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This is Week 4 of the Metabolic Cycle (which is the second portion of the “Strength + Metabolite” collective training cycle).
Please read The 6-Week Metabolic Blog to learn more about this training Cycle.
We will continue to progress closer to failure on the demanding compound movements, and now reaching failure in most cases on the short overload / lower fatiguing movements. Expect to add load and/or reps across each movement.
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Monday:
Hamstrings, Back and Biceps (all “Pull” muscles)
Parts A and B Repeat week to week
A. Superset Movements:
1-2 warm-up sets prior, then:
2 work sets each
B-Stance DB RDL x 6-10 Reps (left leg) (~3 then 2 reps from failure)
Single Leg Banded Leg Curl x 8-20 Reps (left leg) (to technical failure both sets)
Rest 1-2 min after both left legs
Then Repeat sequence for RIGHT LEG
Rest 1-2 min after both right legs
Alternative Movement you can swap
–B-stance Trap Bar RDL
–Rear Foot Elevated DB RDL
Alternative Movement you can swap for Single Leg Banded leg Curl:
– Single Leg Cable Curl
– Monkey Feet Single Leg Curl
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B. Strict Pull-ups
(scaling swaps for Rack Pull-ups below)
1-2 warm-up sets, then:
Add ~5% weight from prior week…
Complete 6 sets of 8 Reps
Rest ~30-40 sec between work sets
*Last week we did 7-8 sets x 8 Reps. This week (with ~5% extra load), we will do fewer sets, but expect sets to increase to 7-8 sets again the following week (using the new “heavier” weight).
*If you cannot do 14-15 unbroken PERFECT Pull-ups, make sure you scale with one of the Rack Pull-up variations below
Alternative Movements you can swap for Rack Pull-ups
Weighted Rack Pull-ups
Unweighted Rack Pull-ups
Leg in front Rack Pull-ups (no elevation)
Foot-Assisted Pull-ups
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C. Kas Glute Bridge
1-2 warm-up sets then:
1 Work set x 15 Reps (~1 rep from failure)
Rest 30 sec
8-12 Reps (same weight)
Rest 30 sec
5-8 Reps (same weight)
Rest 30 sec then move into Hip Thrusts…
Barbell Hip Thrust
Using same weight as Kas Glute Bridge…
Go until 1 rep from failure
***Given that the THRUST uses more momentum and more muscle groups, you should be able to get another 5-8 (or more) reps once you switch to the hip thrust execution
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D. One Arm DB Preacher Curl on Incline Bench
1 warm-up set per arm, then:
Select a weight where you *could* do ~15 reps unbroken per arm…
4 Rounds:
10 Reps left arm
10 Reps right arm
Rest only while the opposite arm is working
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E. Decline Weighted Sit-up
Use ~20 rep max difficulty
Reps 15-12-9-6
Rest ~30 sec between sets
Alternative Movements you can swap for Decline Sit-ups
-Standard Flat Sit-ups
–Overhead DB Sit-ups
–GHD Curl-ups (advanced option)
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Tuesday:
Quads, Chest, Shoulders, Triceps (all “Push” muscles)
Parts A and B Repeat week to week
A. Superset Movements:
1-2 warm-up sets prior, then:
2 work sets each (~3 then 2 reps from failure each)
Sissy Squats x 5-12 Reps
Walking DB Lunges (Quad focus) x 12-20 steps (6-10/leg)
Rest 2-3 min between work supersets
Alternate movements you can swap for Sissy Squats:
Sissy Squat (weighted as needed)
Scaled Sissy Squat
Bodyweight Leg Extension / Reverse Nordics
Scaled BW Leg Ext / Reverse Nodics – Band-assisted
Scaled BW Leg Ext / Reverse Nodics – Hand-assisted
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B. Banded Crossovers
1-2 warm-up sets, then:
Add ~5% difficulty from prior week…
(this may look like just walking out slightly further to create more band tension)
Complete 6 sets of 8 Reps
Rest ~30-40 sec between work sets
*Last week we did 7-8 sets x 8 Reps. This week (with ~5% extra difficulty), we will do fewer sets, but expect sets to increase to 7-8 sets again the following week (using the new “heavier” weight).
Alternate movements you can swap for Crossovers
–DB Fly/Press Hybrid
*If swapping DB Fly/press, it may be difficult to follow the exact rep scheme specifications throughout the cycle. Inquire in the FB group and we can discuss approach (but likely you’ll need to leave more reps in the tank for the first few sets, or take slightly longer rest between sets)
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C. DB Front Raise
1 warm-up set, then:
3 sets:
Start with 15-20 Reps (~1 rep from failure)
Rest ~30 seconds between sets
Expect reps to drop set to set as fatigue accumulates under short rest
Take the final set to technical failure
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D. Superset Movements:
1-2 warm-up sets, then:
1 tough work set
Banded Sissy / Leg Extension x 8-15 Reps (to technical failure)
Heels Elevated Goblet Squat x 8-12 Reps (~1-2 reps from failure)
Rest as needed after warm-up, before the one tough work set
Alternative Movement you can swap to for Leg Extensions:
–DB Leg Extensions
–Seated Banded Leg Extensions
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E. EMOM x 8 Minutes:
Alternate Movements at the top of each minute
Select a weight that is ~15 rep max difficulty
All sets 8-12 Reps
Min 1: One Arm Banded Pushdown – Cross Body (right)
Min 2: One Arm Banded Pushdown – Cross Body (left)
Alternative Movement you can swap for Banded Pushdown:
– One Arm DB Tate Press
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F. ZONE 2 Cardio of choice x ~30 Minutes
(see write-up in Blog for details about how to ensure you’re in “zone 2”)
TLDR:
Approx 65-75% of max Heart Rate OR a conversational pace where you can speak in 12-15 word sentences
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Thursday:
Hamstrings, Back and Biceps (all “Pull” muscles)
Parts A and B Repeat week to week
A. Superset Movements:
1-2 warm-up sets prior, then:
2 work sets each to technical failure for both movements, both sets)
Chest Supported DB Row x 6-10 Reps
Bentover Rear Delt Raises x 12-20 Reps
Rest 2-3 min between work sets
+ Immediately after the FINAL set of Delt Raise…
Complete 3-4 “attempted partial reps”
(i.e. you try hard as possible to make the rep, but fatigue prohibits you from getting full range of motion)
Alternative Movement you can swap for Chest Supported Row:
–Head Supported DB Row
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B. Weighted Hip Extensions (45-degree)
1-2 warm-up sets, then:
Add ~5% weight from prior week…
Complete 6 sets of 8 Reps
Rest ~30-40 sec between work sets
*Last week we did 7-8 sets x 8 Reps. This week (with ~5% extra load), we will do fewer sets, but expect sets to increase to 7-8 sets again the following week (using the new “heavier” weight).
Alternative Movement you can swap
–Horizontal/GHD
–Home Hack (with barbell and box)
–Home Hack (Hips over barbell)
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C. Superset Movements:
1-2 warm-up set, then:
2 work sets each (to technical failure for both sets for both movements)
Banded Straight-Arm Pulldowns x 10-20 Reps
Chest Supported DB Face Pulls x 10-20 Reps
Rest 2 min
Alternative Movements you can swap for Straight-Arm Pulldowns:
–DB Pullovers
Alternative Movement you can swap for Banded Face Pull
–Bentover DB Face Pulls
– Banded Face Pull
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D. DB Spider Curl
1 warm-up set, then:
3 sets:
Start with 15-20 Reps (~1 rep from failure)
Rest ~30 seconds between sets
Expect reps to drop set to set as fatigue accumulates under short rest
Take the final set to technical failure
Alternative Movement you can swap for DB Spider Curl:
–Barbell/EZ Spider Curl
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E. Barbell Sit-ups
Use ~12 rep max weight
Complete 25 TOTAL Reps in as few sets as possible
Start sequence with a tough set of 10-12 Reps, then chip away in small sets until 25 total reps are achieved.
Rest ~20-30 sec between these mini sets
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F. ZONE 2 Cardio of choice x ~30 Minutes
(see write-up in Blog for details about how to ensure you’re in “zone 2”)
TLDR:
Approx 65-75% of max Heart Rate OR a conversational pace where you can speak in 12-15 word sentences
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Friday:
Quads, Chest, Shoulders, Triceps (all “Push” muscles)
Parts A and B Repeat week to week
A. Superset Movements:
1-2 warm-up sets prior, then:
2 work sets each
Steep Incline Anterior Delt Press x 6-10 Reps (~2-3 then 1-2 reps from failure)
DB Lateral Raise (no loss of tension at bottom) x 10-15 Reps (to technical failure each set)
Rest 2-3 min between work sets
+ Immediately after the FINAL set of Lateral Raise…
Complete 3-4 “attempted partial reps”
(i.e. you try hard as possible to make the rep, but fatigue prohibits you from getting full range of motion)
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B. Banded Sissy / Leg Extension
1-2 warm-up sets, then:
Add ~5% difficulty from prior week…
(this may look like just walking out slightly further to create more band tension)
Complete 6 sets of 8 Reps
Rest ~30-40 sec between work sets
*Last week we did 7-8 sets x 8 Reps. This week (with ~5% extra difficulty), we will do fewer sets, but expect sets to increase to 7-8 sets again the following week (using the new “heavier” weight).
Alternative Movement you can swap to target the Rec Fem Quad Muscle
–DB Leg Extensions
–Seated Banded Leg Extensions
Other Quad targeting swaps:
*If swapping these movements, it will be difficult to follow the exact rep scheme specifications throughout the cycle. Inquire in the FB group and we can discuss approach (but likely you’ll need to leave more reps in the tank for the first few sets, or take slightly longer rest between sets)
–Heels Elevated Goblet Squat
–Spanish Squat
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C. Superset Movements:
1-2 warm-up sets, then:
2 tough work sets each
(~2 then 1 rep from failure each set for both movements)
Flat DB Fly x 8-12 Reps
Push-ups (see videos below) x 5-12 Reps
Rest 2 min
Alternate movements you can swap for DB Fly
–Banded Crossovers
Push-ups arranged from HARDEST to EASIEST:
Deep Deficit Push-ups on Parallettes or DB handles (weight vest as needed)
Ring Push-ups (weight vest as needed)
Standard “level ground” push-ups
Hands-Elevated “scaled” push-ups (elevate more to scale further)
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D. Foam Roller DB Hack Squats
5 sets of 8 Reps, increasing weight and effort.
Target ~10-8-6-4-2 reps from failure across the 5 sets
This means that only the final 1-2 sets should provide a challenge
Keep the rest to 1-2 min between sets
Alternate movements you can swap for DB hack Squat:
–Heels Elevated Back Squat
–Landmine Hack Squat
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E. Superset Movements:
1-2 warm-up sets, then:
2 work sets
Banded Tricep Pushdowns x 10-20 Reps (to technical failure both sets)
Lying DB Tricep Extensions x 8-12 Reps (~2 then 1 rep from failure)
Rest 2 min
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Saturday – OPTIONAL Conditioning
A. ZONE 5 Cardio (equipment of choice)
ONE ROUND:
*Note that the effort/intensity should increase as the work time decreases
5 min hard/sustainable
5 min walk/recovery
4 min hard/sustainable
4 min walk/recovery
3 min hard/sustainable
3 min walk/recovery
2 min hard/sustainable
2 min walk/recovery
1 min hard/sustainable
1 min walk/recovery
+ Walk 5-10 min cooldown/recovery
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