Hi all, hope you had a great weekend!

Here’s the At-Home program for the second week of August.

We’re starting a new strength cycle this week, with Shoulder-to-Overhead movements making an appearance at least twice every week for the next 6 weeks.

Let’s get into it.

Day 1 

• Warm-up - 5 minutes, continue to cycle through…

  • 5 Single DB Strict Press (5 per arm)

  • 10 Air Squats

  • 15 Sit-ups

  • 20 Lateral Hops over DB 

• Strength:

  • For 12 minutes, work up to a heavy complex of:

    • 3 Dbl DB Strict Press + 5 Dbl DB Push Press

  • Off-time - accumulate:

    • :30 in a Glute Bridge Hold (:30 on both legs / :15 per leg unweighted / :15 per leg with 10+ lbs on hips)

  • Intended Stimulus - build up in weight on the Shoulder-to-Overhead complex. Squeeze the abs and the glutes whenever any weight goes overhead. On the glute bridges, hands can be on the ground to assist in the movement. Hold at the top of the rep, so hips are in line with your knees and shoulders.

  • Log your heaviest, unbroken complex.

• Stability:

  • Accumulate the prescribed amount of time in a Single DB Overhead static hold (2:00 / 3:30 / 5:00)

  • Intended Stimulus - shoulders back and down. DB directly above the crown of your head (stacked over shoulders). Use both hands. Pick a weight that is taxing and makes you take a few breaks to complete the prescribed time.

  • Log your weight used. Enter which time you achieved in the notes.

• Accessory:

  • For 4 rounds, no measure:

    • :40 Plank Hold (Hand Plank from Knees / Hand Plank / Elbow Plank)

    • 16 KB Push + Pulls (8 per arm)

    • 10 Bear Hug Weighted Good Mornings

  • Intended Stimulus - try to hold the plank the entire :40! KB Push + Pulls and the Weighted Good Mornings should be slow and methodical. Should feel the Weighted Good Mornings in the Hamstrings and potentially the insides of legs. DON’T LET YOUR SHOULDERS SINK PAST YOUR HIPS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GOOD MORNING REP.

  • Log the type of plank you did for future reference.

• Recovery

  • Child’s Pose with Thread the Needle - 2.5 min. per side

Day 2

• Warm-up - 5 minutes, continue to cycle through…

  • 8 Side-to-Side Lunges (4 per leg)

  • 8 Split Squats (4 per leg)

  • 8 Tuck-ups

  • :30 Jump Rope

• Strength:

  • In 20 minutes, complete 8 sets of 10 reps of Dbl KB Front Squats

    • First 3 sets, build up in weight on the KBs

    • Last 5 sets, try and stay at that same working weight if form allows.

    • Shoot for 2.5 minutes per set, using the remaining time for Leg Lifts.

  • Off-time - complete 8 Leg Lifts (hands under tailbone / no hands / weight over head)

  • Intended Stimulus - The Dbl KB Front Squats should be slow and controlled, and should burn the legs! Feet shoulder width apart, slightly turned out. Eyes on the horizon for the whole rep. Brace core for bottom of the squat, exhale as you ascend.

  • Log your heaviest set of 10 unbroken Dbl KB Front Squats.

• MetCon:

  • Complete the prescribed amount of rounds (12 / 15 / 20) of the following movements:

    • 5 Dbl DB Bent Over Rows (<15s / 20s / 25s+)

    • 10 Push-ups (from knees / from toes / Hand-Release)

    • 15 Air Squats

  • One round is all 30 reps listed above, one time through.

  • Intended Stimulus - aim to finish within 24 minutes. On the Push-Ups, work on the more challenging variation first (go from the toes before switching to knees, for example). Use the Air Squats to catch your breath and recover slightly for the next round.

• Recovery

  • T-spine Smash with Lax Ball - 2 min. per side

  • Foam Roll Glutes - 2 min. per side

Day 3

Rest Day

• Try and fit in two to three walks of 1.0-1.5 miles apiece.

• Another good option is a light jog / Stand-up paddle board / hike / slow bike / etc.

• Mobility and/or restorative yoga are other great options on rest days.

• Some is better than none.

• Getting outside in any capacity is encouraged!

Day 4

• Mobility

  • :30 Arm Circles (per direction)

  • :30 Arm Swings (per direction)

• Warm-up - 5 minutes, continue to cycle through…

  • 4 Up Dog / Down Dog (with Push-up after each Down Dog)

  • 6 Half Burpees

  • 8 Bird Dogs (4 per side)

• Strength:

  • For 12 minutes, build up to a heavy set of:

    • 10 Single DB Strict Press (5 per side)

  • Off-time - :30 of Plank-ups

  • Intended Stimulus - Single DB Strict Press should be taxing by the end. During the Plank-ups, maintain a straight line from shoulder to heel, avoiding your tailbone sagging or hiking too high in the air. Aim for 5 or 6 rounds.

  • Log Single DB Strict Press DB weight from the heaviest round. Note any imbalances between arms and put that information in your notes.

• MetCon:

  • For Quality in 12 minutes, continue to cycle through:

    • 12 Dbl DB Push Press (<20s / 35s / 40s+)

    • 10 Squats (Air Squats / Single DB Goblet Squats <25lbs / Single DB Goblet Squats 25lbs +)

    • 8 Lateral Burpees Over DBs (Half Burpees / Full Burpees / Strict Burpees)

  • Intended Stimulus - Keep moving! Shorter time domain but you’ll still need to pace yourself, so start conservatively. Looking for quality movement even when the heart rate is up. If you feel form getting sloppy, then slowing down is encouraged.

  • Log rounds and reps completed, adding weights and variations into notes.

• Recovery

  • Floor angles with Lax Ball - 2.5 min. per side

Day 5

• Warm-up - 4 rounds

  • 8 Cossack Squats (4 per side)

  • 8 Reverse Jackknives with a hold (4 per side)

  • 8 Dbl DB Romanian Deadlifts 

  • :30 Jump Rope

• Strength:

  • E:90OM12 (Every 90 seconds for 12 minutes), complete 5 reps of…

    • TEMPO Dbl DB Romanian Deadlifts - add a 5 second descent

    • Build in weight only if you feel a challenge is appropriate.

  • Intended Stimulus - You are encouraged to go LIGHT on the RDLs and really tempo out the movement. This movement targets the hamstrings but also hits the spinal erectors in your low back, so be CAREFUL on the movement, hedge lighter, and tempo it out. Ensure your spine is nice and neutral (without any curve). Don’t let your shoulders sink past your hips at the bottom of the RDL rep. 8 total rounds.

  • Log the weight used on the highest quality set you performed (your subjective opinion).

• Capacity:

  • Accumulate 5 minutes of a Dbl DB Farmer’s Carry (<35s / 40s / 45s+)

  • Intended Stimulus - blowing up the grip! Shoulders back, abs and glutes tight, and BREATHE. Take as many breaks as you need.

  • Log weight used on the Dbl DBs.

• Accessory, 4+ rounds

  • 10 Dbl DB Curls

  • 10 Lateral Raises with Light Fractional Plates

  • 10 Double Leg Glute Bridges

• Recovery

  • Seated Hamstring stretch - 1.5 min per side

  • Seated Wide Legged Forward Fold - 2 min.

Day 6

• Mobility

  • Child’s pose with thread the needle

  • Bottom of Squat stretching

• Warm-up - 6 minutes, continue to cycle through…

  • 16 Plank Shoulder Taps (8 per side)

  • 16 Lateral Jumps Over DBs (8 per direction)

  • 8 Dbl DB Suitcase Reverse Lunges (4 per leg)

  • 8 Sit-ups

• Longer Workout Day!

  • For 27 minutes:

    • 7 “Tough For You” Push-ups (from knees / Hand-Release / Deficit Push-ups)

    • 14 Dbl DB Front Rack Reverse Lunges (<20s / 25s / 30s+)

    • 21 Scissor Kicks (Left + Right = 1) (hands under tailbone / no hands / weight over head

    • ~Rest 1:00 between each round~

  • Intended Stimulus - Rest is built in for you today, so take the opportunity to recover and visualize perfect reps for the next round. On the Push-Ups, work on the more challenging variation first (go from the toes before switching to knees, for example). On the Reverse Lunges, work to lightly tap the back knee to the ground if you have the mobility to do so.

  • Log how many rounds and reps you completed.

• Recovery

  • Glute Smash on Orb or Lax Ball - 3 min. per side

  • Pec Smash on Orb or Lax Ball - 1.5 min. per side

Day 7

Rest Day

• Try and fit in two to three walks of 1.0-1.5 miles apiece.

• Another good option is a light jog / Stand-up paddle board / hike / slow bike / etc.

• Mobility and/or restorative yoga are other great options on rest days.

• Some is better than none.

• Getting outside in any capacity is encouraged!