We are currently wrapping up an intense and ambitious strength cycle, a PECF original. This week has been the most taxing of all. Next week we de-load to take stress off the body.
The purpose of the strength cycle is to improve our overall strength, not just for the sake of being stronger but as a greater whole, to increase our performance in the metabolic conditioning aspect of the program. Our method in the PECF strength cycle has been to subject our bodies to near maximal load for as much volume as possible. Each week we increased the amount of repetitions, while maintaining the prescribed load. We prescribed an almost unreasonable work load and trained our bodies to handle the intensity more efficiently. As a result, athletes are moving lots of weight and doing it with better form.
The drawbacks of the strength cycle is the amount of energy and time it consumes. Energy is exhaustible and pushing near max loads 5 days a week drains the system, making met cons much harder to push through. Programming the conditioning to coincide with the demands of the strength has been a challenge. However, the results will be worth your diligence.
In two weeks we will be re-testing our lifts to hit the PRs we’ve been chasing. Some will be testing for the first time, as they are newer to the program. One of the great benefits of knowing your 1 rep max is that it gives us a reference point on what weights to use during the program. If Tuesday calls for 3 reps at 80{d793bd461e48fb811f7c1bdf9a1875cfcb6108b65f23da832b2c752158b79391}, you will know what to use. It is also great for showing you what is possible, allowing you to set new goals.
After the strength cycle
Strength is one of the pillars of our program. It will not be going anywhere. It is just that our focus will not be concentrated on it. We will be spending time coaching the nuances of the lifts, hitting different rep schemes, varying the movements, developing our skills and making progress on the simple to the highly complex and we will be doing some killer WODs! We will program ‘heavy’ days at least once per week.
Our goal is to coach you to find your athletic potential. It is not likely that you will ever find it. But it IS likely that you find greater power than you ever thought imaginable.
It does not matter what level you are on, it matters that we continue to improve. We are going to work with you to achieve your first real pushup, pull-up, your first Rx workout, your first muscle-up, your first double under, your best Fran time, etc. Our journey to exceptional fitness and health does not end after our strength cycle, rather, it expands.
PECF endeavors to coach you to take your fitness as far as you desire. It has been a joy seeing the progress made at our club in the past year that Brittany and I have owned PECF and we are thrilled to see what lies ahead. Thank you for your hard work, inspiration and support of PECF.
Clay