Team Sustain: Sport of Fitness: MAX Weights Method - Part 4

Testing - week one is all about testing and not guessing. We need to know your strength, and we need to know your weaknesses.  The weights lifted will dictate the volume and intensity of the 4-weeks ahead.

TESTING:

1RM Front Squat
1RM 45* Incline Bench Press
1RM Weighted Ring Pull-up
1RM Snatch Grip Deadlift

Olympic Lifting:

1 RM Power Clean
1 RM Power Snatch

Energy System:

CP Battery 8min Power Snatch @90% of 1RM Power Snatch
Diane
Fran
Aerobic Capacity Test (10min Assault Bike)
Gymnastics Endurance Test
CrossFit Open 17.1 RX

Gymnastics:

Max unbroken Toes to bar
Max unbroken Push-ups
Max Strict Ring Pull-ups
Max Strict Ring Dips
Wall Facing Handstand Endurance Test 5 x :60sec
MAX unbroken Ring Muscle-ups
MAX Distance Handstand Walk

Strength Development:  

In Part 4, the final block, of the MAX Strength Method we are going to be using the 5/4/3/2/1 Method.  The5/4/3/2/1 Method is a favourite for sports medicine expert and former world powerlifting champion Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale.  In the initial week of testing, we will be establishing our current 1RM Back Squats, Front Squats, Snatch Grip Deadlift, Incline Bench, and Weighted Ring Pull-ups.  We will then use these number in the weeks ahead to slowly build maximum strength.

In the 5/3/2/1 method, we start with loads just under 5RM and attempt to add 2-3% more weight every set, performing 1 fewer repetitions every set until you achieve a new 1RM. This progression has the advantage of teaching the skill of expressing your true maximum in a 4-week block.  We cannot go from a block of performing 3-5reps per set (MAX Weight PART 3) and expect to perform well in a 1RM until we have allowed the body to recruit higher-threshold fibres.  Therefore, we will slowly increase the percentages of each set from week-to-week with the aim of increasing your 1RMs by 2-3% in 5 weeks from now.

Maintenance Block

Over the coming weeks, the 2018 CrossFit Open workouts will be upon us.  This is a difficult time for TSTM to design a well-structured weekly training plan.  There are far too many unknown factors and hence we want all of our athlete to be in the best possible state to take part in this event.  We have set the week up as follows:

Monday - Front Squats and CrossFit Open workout 18.1 - 18.5
Tuesday - Optional MAP 10 Recovery Day
Wednesday - 45* Incline Bench, Ring Pull-ups and Aerobic Conditioning
Thursday - Snatch work, Snatch Grip Deadlifts and a combination of Anaerobic and/or Aerobic Conditioning
Friday - Back Squat, Cleans and interval training on the Rower or Assualt bike (Anaerobic Conditioning) 
Saturday - Optional MAP 10 Recovery Day
Sunday - CrossFit Open Prep (each week we will add some practice training to this day)

Our aim is to keep the strength game strong and to back off a little on the conditioning elements.  High volume at this time of year can be a little risky considering we don't know what is going to be planned for the CrossFit Open.  Friday is the last day of strength work each week and this will give us maximum time to recover before Mondays workout.  The Sunday sessions will be light and used to feel out the workout.  Athlete are welcome to perform the workout on this day if they like.  We would not recommend doing the workout on consecative days.