DISTRICT Programming – New Phase
The buzz of the 2021 CrossFit Games has come to a close. But, now it’s time to ramp up the pace a bit and start prepping for next year’s CrossFit Open. Now we want to start building on our strengths and minimising our weaknesses, so we are ready to peak for February 2022. It may seem a long way off, but it will come round quicker than we think, so it’s time to rebuild and prepare.
The programme now will have a bit of extra spice added in from the big dog, John Maxwell, who will be co-creating some workouts with the Head of Programming, James Vernau. We all know John loves a mentally tough workout, so expect to see some added in there.
Programming Aims/Focus – 8 weeks (13TH Sept – 1st Nov 2021)
Strength Focus – Odd Object and Clustered Strength
- Expect to see a mix of movements to challenge and build max strength in a multitude of different ways, through using some strongman-style movements. Alongside this, clustered strength exercises will be utilised, which will look to build muscle and strength, through compound lifts at high intensity and high sets. This will provide the base of raw muscle and general work capacity.
Weightlifting Focus – Clusters & Cycling
- Similar to the last phases strength work, we are going to spice things up a bit with the volume of in weightlifting. Building the capacity through lifting heavier weights for higher reps, via adding in small rest periods to allow a slight adaptation of recovery, enough to hit the next rep, yet still under slight fatigue. This will help to generate raw power and strength endurance within Olympic Lifts. For the cycling part, well this is where the real endurance comes into play. But I don’t want to give too much away here, so keep an eye out for this.
Gymnastics Focus – Strict Strength (bolstering the foundations)
- Reverting back to the basics here, let’s start building up some strict strength/strength endurance. Imagine how much easier kipping pull-ups would be if you had better overall strict strength and strength endurance. Developing strict gymnastic strength is so important to your overall fitness. It develops body awareness and control, so we are going to start adding some more strict strength here through compound gymnastics movements, paired with accessories and just to add early CrossFit standards for the pull-up, muscle-up and handstand push-up were all done strict….
Accessories – Tri-sets and Giant Sets
- These will be added in within the programme, to help build muscle and some overall volume, helping to identify and reduce weaknesses within the body. Look at this as the more “bodybuilding-style” days to help move well and look good. Combining some compound and accessory lifts to help really overload the body. Time to embrace your inner Arnie!
Just to highlight some of the Metcon features you can expect to see, this will look at sticking with the ‘constantly varied high intensity functional movement’ slogan. Meaning, that you will likely see some more classic CrossFit workouts in the mix and well as some skill-work and loading under fatigue, potentially even starting a day with the Metcon first…
Although this phase may be a little longer, it will for sure provide a bigger adaptation, as we enter these next 6months building up to the OPEN. Time to put in the work, so we can reap the reward!
Enjoy!
Coach James