Programming for Groups [The Fitness Movement Podcast #006]

Show Notes

What is programming for groups?

• CrossFit Affiliate Classes
• HIIT, Bootcamp, Functional Fitness Circuits, etc.
• Blog Style (MisFit, CompTrain, Invictus, Mayhem Athlete, etc.
• Online Training Programs

Customizing Weightlifting for Groups

Common Errors

8 Hang Power Snatch Doubles at 185/125lbs
→ appropriate for almost no one

How I Would Program It

Hang Power Snatch (8×2) 75% 1RM [Not a Bad Starting Place]

What’s Missing? | Things that aren’t addressed in lots of blog style workouts…

1) Warm-Ups: (for different types of athletes) Beginner, Advanced, Teen, Masters, Mobile, Tight, Low Tension, High Tension, etc.

2) Working Sets: Not everyone should be working on the same… Variation, Volume, Frequency, etc…

For Example (for Snatch + Clean & Jerk):
• Super Strong and Inefficient athletes need more technique work and variations of the full lifts
• Weak & Inefficient athletes need more strength work and only maintenance doses of traditional lifts
• Beginners need lots of reps to help refine technique, but high level athletes with efficient consistent technique will never be able to handle that volume. This is also true for Masters athletes.

The solution?
Create customization within the program, using Silos.

Example for Weightlifting | For Part I: Strength Work

Silo 1: If your Squat Clean is >85% of your Front Squat
Front Squat (5×3) @84%
-Rest 2:00 b/w sets

Silo 2: If your Squat Clean is <85% of your Front Squat
Squat Clean (6×2) @82% (drop & reset between reps)
-Rest 75s b/w sets

Silo 1: If your Snatch 1RM is > 250/175lbs
Build to a 3-Position Snatch at RPE 8 → then SN Battery work

Silo 2: If your Snatch 1RM is 200-250lbs (M) or 140-175lbs (F)
Hang Snatch + Snatch Complex (Full Rest b/w sets)
-Build until you reach RPE 8, then repeat that load x 2 More Sets

Silo 3: If your Snatch 1RM is < 200lbs (M) or 140lbs (F)
Squat Snatch (6×1.1.1) Rest 10s b/w Clusters, 90s b/w Sets
-Start at @ 75% & climb to 85% | Goal = No Misses

Customizing Gymnastics for Groups

Common Errors: two real examples I pulled from a source that will not be named

Strict Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups (4×6) with a slow lower”

Where is the room for individualization?
What if I can’t do a Strict Chest-to-Bar?
What if they are easy?
What’s slow?

EMOM 10: 6 Bar Muscle-Ups (Scale to Pull-Ups)”

Prioritize Patterns (What is the goal?)
Should they be working density or strength?
Are they ready to handle that volume?

How I Would Program It

First for strength work…

I pulled this from Gymnastic Density for the Big Five and it specifically says on the description page that the minimum qualifications are 2 Ring Muscle-Ups, 2 Bar Muscle-Ups, 4 Handstand Push-Ups, 5ft Handstand Walk, 5 Chest-to-Bar and 5 Toes-to-Bar. “If you have these, this program is for you.” In other words, if you don’t…don’t do it.

For the density work…

If my program did incorporate more work for beginners, they would not be doing density work at all.

Gymnastics Examples (3 Silos)

Silo 1 [Rep Max BMUs = 0-1]
Banded Strict Chest-to-Bar (4×6) @31×0
+
EMOM 6
Odd: 12-15 Banded Lat Row
Even: 5 Max Effort Hanging Lat Activation

Silo 2 [Rep Max BMUs = 2-5]
BMU Mount Drill (3×2.2.2) Rest 90s
+
Every 75s x 6 Sets
-1 Mount + Hips-to-Bar
+
Banded Strict Chest-to-Bar (3×15-20)
-Pick a band that allows you to reach that rep range

Silo 3 [Rep Max BMUs = 5]
Every 90s x 7 Sets
40-45% of your BMU Rep Max
+
E2M x 3 Sets: 1 Set of Strict Chest-to-Bar
-Stop 1-2 Reps from Failure

Customizing Cyclical for Groups

Common Errors

Cyclical is often totally ignored from a programming perspective.

“Jump on the bike or the rower for 5:00”
“15:00 easy Ski after the Met-Con”
“2k Row…lay it all out there”

No Cues, No Strategy, No Technique, No Pace

Here How I Would Do It

Provide Cues… Sit tall, long pulls, rigid in the catch, 1:1 breath ratio

Provide Strategy… Get up to speed quickly, then settle into your pace, between 750-1500m is the mentally hard part, wait to kick until 300m are left

Provide Technique: For example, explain how to use Bi-directional vs. Tri-directional power output on the AirBike.

Provide Pace: Start at your 5k pace 500m Pace -6-8s

Rowing
2:00 Row Intervals @5k TT Pace +3-4s | 26-30 SPM | 1:1 Breath-to-Stroke Ratio | Return to nasal breathing during rest

Running
2 Mile Run Buy-In – Aim for 5k TT Mile pace -10-12s | Start at 1:3 Breath-to-Step Ratio (aka. 3-Step Inhale, 3-Step Exhale) & Do not deviate from it until the ¾ Mile mark.

AirBike
E2M, x 6, 12:00
Every 2 Minutes, x 6 Sets, 12 Minutes
-12s (If peak watts are >1500)
-15s (If peak watts are 1000-1500)
-20s (If peak watts are 600-1000)
-25s (If peak watts are <600)
(or)
In this piece, hold your Wattage on your 10:00 Test Pace -20-30 Watts

Customizing Mixed Modal for Groups

How I See It
3 Rounds
-21 Calorie Row
-15 C2B
-9 Deadlifts @275/175lbs

How I Would Program It
3 Rounds
-21 Calorie Row @5k TT Pace +6-10s
-30% of Chest-to-Bar Rep Max
-9 TnG Deadlifts @60% 1RM

5 Rounds for Time (Another Example)
-400m Run @ RPE 7
-12 Unbroken HSPUs (if you are confident you can do it unbroken each round, go to strict, deficit or both)
-Max Unbroken Ring Muscle-Ups
→ Rest 1:1 between each Round