Warm-Up
General (7:00): 2 Rounds: 3:00 Easy Row or Bike (round 1), 200 m Easy Run (round 2) 10 Air Squats 10 Ring Rows 10 Scap Push-Ups 10 Band Pull-Aparts 8 Hollow Rocks Shoulder prep (3:00): 1 Round: 10 PVC Pass-Throughs 10 Wall Slides 8 Scap Pull-Ups 30 sec Front Rack Hold with PVC, ribs down Specific (10:00): 2 Rounds: 5 Strict Presses with PVC, glutes and abs squeezed 3 Strict Presses with an empty barbell (or light dumbbells), pausing 1 sec at the top with the head through Build the load (rest about 60 sec between sets): 3 Strict Presses at ~30% 3 Strict Presses at ~40% 2 Strict Presses at ~50% of your 3-rep max (stop here, the workout starts at 50-60%) Self-check: if your last warm-up set moved with no leg drive, no knee dip and no excessive lean-back, press the barbell for the Rx 3-rep build. If you needed your legs or your ribs flared, use the scaled 5-rep dumbbell press.
Coach's note: Primes the shoulders, triceps and upper back for the strict press, and the glutes and abs that keep your ribs down under the bar. The workout builds up to a heavy 3 over 8 sets, so we stop the warm-up at about 50%; if those reps felt crisp with no leg drive, do Rx, otherwise take the dumbbell version.
Overhead Ceiling
Build to a heavy 3-rep Strict Press Every 2:00 for 8 sets. Start around 50-60% of your 3-rep max and add weight each set while every rep stays strict, with no leg drive. Score = heaviest load for a set of 3.
Coach's note
- Stimulus
- Strength, not conditioning: 8 sets of 3 over 16 min, about 15 sec of work and 1:45 of rest. Sets 1-4 are warm-up; the last 3-4 sets decide your score. Heavy but strict, not grinders.
- Muscles
- Front and side delts, triceps and upper chest press; upper traps and serratus finish overhead; abs and glutes brace the torso. Delts and triceps fatigue most across 8 sets.
- Strategy
- Jump about 55, 62, 70, 78, 85, 92, 100% of 3RM. On set 8 add 2-5 lb only if set 7 was fast, otherwise repeat it. Glutes tight, ribs down, no knee dip. Stop adding if you lean back or the bar stalls.
- Scaling
- Use the 5-rep dumbbell version over the same 16 min: start light, add 5-10 lb total per set, top out at a hard but strict 5. Log total load. Press seated with back support if you lean or dip.
Cool-Down
3:00 Easy Bike or Walk Log your heaviest load for a set of 3 (or total dumbbell load for 5). Then: 1:00 Doorway Pec Stretch (each side) 1:00 Lat Stretch on the Rig or a Rack (each side) 1:00 Overhead Triceps Stretch (each arm) 1:30 Thoracic Extension over a Foam Roller 1:00 Lacrosse Ball on the Front Delt and Upper Trap (each side) 1:00 Child's Pose with arms reaching overhead
Coach's note: Today's work was all overhead pressing, so the front delts, pecs and triceps took the load; the doorway pec stretch and overhead triceps stretch go after those. The lat stretch and foam roller thoracic extension restore the overhead position your upper back had to hold under every heavy strict press.
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