This week marks the beginning of our new training block, Strength and Gymnastics. Here’s the primary components of the six week block:
- Russian Squat Program
- Ed Coan Deadlift Program (minus the assistance work)
- Gymnastics strength, skill, and flexibility work from Gymnastics WOD
That’s right, I invent very little. I just borrow, steal, and sew together pieces from people smarter than me. I chose the Russian squat program because it will be a little more kind to us than Smolov Jr. or Hatch, both of which we tackled last year. The Russian program is a six week, three day per week program. One day each week is a “recovery” day that will be much lower volume than the other two. The Coan deadlift program is ten weeks long and only one day per week. It doesn’t start really loading you until after week six, so I think we can successfully stack the first six weeks of Coan with the squat program. If we find out that’s too much, then we’ll ditch Coan and save it for a later cycle. While we’re on this squat cycle, I’m gonna keep squatting movements out of conditioning– for the most part. I’m also gonna ensure I don’t tax our legs with too many heavy full cleans. This squat cycle will require some dedicated recovery, so be ready.
My intent is for almost all of our upper body work to be gymnastics based. I’m not gonna lie; it’s gonna get weird. I have never done this much dedicated gymnastics training before. That may be why I am not terribly awesome at gymnastics. To get different results, you have to change the way you do things. This block of training will be a significantly different way of doing things. Be prepared to fall on your face and look like an idiot–often. I know I will.
As we pioneer this first week, let me know how you’re feeling. I need your feedback, because honestly, this is uncharted territory.
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