Workout of the Week #49

Welcome to Workout of the Week, number 49. This time we have a three-day-a-week push-pull surf the curve workout.

As a recap, we had that surf the curve approach in Workout of the Week number 19, in Workout of the Week number 31, and in Workout of the Week number 41. So basically, the idea is we have the force-velocity curve, and we are either surfing down the curve or we can also surf up the curve. Yeah.

So what is the training goal? Number one: we want to maximize power because we are targeting all areas of the force-velocity curve.

Training variables: 0 to 100%. What the heck—that’s quite a large range. Yes, because we target different areas of the curve. Yeah, so we work on the force towards 100% of the one-rep max, but we also work on the speed at 0% of the one-rep max.

Rep ranges: 1 to 6. Exertion: light to near maximum. The training effort: maximum effort for the max effort phase. We use ballistic effort in the middle part of the curve, and we use plyometric effort towards the low-force, high-velocity end.

Let’s have a look at the exercises. We use fundamental movements. For the maximum effort, we use jumps and throws for the ballistic and plyometric efforts. The exercise order: most complex to least complex.

The training variables: Three days a week. It’s a station training including some complexes. The split is a push-pull split.

So how does that look? Here’s our program, and we’ll jump right into it.

Here we are inside our three-day-a-week push-pull surf the curve program. Yeah, you get an overview of the program, the table of contents, and then you see the three workouts. Workout Number One is a total body push and an upper body pull. Workout Number Two is a total body pull and an upper body push. Workout Number Three is a lower body push and accessories.

So how does that look? Total body push and upper body pull. Yeah, so total body push: we do the push press combined with the pull-ups. Then we do the medicine ball push press combined with clapping pull-ups. Then we do the medicine ball push press combined with the medicine ball slam. Oh, hang on a minute—it’s two times the same exercise. Yes. This is where we get into it. You see, for example here at the ballistic effort, the medicine ball push press is trained at 20% of the one-rep max. At the plyometric effort, it is at 6% of the one-rep max.

How do I calculate that? Well, imagine the parent exercise is the medicine ball push or the barbell push press. If you are able to do 100 kilos, 20% would be 20 kilos. So you use a 20-kilo medicine ball for that exercise. If you want to work on the ballistic effort, you use a 6-kilo medicine ball when you want to work on the plyometric effort.

If we go to Workout Number Two: the total body pull and an upper body push. We do the power clean combined with the bench press, the jump squat combined with a bench throw, and the medicine ball scoop with a medicine ball power drop. Also here, higher intensities for the maximum effort, lower intensities for the ballistic effort and the plyometric effort.

Workout Number Three: the lower body push. We do the back squat, the jump squats, the countermovement box jump, and the Romanian deadlift.

If you download this program, you can read the glossary explaining the terms used in this program. You can read a bit about myself. You can read about what other people have to say about me—like my former athletes, what my mentees say, and what my colleagues and former colleagues say. And last but certainly not least, you can join the membership, where you get the four-week program. This was the first week. The four-week program is periodized and customizable.

So let’s move back and finish the presentation. What are the next steps?

Number one: you download this program.

Number two: you join the membership. You can access this four-week training program, but you can access another 48 four-week training programs. So do your math—you have quite a lot of weeks to train.

And last but certainly not least, like the video, subscribe. You can grab all the workouts here. You can watch the previous workout, and if you haven’t already, you can subscribe.

And I’ll see you next week with the next workout