Weekly Overview 21.09–27.09
A week of strong sets and steady pacing. We’ve got overhead squats, heavy deadlifts, gymnastics practice and longer conditioning, with a partner session to bring everyone together on Saturday. Choose loads and movements that let you keep working well from the first round to the last.
Monday opens with push-ups and a 2km row, followed by bench press and strict pull-ups. Save enough in the tank to make all five strength rounds count.
Tuesday starts with a heavy triple overhead squat before three rounds of double unders and overhead squats. Expect the shoulders and legs to work hard.
Wednesday is five repeatable intervals of heavy deadlifts, lateral burpees and GHD sit-ups. Your slowest set is the score, so consistency matters.
Thursday gives us time to practise muscle-up transitions before a longer air-bike and box step-over workout. Keep the opening pace under control: the big calorie sets come back round.
Friday pairs 800m runs with bar muscle-ups across four intervals. Find a running pace that leaves you ready to work on the rig.
Saturday is a 25-minute partner AMRAP with hang power clean and jerks, synchronised lunges and sit-ups. Share the barbell and find a rhythm together.
Sunday starts with a pull-up challenge, then finishes the week with rowing, goblet squats and single unders. Aim for three steady rounds rather than one huge opening effort.
Talk to your coach about the right gymnastics progression and loading for you. Train hard. Scale smart. Keep moving well.
Test your weightlifting skills in The Lift Off Game.
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Push-ups lead straight into a hard, sustained row today. The strength work comes afterwards, so keep the early pressing under control and aim for productive sets throughout.
Workout
For time:
50 Push-Ups
2,000m Row
Score: Time. Push-up cap: 3:00. Overall cap: 12:00.
Strength — After the Workout
15:00 EMOM (5 cycles):
Minute 1: Max Bench Press OR Dumbbell Bench Press
Minute 2: Max Strict Pull-Ups
Minute 3: Rest
Score: Total reps.
Barbell loading options: 85/52.5kg, 70/42.5kg or 60/37.5kg (185/115lb, 155/95lb or 135/85lb). Dumbbell options: 32.5/22.5kg, 22.5/15kg or 15/10kg (70/50lb, 50/35lb or 35/25lb). Choose a load and pull-up variation you can repeat across all five cycles.
Target Times
Most athletes: 9:30–11:30. Faster athletes: 7:15–8:30 or quicker.
Strategy
Pacing - Break the push-ups before failure, with short rests. Settle into the row over the first 100–200m, then hold a hard but sustainable split.
Efficiency - Drive the row with your legs and hips, finishing the pull before starting the recovery. In the EMOM, leave a little room in the early sets.
Red Flags - Push-ups taking over three minutes, pulling mainly with the arms on the row, or reaching failure in the first strength round. Adjust reps, load or movement difficulty to keep the work repeatable.
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Today is about overhead control under fatigue. Build a strong triple, then choose a workout weight that lets you move through the squats in one or two sets.
Strength
On a 15:00 running clock:
Build to a moderate-heavy 3-rep Overhead Squat from the rack.
Front Squat is the alternative if you are not squatting overhead. Score: Weight. This is a technically strong triple, not an all-out 3RM.
Workout
3 rounds for time:
100 Double Unders
25 Overhead Squats — 42.5/30kg (95/65lb)
Score: Time. Cap: 12:00.
Target Times
Most athletes: 9:00–11:00. Faster athletes: 6:00–7:30.
Strategy
Pacing - Aim for roughly 3:00–3:30 per round. Start at a pace you can still hold in round three, with the rope in two or three larger sets.
Efficiency - Keep the bar close and establish a stable overhead position. Squat snatch the first rep only if that is a reliable skill; otherwise power snatch and settle before squatting.
Red Flags - Repeated rope trips, three or more squat sets, missed lifts or long pauses staring at the bar. Reduce the rope volume or squat loading. Single unders and light dumbbell goblet squats are available progressions.
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Five intervals with enough recovery to repeat the effort. Heavy deadlifts should stay controlled, and your slowest set counts, so avoid spending everything in round one.
Preparation
9:00 EMOM (3 cycles):
Minute 1: 3 Deadlifts, building from moderate to workout weight
Minute 2: 45 seconds of pacing Burpees or Up-Downs
Minute 3: 45-second Plank
No score: use this to prepare your positions and pace.
Workout
Every 3:30 for 5 sets:
7 Deadlifts — 142.5/92.5kg (315/205lb)
14 Lateral Burpees Over the Bar
21 GHD Sit-Ups
Score: Slowest set.
Target Times
Most athletes: 2:00–2:15 per set. Faster athletes: 1:45–2:00. Keep at least one minute of rest each round.
Strategy
Pacing - Set one should look like set five. Aim for around 30 seconds on the deadlifts, 50 seconds on burpees and 35 seconds on the GHD, with quick transitions.
Efficiency - Keep the bar close and brace for every deadlift. Set stations nearby and use a GHD range and volume appropriate to your experience; your coach can offer V-ups or sit-ups.
Red Flags - Sets drifting beyond 2:30, burpees taking over 75 seconds, hips shooting up on the deadlift or losing midline control. Reduce load or reps early enough to protect the rest period.
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Some focused gymnastics practice, then a longer conditioning piece. The bike calories descend and climb again, so leave enough for the final big set.
Skill
8 minutes of Low-Ring or Low-Bar Muscle-Up Transition practice.
Advanced: Low-ring transition into a strict dip. Intermediate: Low-ring muscle-up with a kipping or jumping ring dip. Beginner: Low-ring or low-bar transition with a jumping dip.
Keep this around RPE 5: quality practice that prepares you for tomorrow without exhausting your pulling and pressing.
Workout
For time:
60-40-20-40-60 Calorie Air Bike
Women: 48-32-16-32-48 calories
20 Box Step-Overs — 24/20 inches — after EVERY bike set, including the last.
That is five sets of step-overs: 100 reps in total. Score: Time. Cap: 25:00.
Target Times
Most athletes: 21:00–24:00. Faster athletes: 16:00–19:00.
Strategy
Pacing - Start at a bike pace you can return to at the end. Keep the shorter middle sets controlled rather than turning them into sprints.
Efficiency - Move continuously through the step-overs, aiming for about 1:00–1:30 per set. Keep transitions short and use a steady breathing rhythm.
Red Flags - Sprinting the opening bike, stopping repeatedly on the box or a big pace drop as the calories climb again. Scale the bike calories, step-over reps or box height to stay within the intended time.
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Running and gymnastics share the clock today. The aim is to arrive back from each run ready for useful work on the rig, then recover and repeat.
Workout
4 sets, each on a 5:00 clock:
800m Run
Max Bar Muscle-Ups in the remaining time
Rest 2:00 between sets.
Score: Total bar muscle-up reps across all four sets.
Scale the gymnastics to kipping chest-to-bar pull-ups or Up-Down + Jumping Pull-Ups as appropriate. A shorter run, such as 600m, can help preserve time on the rig.
Target Scores
Most athletes: 20+ total reps. Advanced athletes: 50+ total reps. Aim to leave at least 45 seconds for gymnastics each set, typically 45–75 seconds.
Strategy
Pacing - Hold consistent run times without sprinting. Choose small, repeatable gymnastics sets and keep one or two reps in reserve until the final interval.
Efficiency - Have your station ready and chalk before the run if needed. Get onto your first set promptly, then use short, planned breaks.
Red Flags - Running so hard that you cannot use the remaining time, hitting failure in set one or losing most of your reps in later sets. Adjust the distance or gymnastics variation so each interval includes productive practice.
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Grab a partner for 25 minutes of barbell work and synchronised bodyweight movements. A shared rhythm and smooth changeovers will keep you moving.
Workout
Teams of 2 — 25-minute AMRAP:
20 Hang Power Clean & Jerks — 60/42.5kg (135/95lb)
20 Synchro Step-Back Alternating Lunges
30 Synchro Sit-Ups
Split the barbell reps 10 each per round; alternating sets of five is an option. Both partners complete the lunges and sit-ups together.
Score: Rounds + reps.
Target Scores
Most teams: 6–8 rounds. Faster teams: 8–10 rounds.
Strategy
Pacing - Find a pace you can sustain for the full 25 minutes. Smooth sets and short handovers beat rushing the first few rounds.
Efficiency - Agree your barbell split before starting and communicate through the synchro reps. Keep the clean and jerk fluid, using smaller sets if cycling begins to slow.
Red Flags - Failed reps, grinding cleans, poor overhead control or a big drop in round speed. Lower the barbell load to keep technique consistent. A beginner option is 14 light hang power clean + push press reps (7 each), 14 synchro lunges and 21 synchro sit-ups.
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A pull-up challenge starts the session, followed by three rounds of steady conditioning. The goal is to keep collecting reps without a huge drop between rounds.
Skill — Pull-Up Challenge
12 minutes:
Advanced: Build to your heaviest 3-rep Weighted Strict Pull-Up.
Intermediate: Max unbroken Strict Pull-Ups, unweighted.
Beginner: Accumulate 3 minutes of Dead Hang, broken into manageable sets.
Record your weight, reps or accumulated hang time for the option you choose.
Workout
3 sets:
3:00 Max Calorie Row
2:00 Max Dumbbell Goblet Squats — 22.5/15kg (50/35lb)
1:00 Max Single Unders
Rest 2:00 between sets.
Score: Total row calories + squat reps + single unders across all three sets.
Target Scores
Most athletes: 325–425 total. Faster athletes: 600+ total.
Strategy
Pacing - Keep the effort sustainable despite the ‘max’ rep targets. Aim to repeat your first-round output and finish strongly.
Efficiency - Row smoothly, find a repeatable squat cadence and have your rope ready. Use short breaks before the legs reach failure. A lighter dumbbell or air squats will keep the intended rhythm.
Red Flags - Sprinting the opening row, squatting to failure or a large fall in output in rounds two and three. Ease the early pace and adjust loading so you can keep moving.