APRIL: Program Guide
Pull-ups might be one the hardest movements to work on (and it’s not your fault)…
Throw back to the days where action movies were big blockbuster hits and oiled up movie stars would bust out a million pull-ups like they we’re nothing.
It gave me this ill-informed impression that pull-ups and bodyweight exercises in general were simple, easy and that if I couldn’t perform them, I wasn’t very strong at all…
Oh how wrong I was!
Not only are bodyweight exercises some of the most the challenging movements in the strength world…
They’re also one of the misunderstood group of movements by athletes and coaches alike 🫣
Let me explain….
Weights vs. bodyweight training
Lifting weights vs. bodyweight training can feel like two completely different worlds.
In fact, they’re often presented in a polarising fashion (further pushing this misconception).
However, when we look at the actual training methods, techniques and principles at play, there are a lot of similarities in how we progress both.
The main difference I see in the gym, is not how we train but how we program for each modality.
Barbell and Kettlebell programming is fairly straight forward. To make things easier or harder:
We can shift the amount of reps
The amount of work done in a certain period
And most conviently, how heavy the weights are…
This can all be done without changing our technique, making for some quick skill improvements as we work our way through a session.
However, with bodyweight training, we’re unable to change how heavy or light our bodies are (without cutting limbs off of course) making regressing something like a chin-up somewhat challenging.
Instead of changing the weight in a traditional sense, we have to change the movement entirely!
This makes for some creative programming (rather than just adding weight on to the bar).
And it could the reason why your not progressing with your bodyweight lifts!
Keep reading below to see what this looks like in practice and to see what’s coming up in our group classes!
The Program
New cycle, new focus. This time we’re exploring our bodyweight lifts, in particular, we’re chasing down your first chin-up!
Here’s the key movement groups in our next program:
High value chin-up/ pull-up movements
Direct Ab work
KB Snatches
and Kettlebell complexes
Below is what the full program at Valkyrie Gym will look like over the next few weeks👇
Keep reading for the breakdown…
Have a geez at our coaches copy of the program above!
As per usual, check out the TL;DR version below.
The Plan:
Main Training Days:Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Movements: Ring row sit-backs, Jack-knife chin-ups, KB rows, KB snatches and hollow hold practice (ab work).
Kettlebell Sizes: Unlike traditional weight training, finding the correct chin-up “movement” is what we’ll be focusing on. Our coaches will be here to help you in class. As for snatches you’ll be safe with a 15-25RM bell size
Optimal Training Dose: Chin-ups 👏 love 👏 frequency 👏 . Get to as many M/W/F training days as you can to progress your chin-ups and snatches the most + add in a variety day or KB training day to address general health goals!
What Success Looks like:
Increasing the challenge on your chin-up variant
Increasing the amount of “good” reps you can complete with this variant
Increasing the “accessibility” of the movement
Increasing the quality of the movement
Testing Days: Opportunistically, we’ll be asking you to test every couple of weeks to track your progress
Work-Ons: Lots of mobility here, this program touches nearly everything!
Hugo’s Bonus Pro Tips:
“Bodyweight stuff feels different, and thus, we need to track it differently. We can’t just validate our hard work with a new 5kg PR so look for improvements with your technique, quality of movement and how accessible it feels. These are the big wins”
“Snatches are demanding. And the best progress can be made with the correct progression. Listen the coaches on deck about which progression of this movement is the best for you!”
“If you can’t make the suggested training dose, you’re still a good person. Work on your health basics until you’re ready to dive in. One session a week is still a vast improvement than none!”
“Nothing beats personalised coaching, ask the coach on deck what the best strategy is for you to progress with your workouts week-to-week, they’ll be happy to talk your ear off about it if you give em’ a chance.”
Q2: C1 Program Checklist:
Organise your schedule ahead of the next 3 weeks to hit your desired training days.
Book in your classes on our booking App or on the website (timetable here).
Lock in your training weights as per the guide (grab a cheap training journal whilst your at it)
Dial in your skills and hit those PRs by attending our dedicated Pull-up and Snatch Workshops (date TBD) (workshop booking here).
Get some juicy gains!
Not a member yet but want to give our program a go? Jump into our trial offer and get your hands dirty!
