Workout of the Week #19

Welcome to workout of the week number 19. This time we have a 5 day surf the curve training workout.

What is surf the curve?

Well you might be familiar with a curve, you might also be familiar with the so-called force velocity curve and I’ve talked about efforts a couple of times.

So basically, if we look at our force velocity curve, we can say at the top left end, there is the high force and low velocity, and on the bottom right end, there is the high velocity and low force, and then we can assign efforts to each part of the curve.

So we have the maximum effort on the top left, and the plyometric effort on the bottom right, and then we also have our dynamic effort, and the ballistic effort.

So what is the training goal?

We want to maximize power by targeting all areas of the force velocity curve.

Let’s have a look at the training variables.

We train with 0 to 95% of the 1 RM. That is quite a large range I know that. But if we look at our efforts, then we can see that for the maximum effort we have 85 to 95% of the 1 RM, for the dynamic effort 50 to 70% of 1 RM, for the ballistic effort 20 to 50% 1 RM and for the plyometric effort 0 to 5%  1 RM.

What’s the repetition range?

We use 1 to 3 repetitions for the maximum effort, and then 4 to 6 for the dynamic effort, the ballistic effort and the plyometric effort.

What is the exertion?

For our Maximum effort a near maximum exertion, for the dynamic effort a medium exertion, and for the ballistic effort and the plyometric effort a light exertion.

What are training efforts? Well, we just talked about it, right? We want to hit all areas of the curve so we have the maximum effort, the dynamic effort, the ballistic effort, and the plyometric effort.

Let’s talk exercises.

We want to focus on the fundamental movements hinging, squatting bilaterally, so DL for double-legged and SL for single-legged, unilaterally, we do pushing and pulling.

The exercise order. If we look at our curve, and we want to surf the curve, we combine the maximum effort and the ballistic effort in a complex, and then we combine the dynamic effort and the plyometric effort in a complex.

Let’s have a look at a few more training variables.

We train 5 days a week, the training is a station training, including some complexes, the movement focus is, we focus on a hinge, a squat, a push, and a pull.

So how does that look?

Here’s our program, and let’s have a look inside. So here we are inside of our program, as you know you get a short overview, then the table of content, and here you can see how I have structured it. So basically, it’s five consecutive days and each day is assigned to one movement pattern, so the first one, the first workout is the hinging movement, the second one is the pushing movement, the third one is the squatting bilaterally, then fourth workout is the pulling movement, and the fifth workout is the single-legged squatting, the unilateral squatting.

So how does it look?

If we look at our workout number one, the hinging pattern, so here we can see we have the deadlift and we combine it with kettlebell swings, and then we have the deadlift band resisted and we combine it with a medicine ball scoop.

And if we look at our intensity, you can see for the deadlift 3 sets of 3 at 85% and for the kettle bell swings 3 sets of 4 at 20%, and then we look at our next two efforts so the deadlift band resisted is the dynamic effort and the medicine ball scoop is the plyometric effort. And here we can see for the deadlift band resisted we do 3 sets of 4 repetitions at 60% of the 1 RM, and for the medicine ball scoop we do 3 sets of 4 at 2% of the 1 RM.

Again here, I follow the concept that I’ve outlined earlier, it’s not exactly scientific, but it works very well in practice, meaning all exercises are based on the hinging pattern. All exercises are based on the deadlift, as a reference point, and as parent exercise. So once we know our 1 RM for the deadlift we can use the percentages for the other exercises, so if we do 20% of the 1 RM for kettlebell swings that is 20% of the deadlift. So imagine you can deadlift 150 kilos, so 20% of that would be 30 kilos. And then the band resisted deadlift, if you do 150 kg for the deadlift, 60% of that would be 90 kilos and for the medicine ball scoop, 2% of 150 kg, that would be a 3 kilo medicine ball.

And if we go to the next workout, the pushing we have a similar structure, so the first exercise is the parent exercise, it is the bench press, and it’s complex with a bench throw in the Smith machine and then we have the bench press band resisted, accommodating resistance, and it’s complexed with the medicine ball power drop.

And if we look at our intensities, reps and sets, we see a very similar setup, we do 3 sets of 3 at 85% of the 1 RM for the bench press complex with 3 sets of 4 repetitions at 30% of the 1 RM bench press in the bench throw and then we go to our bench press band resisted 3 sets of 4 repetitions at 60% complexed with 3 sets of 4 repetitions of the medicine ball power drop at 2%. Also here, imagine you can bench press 100 kilos, 2% would mean you take a 2 kilo medicine ball.

And if we go to workout number three, the squat pattern we see similar setup. So 1A and 1B means it’s a complex, 2A and 2B is a complex, and we complex back squat with jump squats. The jump squats you can do with a barbell, preferably with a barbbell or dumbbell, and then we combine the Box squats accommodating resistance, band resisted with the counter movement box jump. And then here similar setup 3 * 3 at 85% % of the 1M, 3 * 4 at 30% of the 1RM, 3 * 4 at 60% of the 1M and 3 * 4 with body weight.

Let’s have a look at workout number four, the pulling pattern. I’ve chosen to use for the pulling pattern, the pull-ups, and then also here we’ve discussed that in the previous workout you need to be strong enough to use additional load, so that you can work at percentage of your system mass, system mass meaning your body weight plus the external load.

Again, let’s make it easy for myself. You weigh 70 kilos you put an additional 30 kilos onto your waist and you can do one pull-up that would be your system mass of 100 for one repetition, so your 1 RM is 100 kilos and then basically the percentages would be of 100 kilos, and if you have to do 85% that would be 85 kilos, your body weight is 70 kilos, that means you have to find an additional 15 kilos to put onto your waist, whether that is a dumbbell or a weighted vest, that’s up to you. Then we do clapping pull-ups that can be done with body weight or band assisted, it depends a little bit on your strength levels and the pull-ups band resisted with body weight in combination with a medicine ball slam.

And if we look at workout number five the single-legged squatting, we do a Bulgarian split squat, a rear foot elevated split squat combined with the dumbbell bulgarian split squat jumps. So you hold dumbbells in your hands, and you do a Split Squat and you leave the ground and jump up and then we combine the Bulgarian split squat band resisted with a single leg counter movement box jump.

And that concludes the training program.

As usual you can see here, there is a glossary, there’s something about me there’s testimonials about me in case you want to know who you are listening to, or if I’m worth listening to. And last but certainly not least you have a chance to enroll into the membership area where you get the full program.

What’s the full program?

This was the first week, in the full program there are four weeks and they are structured, they are progressive, and then it’s also customizable.

So let’s jump back.

What are the next steps?

You download the program from the website, you join the membership, there you get the full 4-week customizable program plus we are at workout number 19, so you get an additional 18 programs and you like and subscribe. Have a look at the previous workout in case you have not seen it and here you have the chance to subscribe again to not miss any workout.

See you next week.