aimed to investigate the frequency of patient-identified inciting events and their association with the severity of the clinical presentation.

Think of an inciting event as the moment you feel your back “go out”. This may or may not be followed up with mobility limitations, decrements in strength, radiating pain, and loss or limitations to normal daily functions.

• The majority (62%) of lumbar disk herniation cases did not have a specific patient-identified inciting event associated with the onset of symptoms.

• Of the 38% of cases where an inciting event was reported, non-lifting physical activities such as simple movements, activities of daily living, and sports activities were the most common, accounting for over one-quarter of all cases. Heavy lifting (6.5%), light lifting (2%), non-exertional occurrences (2%) and physical trauma (1.3%) accounted for relatively small proportions.

• The presence of an inciting event was not significantly associated with greater disability, leg pain, or back pain. In fact, when adjusting for potential confounding factors, spontaneous lumbar disk herniation (without an inciting event) was significantly associated with higher disability scores, though the magnitude of this effect was small and likely not clinically meaningful.

• There was no significant association between the occurrence of a lifting-related inciting event and the severity of the clinical presentation, even after adjusting for covariates.

Research Conclusion

The authors conclude that the majority of lumbar disk herniations occur without specific inciting events, and the presence of an inciting event does not appear to be associated with increased symptom severity. These findings challenge the notion that vigilant avoidance of activities is necessary to prevent disk herniation, and may be useful in counseling patients with radicular symptoms due to disk herniation.

There is a general narrative that resistance training can cause disk herniations, and the reality is, it can. This study highlights the fact that over 91% of lumbar disk herniations, at least in this population, were related to something other than lifting weights. Resistance training increases capacity and the ability for the body to handle more physical demands, making activities of daily life, more manageable.

In fact, this meta-analysis of eight articles found that 12-16 weeks of posterior chain resistance training had a significantly greater effect than general exercise on pain, level of disability, and muscular strength. This randomized controlled trial found that resistance training, with or without core training, reduced levels of lower back pain, functional disability, stress and creatine kinase (inflammatory marker) levels, and increased the strength the trunk flexors and extensors.

A cool next step for this study would be to explore these findings in different populations: trained vs untrained, body composition and socioeconomic status differences, occupational influences, as well as the role of cumulative stress (work, family, exercise, health status, etc.)

12-Week Holiday Cycle

What you’ll see:

• Testing Measures

  • 1RM snatch

  • 1RM clean

  • 1RM split jerk/jerk

  • 5RM & 3RM Back squat

  • 1RM Deadlift

  • 1RM Bench press

• 3, 4-week blocks for both Fitness & Performance Strength

  • 3 step linear progression with testing week every four weeks

  • Will build to 1RM attempts in Week 11 (Squatting) and Week 12 for Oly, deadlifts, and bench.

• Oly

  • Split jerks and cleans will be worked on in isolation, attempting to increase more dedicated practice for each.

  • OHS & Front squat pick’em | Allows for athletes to strengthen the catch position of the snatch if this is a goal for them.

    • If you struggle on the catch in the snatch, pick OHS

    • If you struggle getting out of the hole on the clean, pick front squats.

  • Block 1 | Lighter technical focus for snatch & jerks to work on rate of force development, consistent footwork & turnover. Leg drive with pause 1” power clean triples.

  • Block 2 | Integrating OHS into snatch complex and turnover on power cleans/cleans. Push press + spit jerk block aimed at increasing split jerk speed under fatigue.

  • Block 3 | Leg drive and turnover with heavier complexes. Moderately heavy split jerk doubles.

• Squatting

  • Back squats

    • Performance | 5RM at Week 4

      • Building to 3RM back squat over 12 weeks. This allows us to work on building maximal strength while peaking our Oly lifts prior to the Open.

    • Fitness | Box squats

      • Build volume for hypertrophy with range of motion and rate of force development tactile cue.

      • Really good technical lift for lifters of all experience-levels.

    • Fitness | 5RM in Week 8.

      • Good opportunity to combine Performance & Fitness tracks to work on building strength & size for eight (8) consecutive weeks if desired.

    • Fitness | Back squats

      • Progressive wave-loading in Blocks 2 & 3.

        • Research still seems to favor using straight sets but practical experience does show a potentiation effect for for this loading pattern.

• Deadlifts

  • Block 1 | Tempo deadlifts to build capacity and hypertrophy stimulus

  • Block 2 | Pause deadlifts for positional reinforcement and leg drive

  • Block 3 | Heavy and consistent doubles

• Bench press

  • Block 1 | Pause bench for technical capacity and arm drive.

  • Blocks 2 & 3 | Progressive wave-loading similar to squatting.

• Gymnastics

  • 3-Week handstand walk progression Weeks 5-7

  • 2, 3-week cycles focused on increasing kipping/bar work

    • Goal | Increase work capacity with descending EMOMs

      • TTB or pull-up cycling

        • Goal is to increase technical capacity, whether that means starting to string reps or long kips together.

      • Bar or ring muscle up

        • Goal is 30 or more in five minute EMOM format by the end of this cycle

Performance

Oly

Snatch

Weeks 1-3 | Muscle Snatch + dip snatch

Weeks 4 | Build to a heavy snatch triple

Weeks 5-7 | Power snatch + hang snatch + OHS

1+1+3, 1+1+2, 1+1+1

Weeks 8 | Build to a heavy snatch double

Weeks 9-11 | 1" Pause power snatch + hang snatch

Weeks 12 | Build to a heavy snatch single

Weeks 13-15 | Open preseason

Clean

Weeks 1-3 | Pause 1" power clean triples

Weeks 4 | Build to a heavy clean triples

Weeks 5-7 | 3-point power clean/clean, floor to mid-hang

Weeks 8 | Build to heavy clean doubles

Weeks 9-11 | Power clean + hang clean

Weeks 12 | 1RM clean

Weeks 13-15 | Open Preseason

Jerk

Technical over strength

Weeks 1-3 | Tall jerk 4 sets of 5, 4, 3

Weeks 4 | Build to a split jerk triple at 75-80%

Weeks 5-7 | Push press + split jerk | 3x (1+1)

Weeks 8 | Build to heavy split jerk double @ 80-85%

Weeks 9-11 | Split jerk singles | 5x1 at 75-85%

Weeks 12 | Build to a heavy split jerk single at 85-90%

Weeks 13-15 | off, Open Preseason

Squatting

Back squat

Weeks 1-4 | 3x5, 4x5, 5x5, Find 5RM

Weeks 5-7 | Pause back squat triples

Weeks 8-10 | 6-4-2-6-4-2 waves

Weeks 11 | Test 1RM

Weeks 12 | Peak Oly

Weeks 13-15 | Open Preseason

Front squat/OHS pick'em

Weeks 1-3 | 3-5x3 Pause front squats/OHS

Weeks 4-7 | Heavy doubles/triples FSQ/OHS

Weeks 8-10 | FSQ Clusters 3x1+1+1

Weeks 11 | Test 1RM

Weeks 12 | Peak Oly

Weeks 13-15 | Open Preseason

Fitness Strength

Back squat

Weeks 1-3 | Box squat (~12") | Volume

Weeks 4-7 | 3x5, 4x5, 5x5, Find 5RM

Weeks 8-10 | Pause back squat triples

Weeks 11 | Test 3RM

Weeks 12 | Off

Weeks 13-15 | Open Preseason

Deadlift

Weeks 1-3 | TNG Tempo deadlifts

Weeks 4 | Build to a heavy triple

Weeks 5-7 | Pause or deficit deadlifts

Weeks 8 | Build to a heavy double

Weeks 9-11 | 3-5x2 reps

Week 12 | 1RM

Weeks 13-15 | Accessory hinge

Bench press

Week 1-3 | Pause bench press

Week 4 | Build to a heavy triple

Week 5-7 | 6-4-2-6-4-2

Week 8 | Build to a heavy double

Week 9-11 | 5-3-1-5-3-1, 3-2-1-3-2-1, 5x1

Week 12 | 1RM

Weeks 13-15 | DB bench

SL Lower Push Accessory Strength

Weeks 1-4 | BB front foot elevated split squat descending tempo

Weeks 5-8 | BB split squat

Weeks 9-12 | 2-DB reverse lunge

Weeks 13-15 | 2-DB reverse lunge from elevated surface

Lower Pull Accessory Strength

Weeks 1-4 | Hip thrusts

Weeks 5-8 | BB RDL | Option for Deficit RDL

Weeks 9-12 | Supported SL DB RDL

12-Week Peak Strength & Work Capacity Cycle

Testing measures for this cycle:

• Performance 1-RMs

• Snatch

• Clean & Jerk

• Back squat

• Fitness 1 RMs

• Deadlift

• Back squat

• Bench press

• Work Capacity

• 1000m Ski

• 2500m-10,000m Bike

• 1000m-2500m Row

What you’ll see:

• Oly

• 4, 3-week blocks 

• 2-Step technical progression model followed by a heavy singles EMOM every three weeks for consistent heavy prep

• 3, 3-week block followed by a testing week for back squats in Week 10

• 3-Step technical progression with minor loading re

• Heavy split jerk and push press progressions

• Lots of technical loading for the split jerk

• Heavier strength and hypertrophy focus this cycle

• Moderate usage of pause reps and cluster sets

• Gymnastics shifts to maintenance mode

• Work capacity 

• Slight increase in longer, steady state conditioning 

• Slight Increase in 3-part WODs

Performance Strength

• Oly

• Snatch and clean

• Cycle 1 | Technical | Balance over mid foot through the 1st to 2nd pull transition, postural strength, OHS for shoulder stability

• Cycle 2 | Technical | First pull | Leg drive and postural strength, snatch balance for dynamic shoulder stability

• Cycle 3 | Leg drive & Turnover 

• Cycle 4 | Peaking | Clean + FSQ (+ Jerk) to reinforce leg strength and leg drive in the jerk 

• Technical work will mostly be in the 60-80% range

• Cycles 1-3 will end with an EMOM to test heavy singles 

• Split jerk 

• Cycle 1 | Split jerk balance + split jerk, Pause push press

• Cycle 2 | Split jerk triples & doubles, Push press 

• Cycle 3 | Front squat + split jerk, Peak push press 

• Cycle 4 | Integrate with front squats & cleans 

• Squatting

• Front squat 

• Cycle 1 | 4x6, 4x5, 4x4, 4x3 at 4.0.1

• Cycle 2 | 4x5, 4x4, 4x3 Pause front squats

• Cap Cycle 2 with heavy triple in Week 8 

• Cycle 3 | Integrated with cleans & split jerks 

• Back squat

• Cycle 1 | 4x6, 6-6-4-4, 6-4-4-2, 6-4-2-2

• Cycle 2 | Cluster progression | 3x3x3, 2x2x2, 1x1x1

• Cycle 3 | Build to a heavy triple, double, and single in Weeks 8, 9 & 10 

Fitness Strength

• Back squat

• Cycle 1 | 4x6 @ 4.0.1 | Progressing load

• Cycle 2 | 3-4 sets of 8, 9 & 10 reps | Progressing overload with reps, not load

• Cycle 3 | Build to heavy 5s, off Week 12

• Bulgarian split squat progression

• Cycle 1 | Volume block with 10 reps

• Cycle 2 | Pauses with moderate volume (4-6 reps at 2.3.1)

• Cycle 3 | 5RM cycle, off Week 12

• Deadlifts

• Cycle 1 | Moderate volume, load staggered-stance RDLs

• Cycle 2 | Deficit, moderate volume, moderate load

• Cycle 3 | Building to progressively heavier singles

• 80-85-90% weekly progression followed by a peak week

• Bench press

• Cycle 1 | Tempo volume block at 4.0.1

• Cycle 2 | Pause reps at 4x5, 4x4, 4x3 at 2.3.1

• Cycle 3 | Clusters at 3x3x3, 2x2x2, and 1x1x1

• Cycle 4 | Low volume, high-intensity block, peaking 1RM in Week 12

West Town Throwdown 2024 Cycle Notes

This 10-week cycle is designed with two outcomes in mind. We will be peaking and working on prepping our athletes for the skillsets needed to succeed in the upcoming West Town Throwdown.

What you’ll see:

• Loading and volume will be moderate. Coming off a cycle where we peaked all the major lifts, we are going to use this cycle to build strength through rate of force development (moving moderate loads fast) and improving squat mechanics and postural strength.

• Technical Oly with the end goal of improving touch-and-go mechanics with moderate loads.

• Gymnastics volume up | We’ll have dedicated skill and strength work designed to build handstand push-up/overhead press capacity and practice kipping for improved toes-to-bar and bar-muscle-ups output.

• Lots of pause, tempo and speed work on squats and deadlifts to re-groove movement quality after peaking for the Super Total.

• 1RM front squat

• Pistol & SL squat progressions

This is a bridge cycle that will help with skill and speed development, with an eye on managing neuromuscular fatigue and loading. The rep-maxes will be in the 3-5RM range, as opposed to 1RMs. This allows us to build strength that will provide a quality movement foundation for our heavier cycle coming up after the Throwdown.

Performance Strength

• Oly

  • Snatch

    • Cycle 1 | Technical & Postural @ 60-75%+

    • Cycle 2 | Moderate to heavy loading @ 65-85%

      • Increase time under tension with short to long complexes

    • Cycle 3 | Moderate to heavy loading @ 75-90%

    • Each cycle will end with a test 5-rep TNG test day

 Clean

• Cycle 1 | Technical & Repeatable at 65-75%+

• Cycle 2 | Moderate to heavy loading (75-85%+)

  • Heavier technical | Power cleans & hang cleans | Drive explosive power & finishing third pull & getting under the bar with speed & confidence

• Cycle 3 | Building technical capacity with complexes under moderate load @ 60-80%

Jerk

• Cycle 1 | Explosive leg drive (push press) with low-to-high moderate loads, 3s pause on all catches to reinforce shoulder stability and OH position

• Cycle 2 | Power jerk triples for technique @ 60-80%

• Cycle 3 | No jerk complexes to focus on event-specific tasks

Gymnastics

• HSPU

  • Cycle 1 | OH press progression to build base strength

  • Cycle 2 |HSPU-specific strength

    • Building strength options:

      • Deficit strict or strict HSPU

      • Eccentric overload through ground or on a deficit

      • Continued OH press progressin

  •  Cycle 3 | Max unbroken reps HSPU or press + back-down volume work

• TTB/Kipping/Muscle-up progression

  • Improve & streamline kip swing mechanics, building base for unbroken TTB/Bar muscle-ups

  • Cycle 1

    • TTB | Short to long kip swings

    • BMU | TTB + Pull-ups/C2B

  • Cycle 2

    • TTB | Short to long kips to TTB

    • BMU | Unbroken muscle-ups for 3-6 reps for technique

  • Cycle 3

    • TTB | Max unbroken TTB or closest effort

    • BMU | 1 set max effort BMU

Squatting

• Front squat

  • Cycle 1 | 1st rep pause + speed reps @ 2.5.X, 2.6.X, & 2.7.X

  • Cycle 2 | 5-3-1-3-5 | Building to progressively heavier single and lighter back-off work

  • Cycle 3 | Peaking 1RM

• Back squat | Performance

  • Cycle 1 | 5.3.1 tempo | Postural demand, re-groove squat mechanics post max out.

  • Cycle 2 | 5RM cycle

  • Cycle 3 | Pause and speed work at 50-70%

Fitness Strength

• Back squat

  • Cycle 1 | 5.3.1 tempo

  • Cycle 2 | 1st rep pause at 2.5.X + increasing reps over cycle

  • Cycle 3 | 3RM cycle

• SL Squat/Pistol Progression

  • Cycle 1 | Supported deep step-ups

  • Cycle 2 | Supported pistols

  • Cycle 3 | Pistols or SL squat capacity

• Deadlift

  • Week 1 | RDL variations

  • Even weeks | Tempo deadlifts & speed work

    • Paired with heavier RDLs these weeks

  • Odd weeks | Building to a heavy triple, double, or single

    • Light to moderate supported SL & SL varieties

Bench press

• Cycle 1 | Alternating DB bench press | Allow shoulders to work through more degrees of freedom after BB heavy last cycle

• Cycle 2 | Close-grip bench press @ 60-80% with decreasing tempo over cycle (6.0.1, 4.0.1, 2.0.1)

• Cycle 3 | Bench press 3RM

Upper Pulling

• Cycle 1 | Banded pulldowns for high volume

• Cycle 2 | Landmine bentover row

• Cycle 3 | 8RM 1-DB row

Comparison of Balance Performance in Masters Olympic Weightlifters & Runners

Comparison of Balance Performance in Masters Olympic Weightlifters & Runners

One sentence take-home point

Results from this study suggest that Olympic weightlifting may provide superior training stimulus for somatosensory and vestibular function (explanation below) compared to running in middle-aged (40-60 yo) adults.

WTF is somatosensory and vestibular function?

Main Bullet: Somatosensory function is how we feel our body move in space. When you can’t control your body during a snatch or toes-to-bar, you most likely lack in somatosensory function.

Science: The somatosensory system 1) informs us about our external environment through touch, 2) informs about the position and movement of our body parts, also known as propioception, and 3) is stimulated by movement of muscles and joints.

Main Bullet: Vestibular function helps us respond quickly to stimuli so we don’t fall.

Science: The vestibular system provides a sense of balance and information about body position that allows for rapid compensatory movements in response to both self-induced and externally generated forces.

What does this mean?

Olympic weightlifting requires high-level coordination, stability, and balance during an explosive power movement. These are functions that naturally decrease without proper stimuli, leading to higher incident rates over time. Maintaining and improving them can help enhance longevity and quality of life.

While running may not stimulate the brain in the same capacity, leisure time running has been linked with decreases in all-cause & cardiovascular mortality risks (PMID: 25082581), mental health (PMID: 33139666), and bone density, amongst many other benefits.

Both are obviously valuable towards overall health, function, and longevity. For Oly (or any skill) please don’t associate expertise with execution. Even if you are still developing your technical capacity (especially for Oly), you are reaping the above benefits as you learn and challenge your boundaries.

12-Week Super Total & 5K Macrocycle

12-week Macrocycle

• Cycle Goals

  • Re-establish base strength after heavy metabolic work during the Open Preseason and Open Season. Improve kinesthetic awareness on base lifts with pauses and tempo work.

  • Clean up movement mechanics on major lifts that tend to arise from heavy open prep.

  • Peak Oly and/or powerlifts in prep for SuperTotal on Saturday, June 8th.

  • Reintroduce running and re-establishing base running volume.

  • Peaking for Coalition 5k on Saturday, June 8th.

 Performance Strength

• Oly

  • Split jerk

    • Focus | Find your foot position | Most athletes struggle with finding the proper foot placement for the split jerk. You’ll have 8 weeks to work on it .

    • Macro 1 | Behind the neck jerk from split stance + split jerk

    • Macro 2 | Jerk balance + split jerk

    • Macro 3 | Pause split jerk + split jerk

  • Snatch

    • Focus | Bar path and OH strength     

      • Macro 1 | Bar path, second pull & verticality over mid-foot, and OHS to reinforce catch position

      • Macro 2 | Bar path, leg drive and turnover

      • Macro 3 | Progressively heavy singles with snatch balance reinforcement for OH position

  • Clean     

    • Focus | Bar-path, first pull, and turnover

      • Macro 1 | First pull strength & bar path

      • Macro 2 | Segment cleans for positional strength, leg drive and turnover.

      • Macro 1 & 2 will finish with EMOMs to find heavy singles for the day in Weeks 4 & 8

      • Macro 3 | Increasing intensity with decreasing volume. Mixing Clean + Front squat + jerk complexes with heavy singles.

Fitness Strength

• Deadlift & Bench Press

  • Macro 1

    • Pause work | Rate of force development

    • Deadlift | Mid-shin work increases focus on leg drive off the floor and finishing strength from a relatively disadvantaged position

    • Bench press | Pause within 1” of the chest, remain engaged during those pauses!

    • Speed out of the pause is more valuable than load.

    • Week 4 | Build to a heavy triple

  • Macro 2

    • Deficit Deadlifts

    • Leg drive from disadvantaged position

    • Positional overload for leg drive stimulus

    • Relatively moderate loading to keep rate of force development high

    • Bench press | Progressive volume build from 4x5 to 6x5 over three weeks with moderately heavy intensities (75-85%).

    • Week 8 | Build to a heavy double

  • Macro 3

    • Heavy triples, doubles and singles with decreasing volume and increasing intensity

Back squat

• Performance

  • Macro 1 | Moderately heavy (75-85%) with increasing weekly volume (4x5 to 6x5)

  • Macro 2 | Pause volume (70%+)

  • Macro 3 | Heavy intensity, low volume/peaking (mostly 80-90%+)

• Fitness

  • Macro 1 | Moderate volume-load with tempo at 4.2.1 @ 50-70%

  • Macro 2 | Moderately heavy volume load (75-85%)

  • Macro 3 | Speed squats @ 50-60%

  • For athletes looking to pump up back squat numbers, the program is set up for you to back squat 2x/week if desired. Volume and intensity are balanced over the week between the two tracks so you won’t get obliterated under too much volume-load.

  • For example, Macro 2 for Performance features pause work, which naturally keeps the intensity tempered as we work on rate of force development out of the hole.  Macro 2 for Fitness features a progressive build of volume and load that will challenge maximal motor unit recruitment.

  • This allows us to hit both ends of the spectrum for maximizing adaptations and increasing force output.

Conditioning

• Macro 1 | Balanced duration, intensity, and skill work. Being mindful of overall conditioning volume, especially with increased demands from building back base strength.

  • Introduce low levels of running, weather permitting.

  • Running becomes more consistent when the daily low temperatures are 40° or higher.

• Macros 2 & 3 | 8-week 5k running program released on Instagram

  • Aiming for 2x/week running in class in varying volumes with a progressive build in volume over the 8 weeks. Again, weather permitting.

  • With the increased demand of running, double under/box jump volume will be low to moderate during this period to balance the ballistic stress placed on the joints (feet/ankles/knees/hips/lower back) as well as tendon structures like the patellar/quad tendon and Achilles tendon.

  • Science nerd note | In dynamic and ballistic movements like running and jumping, tendons are designed to absorb force from the ground and transmit force from the muscles back to the ground to create movement – either vertical oscillation for jumping or a mix of horizontal/vertical oscillation for running.

  • This will be post-Quarterfinals so it should not impact any athlete participating in that event.

Neuromuscular Fatigue & Open Programming

As we finish maxing out the rest of our primary lifts this week, we look ahead to the upcoming four weeks of programming leading up to the Open. We tend to look at programming as having different “volume” controls on the variables we utilize, primarily:

• Intensity

• Volume

• Density

• Power

• Strength & Hypertrophy

• Skill & Technical Acquisition & Refinement

• Work capacity

If you don’t care about math & physics, skip this part and go to The Open section.

Intensity | How heavy or how hard something is compared to a maximal effort. Commonly given as a percentage of 1-rep maximum (1RM) or maximal heart rate and/or ratings of perceived exertion (RPE).

Volume | Sets x reps

Density | Sets x reps/time | More work, less time, more fatigue

Power | Work/Time | Work = Force x displacement (how far something moves, usually noted in meters) | Force = Mass x acceleration. In reality this is mass (kg) x displacement (how far something moves) x acceleration divided by time. Yay math!

Strength & Hypertrophy | Stimuli for muscle growth that is characterized by maximal motor unit recruitment that occurs at or near mechanical “failure”, usually in conjunction with slow muscle fiber shortening velocity.

Work capacity | In physics, work = force x displacement of an object. In our setting, this is how much weight you move (external or bodyweight), how far it is moved, and how often you move it. For conditioning purposes, this is often related to time and density. Another term could be power endurance.

The Open

The primary outcome measure of The Open is to challenge an individual’s capacity to do work, specifically within a given time frame. Ultimately, we are trying to improve work capacity in relation to density. Athletes aim to perform more work in the most efficient time based on their present abilities.

In consideration to the seven adaptations noted, these are awesome to develop, but like anything, there are caveats to consider for sustained long-term development. Specifically, we are looking at the role of central nervous fatigue and considerations for how it impacts our development.

Researcher and strength coach Chris Beardsley has an awesome article reviewing central nervous fatigue, which I will summarize here and relate to its impact on our programming.

Central Nervous Fatigue

Central fatigue can occur due to reduced efferent signal size from the brain and/or spinal cord to the muscles (Brain—> Body), or because of afferent feedback that reduces motor unit excitability (Body —> Brain). Afferent feedback are the signals sent from the receptors in our skin, muscles, connective tissue, blood stream, etc. that inform our brain of what is happening in the body. The brain and/or spinal cord formulates a response based on what feedback it receives.

As central fatigue accrues, this reduces the number of motor units recruited. Muscles are recruited based on size, with the highest-threshold motor units being the ones we want to train for long-term strength adaptations. Central fatigue prevents these higher-threshold motor units from being activated, which blunts the hypertrophy stimulus we are aiming to create.

Beardsley discusses three mechanisms that impact central fatigue:

1. Shorter rest periods prevent full nervous system recovery, potentially impacting our ability to recruit motor units maximally.

2. Aerobic exercise seems to produce central nervous fatigue more readily than traditional strength training. This study by Thomas et al. (2015) comparing a 6-min cycling time trial vs a 30-minute time trial suggests this phenomenon. This is why Zone 2 training has become so popular, despite how boring and slow it is. It manages central nervous fatigue, although I debate the value this has for the fitness athlete in our setting.

3. According to Cairns (2006), blood lactate accumulation could play a role because it appears to lead to central nervous fatigue.

Fun fact: Lactate is a metabolic buffer, not the cause of that burning sensation you feel when you workout at high thresholds. It is actually a metabolic by-product of energy breakdown that helps to reduce the buildup of hydrogen ions during this process.

This is one of the reasons we tend to keep our conditioning relatively shorter and heavier. We can maximize the stimulus that encourages adaptation while manipulating volume to account for central nervous fatigue.

Managing Central Nervous Fatigue

Research has generally shown that power, strength & hypertrophy develop best when given 2-3 minutes of recovery between sets. Since power is more explosive, more recovery is generally better. This is one of the reasons we often utilize couplets in our strength formats. If you have to wait to maximize motor recruitment for a given exercise, you might as well work on something else while you’re waiting. In case you were wondering, circuit training like this has not been found to blunt output, despite the obvious increase in systemic demand.

Bringing this back to programming for The Open, if we turn the dials up on volume, density, and work capacity demands, we have to turn the dials down in other places to balance the stress on the body to manage fatigue. In this case, pure strength and hypertrophy output cede to volume, density and more work under fatigue.

This is one of the primary reasons we only perform cycles like this for a short duration in preparation for a specific event. If we spend too much time training at these thresholds, we impede long-term power, strength and hypertrophy adaptations. This will blunt your overall capacity for growth, whether your focus is health & wellness, competition, or both.

Additionally, technical proficiency and skill acquisition are best trained when relatively fresh, so excess fatigue does us no justice here either. Otherwise, we risk ingraining substandard movement patterns and end up using compensatory mechanisms for performance. You might gain in the short run, but following this route for too long will compromise long-term development.

These next seven weeks are meant to test the expression of all the work we have put in over the previous year of training. It’s an opportunity to find your thresholds and challenge them intelligently. That being said, make sure you understand where you are at in your development and what your aspirations are. The upcoming programming can be very fun and very different, but should be adjusted to what you need from it. If you’re not sure what makes the most sense for you, ask and we’ll happily chat.

We use events like this to give a loose guide to our programming, but most importantly, to have fun celebrating our fitness with our FitFam. Enjoy the ride!

Reps-in-Reserve & Resistance Training

The “I Don’t Want To Read All This” Takeaways:

• There is variability in human performance due to bio-psycho-social factors.

• Using percentage-based work off 1-rep max (1RM) due to bio-psycho-social factors can be valuable, but may require secondary perspectives to maximize.

• Principles of the RIR model: Intensity Regulation, Volume Management, and Individualized Approach.

• 1-3 Reps-in-reserve is a good starting point for estimating proximity to failure and strain level.

Reps-in-Reserve (RIR) serve as a measure of perceived effort. Stemming from the concept of ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), it has gained popularity as a subjective yet objective gauge of the strain and effort necessary for muscular strength and hypertrophy. Although introduced to scientific literature by Zourdos et al. (2016), its origins trace back to the "The Reactive Training Systems Manual" from 2008, initially applied in powerlifting.

RPE and RIR emerged due to inherent variations in human performance influenced by bio-psycho-social factors such as sleep, nutrition, and life stress. Despite the benefits of resistance training and exercise, these activities also impose stress on the body. Coupled with the individualized rates of progress and recovery, this underscores the need for a system to assess exercise intensity and volume-load. While the most common approach involves percentages of 1RM (or 1-rep max), these values can significantly differ day-to-day due to these variable factors. Even determining a 1RM is highly variable owing to the same factors.

Frequently, lifters notice better performances leading up to a max-out compared to their actual max-out day. Which truly represents a 1RM? In a philosophical sense, both can be representative based on the parameters and factors influencing capacity on each of those days and experiences.

This variability necessitates that percentage-based work considers an athlete’s present state in the broader context of their consistent demonstrated ability over time during training. Additionally, having another reference point for perceiving effort on a given day becomes valuable for adjusting load and intensity within a workout and across training cycles to maximize gains.

The RIR model in resistance training revolves around three fundamental principles:

1. Intensity Regulation | RIR allow you to regulate training intensity by gauging how close you are to muscular failure within a set. For instance, if you aim for three reps-in-reserve, you stop the set three repetitions before reaching failure. This method allows you to control the intensity of your workout, ensuring that you're challenging your muscles without pushing them to complete exhaustion on every set.

2. Volume Management | It enables better management of training volume. By incorporating RIR, you can potentially increase the overall training volume without reaching the point of diminishing returns or excessive fatigue. This balance between volume and intensity is crucial for muscle growth and strength gains while minimizing the risk of overtraining and injuries.

3. Individualized Approach | RIR acknowledges individual variability. Different individuals respond differently to training stimuli. Some might benefit from training closer to failure, while others may see better progress with more reps-in-reserve to manage fatigue and recovery. This approach allows for customization based on factors such as fitness level, recovery capacity, and specific goals.

By incorporating reps-in-reserve into your resistance training perspective, you optimize the balance between stimulating muscle growth and ensuring adequate recovery. It's a flexible model that allows adjustments based on individual needs, serving as a valuable tool for long-term progress and preventing burnout or overtraining.

Regarding training to failure and determining the right number of reps-in-reserve, the current consensus is that while training to failure stimulates growth, it can hinder recovery over time. Muscle damage is necessary for adaptation, but too much can impede future sessions and long-term development.

1-3 reps in reserve suits most athletes, although this varies based on the person, exercise, and training experience. Research consistently, though not universally, suggests that experienced lifters are better at estimating proximity to failure, making them more adept at using this model effectively. For those newer to this model and perspective, it creates an opportunity to provide yourself with a framework for how to approach your effort on a given day. Be patient and diligent and your ability to adjust your effort will refine accordingly.

Happy lifting!

Helms ER, Cronin J, Storey A, Zourdos MC. Application of the Repetitions in Reserve-Based Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale for Resistance Training. Strength Cond J. 2016 Aug;38(4):42-49. doi: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000218. Epub 2016 Aug 3. PMID: 27531969; PMCID: PMC4961270.

Zourdos MC, Klemp A, Dolan C, Quiles JM, Schau KA, Jo E, Helms E, Esgro B, Duncan S, Merino SG, Blanco R.Novel resistance training-specific RPE scale measuring repetitions in reserve. J Strength Cond Res 30: 267–275, 2016. 

Tuchscherer M. The Reactive Training Manual: Developing your own custom training program for powerlifting. Reactive Training Systems, 15, 2008.

11-Week Cycle Leading to the Open Preseason

Performance & Fitness Strength Cycle Notes (11/13/2023 through 1/27/2024)

• Performance Strength

  • 11-Week Cycle, followed by a 4-Week Open “Preseason” and a 3-Week Open “Season”

    • 1RM | Front squat, chin-ups, push press

    • Oly

      • Snatch & clean (power & full) will work towards heavy, repeatable singles. Lots of technical breakdown through the first 8 weeks of this cycle. Towards the tail end there will be more focus on barbell cycling heading into our 4-week Open “Preseason”.

      • Push press, jerks, and split jerks

        • Push press | Building to a 1RM push press. We’ll start changing the angles with the snatch push press. From there we will progress forward with a relatively linear progression towards maxing out.

        • Jerk | Focus on power/push jerk technique and building absolute power output and power endurance capacities.

        • Split jerks (SJ) will be less of a priority since The Open never uses them. If you would like to work on this, you can simply perform a SJ variation whenever jerks pop up in strength. Staff can guide you from there. Oly Class on Wednesday evenings with Coach Sadie is another opportunity to practice.

    • To consolidate stressors, back squatting will have a moderate volume-load (3-6 sets of 3-6 reps) with various pauses and tempos. Plus sets (when the last set is an AMRAP) will be included to elicit a strength/hypertrophy stimulus. This should allow athletes to increase strength efficiently without relying on high-intensity volume to be the primary driver of adaptation.

    • Skill EMOMs | More of these will pop-up throughout this cycle, but specifically towards the end leading into Open Preseason. If you are newer to these skillsets (gymnastics, barbell cycling, etc.), this is a great time to slow things down and build technique. If you’re refining and advancing these skills, these are great tools to build capacity and ingrain technique.

• Fitness Strength

  • 11-Week Cycle

    • 1RM | BB hip thrust

    • 3RM | Deadlift

    • 5RM | Back squat, bench press

    • Program will remain balanced between building the primary lifts and utilizing tempo and unilateral exercises to work on common postural and movement deficiencies.

    • First mesocycle

      • Lots of tempo/time under tension, allowing athletes to streamline and learn technique while providing a strong hypertrophy stimulus.

      • DBs over BBs | Both horizontal (bench) and vertical (overhead) pressing movements will feature DBs this mesocycle. DBs allow for greater range of motion and can help address muscular imbalances.

      • Front rack split squats | Good opportunity to work on the front rack for newbies! Can always sub to back rack if preferred. These will progress to 2-DB Bulgarian split squats with an ALAP (as long as possible) pause on the last rep of the last set in the second mesocycle.

    • Banded deadlifts will make their debut in the second mesocycle. Keep an eye peeled for a video demonstration in the next few weeks.

    • Hypertrophy EMOMs | To match the skill EMOMs, these will aim at keeping time under tension high with moderate loading. This utilizes density (work done in a shorter time frame) as a driver for muscle growth

• Metcons

  • Conditioning will slowly start to work up to 20 minute durations, challenging varying capacities. We will still be mindful of overall volume and loading parameters as we progress. Most of our conditioning will remain in the 10-15 minutes range.