Upper East Side

Here we go again — a new cycle and a new chance to get better. This new cycle will have a greater skill focus,  and we’ll also continue to build your leg strength. We’re going to get more comfortable at heavy weights for our Olympic lifts and increase our capacity for more advanced movements like overhead squats and strict handstand push ups. Here’s a quick breakdown of what to expect from each day.  

On Mondays, we’ll be focusing on cleans. We’ll do a lot of positional and complex work, as well as utilizing EMOMs to practice lifting heavy under fatigue. Weights will increase each week, and you’ll have more opportunity to work with heavy loads and work to heavy singles. We’ll also be focusing on dynamic gymnastic skills: kipping pull ups, toes to bar, muscle ups, and kipping handstand push ups. There will be gymnastics prep work before the conditioning each Monday to give you all a chance to work on the technical parts of the movements before attacking them in the metcon.

Back squats return on Tuesday! This cycle we’ll be working toward a 1-rep max, using a 5-3-1 cycle. We haven’t tested a 1-rep max for almost a year, so this will be a great opportunity to see how far you’ve come in the last few cycles. For the first four weeks, you will work off of 90% of your 1 rep max. For example, if your 1RM is 200#, you would take your percentages off of 180#. We’ll be working sets of 5, 3, and 1 at different percentages, with the last set each week being an AMRAP.

Wednesday we’ll be working on snatches. We’ll pull from a variety of positions, utilizing different complexes and often lifting on a clock. We’ll be focusing on mobility, footwork, and pulling under the bar. Wednesday’s metcon will be light, low skill, and endurance-based.

On Fridays we’ll be working on overhead squats. We’ll work toward a 1-rep max, starting with sets of 5 and progressing to sets of 3 and then 2. Each week, we’ll pair the overhead squat with a strict gymnastics movement. Remember, don’t skip class if you’re not able to overhead squat or can’t do the gymnastics movement. There will be plenty of alternatives and scaling options available to make it the most productive session possible for you. Come in and work your weaknesses and soon enough you won’t have any!

Saturdays will continue to be partner workouts, and Sundays will be an endurance-based metcon.

I’m excited to work these next eight weeks! Hope you all are too. See you in class!