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Block insights (Foundation), April 8th - May 19th 2019 (WK15-20/2019)
Block insights (Foundation), April 8th - May 19th 2019 (WK15-20/2019)

Insights into programming, progressions and optional sessions in the training block.

Jami Tikkanen avatar
Written by Jami Tikkanen
Updated over 4 years ago

Overview

This training block runs for 6-weeks. There are four (4) regular training sessions each week and a 5th optional one as an opportunity to work on a specific focus area of your choice. 

As we are coming off from the Open, the next 6-weeks is a good time to introduce some more movement variance in the programming and to build good foundations for your upcoming training and competitions. We have somewhat of a strength work bias in this block. If you want to focus more on your conditioning or gymnastics, the optional sessions will allow you to do this.

Week schedules

Typical week schedule (might vary from week to week)

WL = Weightlifting
​STR = Strength work
​SPP(C) = Sport specific workouts
​SPP(S) = Skill work/practice
​COND(SPP) = Sports specific conditioning intervals
​Gymnastics = Gymnastics fundamentals (strength, position, mobility)

Monday - S1
Tuesday - S2
Wednesday - Active recovery OR Rest
Thursday - S3 (or S4 if you want to do conditioning in S5)
Friday - S4 (or S3 if you want to do conditioning in S5)
Saturday - S5
Sunday - Active recovery OR Rest
​

What to expect in conditioning?

These are part of two (2) of the sessions per week (with options in session #5)

  • 3 to 5-minute sports specific intervals x 1/wk - COND(SPP)

  • Classic metcons (sport practice) x 1/wk - SPP(C)

  • Optional sessions: Assault bike intervals (based on AB Power profile), running intervals (based on 3km TT on 1st WK), classic metcons.

Key focus points

  • SPP/Metcon sessions - Use these to challenge yourself. Look at the workout ahead of time and make a plan how you should best approach it. Warm up well and execute your plan to the best of your ability. Reflect back on the workout afterwards, identify what went well, what could have improved and how will you do it.

  • Interval sessions - As we are focused on developing your ability to sustain and repeat your effort, the training must reflect that = When you're doing the interval work we want you to work at a hard pace that is repeatable for you. (Crashing and burning in the intervals would be failing to follow the program properly.) 

What to expect in weightlifting?

These are part of two (2) of the sessions per week (with an option in session #5)

  • Snatch - 1 to 3 rep snatch waves / hang snatch + snatch complexes in alternating weeks

  • Clean and jerk - Clean + Front squat + Jerk complexes / Clean and jerk in alternating weeks

  • Optional sessions - Snatch from blocks with power cleans / power snatch with hang cleans in alternating weeks. Paused / regular heavy back squats in alternating weeks. Optional (if time) DB/KB/Landmine/med ball circuits for movement variety and assistance work

Key focus points

  • Always prioritise good form in these sessions. To lift heavy, you must have good mechanics. By all means, go as heavy as you can (within the ranges) as long as you're lifting well. Sloppy reps with poor form will have to be unlearned later at great cost.

  • Do a good technique warm up in each session to improve your technique and to prime you for success in the session (video links in blog posts).

What to expect in strength?

These are part of two (2) of the sessions per week (with an option in session #5). Programming covers all basic movement patterns (squat, hinge, horizontal push/pull, vertical push/pull, single leg squat/hinge). The progressions.

  • Back squat - 8 x 3 / 9 x 3 / 10 x 3 as E90s and 5 x 5s in alternating weeks

  • Deadlift - 10 x 3 (w/ 10th set an AMAP set) oif Regular and sumo DLs in alternating weeks

  • Strict press - 4 x 6 / 4 x 5 / 4 x 4 (w/ final set an AMAP set) of seated and standing strict press in alternating weeks

  • Close grip bench press / strict dip - 4 x 6 - 8 / 5 - 7 / 4 - 6 and 4 x 8 - 12 (tempo) in alternating weeks

  • Strict wide grip pull up / Chin up - AMAP sets in alternating weeks

  • DB Row - 3 to 4 x 8 - 12 of single arm DB row and prone DB row in alternating weeks

  • “Accessory” Circuits - Movement variance in easy flowing 4 to 6-movement circuits

  • Optional sessions: Box squats, push press, barbell rows, “accessory” circuits to complement and enhance weekly training

Key focus points

  • Prioritise good movement always over the weight. Poor reps with heavy loads don't mean much, increase injury risk and have to be unlearned later at high cost.

  • Where prescribed, stay within the % ranges AND use the RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) and/or RIR (Reps in Reserve) to adjust the weights to your daily readiness and to personalise the session.

What to expect in gymnastics and other skill parts?

These are part of one or two (1 - 2) of the sessions per week (with an option in session #5)

  • Gymnastics - Focus on fundamentals of strength, mobility and positions that build to sports specific skills (e.g. muscle-ups and pull-ups)

  • Skill - A mix of sport specific skill drills and EMOMs with focus on the quality of movement. Alternating weekly with accessory strength circuits in S2

  • Optional sessions - Additional sessions focused on fundamentals 

Key focus points

  • Remember that practise makes permanent, not perfect. The basic currency of your training is a repetition. Therefore the quality of your training is determined by the quality of your repetitions. Make every session a new opportunity to perfect your repetitions and you will be successful. 

  • For guidance, follow the principles for deliberate practice found in each skill session.

Feedback

Hope you found this article helpful for your training!

Let us know if you have any questions about this training block and we'll update the article with additional information.

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