NOVEMBER'S FOCUS is a special program for building Absolute Strength - and one of the most efficient programs for that, we’ve found is the 5/3/1 program designed by Jim Wendler.
The Avatar below shows the gym averages: we're very good at endurance things, like Running and Aerobic Power and Rowing and even Kettlebells. What we're a little lower on is Absolute Strength: especially pushing and lower body.
Here's our current average, October 2023:
Here's averages from October 2022:
WENDLER'S 5/3/1
The Training Max percentage is 90% of 1RM
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 |
65% x 5 reps | 70% x 3 reps | 75% x 5 reps | 40% x 5 reps |
75% x 5 | 80% x 3 | 85% x 3 | 50% x 5 |
85% x 5+ | 90% x 3+ | 95% x 1+ | 60% x 5 |
The term Absolute Strength means lifting as heavy a barbell as possible (where relative strength is measured as relative to your bodyweight). Absolute strength is building muscle and training the nervous system to fire at your command. The benefits of being strong are among others: a stronger immune system, higher levels on the MAP 😎, and better resilience in most situations including mental. For most of us, balance between cardio and strength levels requires us to level up on strength.
MOVEMENT SUGGESTIONS
We can adjust your specific movements to your needs. Book a GOAL SESSION here if you want to talk with a coach about this!
Day 1: Front Squat + Shoulder Press (or Weighted Pull-Up or Weighted Negative Pullups)
Day 2: Deadlift + Close Grip Bench Press (or maybe Power Clean at Purple+)
The movements are suggestions and there can be good reasons to use other movements, like Back Squats, Chest-supported Rows, or Weighted Dips if you’re working on a specific level.
Week 1 you calculate your Training Max and that serves as the basis from which you count how many kilos each workout has in it (Week 1, 65% x 5 reps, then 75% x 5 reps and as many reps as possible at 85%).
TRAINING MAX EXAMPLE:
Your Front Squat is on Orange II (70/45kg x 5 reps). 5 reps is 87% of your single rep maximum (conversion table), so your theoretical 1RM is 80,5/51,5kg. Your training max is 10% less, so 72,5/46,5kg. You’ll calculate all your strength numbers from that: 65% x 72,5kg = 47,5kg is the starting weight on Week 1.
Make a copy of this spreadsheet. Or use the paper sheet we’ll have printed at the gym.
THE BATTERY SET
The last set or round of the strength workout is a battery set, or maximum repetitions, ie as many unbroken reps as form allows. Week 1 we aim for more than 5, week two 3+ and week three 1+. Sometimes we make quite many: if going over 15 reps on your first Max reps, increase the Training Max with 5kg for lower body and 2,5kg for upper body movement.
The weight should be challenging enough to have to grit your teeth when pushing and more than a little nervous when going for set three.
WEEK 4 IS DELOAD
If you get your strength work done on a weekly basis; FS + Pullups and DL + CGBP on the same week, you will need a deload on week 4. Hence the lower kilos and no battery set in the end. If you have a Twice-a-week membership you could probably skip the deload.
After week 4 you can proceed with normal workouts OR start a new cycle of 4 weeks up until Christmas. In the new cycle you add 5kg to the lower body movements’ and +2,5kg to the upper body movements’ training maxes.
GETTING STARTED
If you're completely new to CrossFit or training, book a FREE INTRO here and we can talk about your goals and what the plan forward could be.
