First Contact 0.05 Strength Endurance (upper)
PreFatigue/Warmup:
5 Minute Clock, hold a plank for 30-sec followed by 1 push-up Every Minute on the Minute(EMOM), add one push-up.
This will look like, from 0:00-1:00 30sec plank + 1 push-up; 1:00-2:00 30sec plank+ 2 push-ups; 2:00-3:00 30sec plank + 3 push-ups; 3:00-4:00 30sec plank+ 4 push-ups; 4:00-5:00 30sec+5 push-ups.
This PreFatigue piece gets plenty of blood flowing to the shoulders, chest, and arms quickly. It also shows even with no equipment, a little creativity goes a long way and can feel just as spicy as work with implements. Though it’s not necessarily a high volume of push-ups, the compromised rest makes it feel significant. Focus on completing high-quality push-ups (chest to floor, strict plank, elbows close to your sides, and full extension), especially as you become fatigued.
Mobility:
2x5 Shoulder CARs
Then complete 1x 90-second Shoulder CAR on each side.
As we mentioned during the leg day progression session, take a mental note of how the Shoulder CARs in comparison to the first time going through them. The difference might not be drastic just yet, but over time you’ll notice quite an improvement. After you’ve completed the first two sets on each side, complete 1 more CAR on each side but the reps each will take 90 seconds. This is a way we can easily add tension to this movement plus the extended period makes you very conscious of where you might add tension to certain areas during shoulder CARs or if you start to twist your torso with the movement. If you notice these things, it’s totally normal, just be aware of it and correct it as you go. 90 seconds is plenty of time to correct mistakes and make this a high-quality effective rep.
Work:
3 Rounds
8-5-3 Alternating Piston Bench Press Ladder
Rest 2-3 minutes between sets
We are progressing off last week’s piston bench pressing. We kept it rather straightforward last time just having you press with one side with the other holding the DB and then switching and having that be the totality of the set. This time we’re adding a couple more layers. What each set will look like is, you’ll set yourself up on a bench and press both DBs up, keep one side locked out, and then complete 8 reps on the other side then switch. After the second arms set of 8 reps, switch roles again and complete 5 reps on the first side then switch roles again, then finally do the same for 3 reps on each side. Per usual, take a couple warmup sets to understand the flow of the sets as well as establish a weight that’ll be appropriate for 16 reps each side. The chest and arm burning should kick in about midway through the 5 rep portion of the ladder and from there hold on. Once you’ve found the right weight, complete 3 total rounds with 2-3 minutes of rest between sets.
Finisher
2 Rounds
Supine Supinated Raise (Super Press) Negative till Failure
As many unbroken push-ups as possible
To put the cherry on top of this session, you’ll complete some till-failure work. Till failure work is one of the three ways we can affect change in our muscles and the most applicable one to everyday training. The Super Press video demo is on the Space Program, but for the negative till failure, raise both DBs above you, slightly break the lockout feeling by bending at the elbow slightly, and bring the DBs down towards the floor as slowly as you possibly can. Eventually, you’ll hit a range of motion in your shoulders at which that bottoming out feeling will simply just happen but resist for as long as you can before that happens. Then chase this with as many push-ups as you can without breaking. Rest for 1-2 minutes then complete once more to round out this session.
