DATES: April 13th to May 24th
GOAL: Increase athletes 1 Rep Max in the Back Squat & Increase athletes confidence in heavy squats
TEST: 1 Rep Mx Back Squat
ELEMENTS OF THE CYCLE
- Squat Sessions: Intensity Sessions, Speed Sessions & Power Sessions. (2-3 x / Week)
- Long Metcons: Long Metcons will be focused on AEROBIC CONDITIONING and should be performed at lower intensities.
- Upper Body Strength + Metcon: These sessions will be designed to maintain strength in the upper body but will not be the focus.
- Accessories: The accessories will be chosen to support squat strength
SQUAT SESSION BREAKDOWN
Intensity:
These are linear progressions that will focus first on increasing volume at 80% with 1 session at 85% that is scheduled in class and an optional session that is scheduled as accessory.
We’re using a 6 By method, meaning there will always be 6 sets and the progression starts at 3 reps and will increase to 6 reps:
6×3, 6×4, 6×5, 6×6
These sessions are focusing on increasing strength endurance at submaximal loading. This has been proven to be very effective at increasing strength without overloading the CNS given that we have a short timeframe to do this cycle along with other demands such as our metcons and member’s busy lives.
Speed Sessions:
These sessions are designed to increase athletes ability to produce force (Rate of Force Development). These sessions are challenging and fun. We want athletes to move as fast as they can with very light loads, trying to help create a faster connection between the mind and the muscle.
Sessions will look different every time but the note will always be: As Fast As Possible. This is not for metabolic stimulus (although that CAN be a limiter for some) but for the physical ability to move fast.
Example: 6 x 0:20 Max Rep Air Squats.
NOTE: You may see some scaling options that are very different here because we are aware that any de-conditioned athlete will have fitness limitations that will affect the desired stimulus.
Power Sessions
These sessions are inspired by our Power Endurance Phase we did at the tail end of 2025. These sessions will use the concept of PAP (Post Activation Potentiation) and Contrast Training to help athletes increase their ability to generate power. We will pre-fatigue athletes with short bursts of movement focusing mainly on lower body movement patterns to generate force at submaximal load under fatigue. These sessions are super fun and VERY dynamic.
Example: Heel Elevated Heavy Goblet Squats → 0:15 Row → Band Resisted Jump Squats
NOTE: These sessions can take up a lot of equipment and we will be offering alternatives if ever we feel the need to.
IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT THE CYCLE
Training at 80%: This is a sweet spot intensity zone that fits in the deemed “strength zone”. This Strength zone is where we can get good strength gains and has been shown that increasing the volume at this intensity is a great way to increase both strength and strength endurance with less strain.
Our goal with this cycle is to be inclusive for all populations but there are some important things to note:
- 80% is not the same for everyone. The more advanced in training the athlete the harder the 80% will feel. 80% Means 8/10 and athletes should have 1-4 reps left in the tank depending on the rep scheme. Beginners may not have a relevant 1 rep max and should gauge every week by how many reps they feel still still have left in them.
- Power & Speed sessions. These sessions are more advanced and if members have fitness limitations they won’t hit the EXACT stimulus and that’s ok. We will be providing insights on how to manage these sessions and will provide descriptive notes to help coaches adjust sessions to help members get the most out of each session.
- Recovery & Longevity. Not all athletes want to increase their back squat. Strength is important for longevity, not everyone needs to peak. Assess athletes goals and know that the later weeks in this cycle are harder to recover from so we may need to adjust the workouts and loads for some members.
The cycle gets increasingly intense and weeks 4-5 build up significantly. Week 6 is where we test therefore week 6 will have more focus on recovery and making sure athletes feel strong for their re-test.