Hi Friend,
Happy Saturday to you! How was your week?
We didn't go to Great Wolf Lodge and instead we had to reschedule it to a later date as Vivi came home from school sick on that Friday. We did however have a very active week and were here, there and everywhere. :-)
Now we're back. This email is early so print out your workout cards so you can track your progress in real time and practice PRE (progressive resistance overload), so you can set PR's (personal record's) every workout by doing:
Stimulus, Response & Adaptation
Your training time is a dedicated appointment with yourself. You're supported by a caring coach. You're surrounded by motivated people who are actively working towards their best selves. Your environment is set up for you to be successful, to make progress, to win and to get better.
Each workout, we use PRE, to provide a greater stimulus. It doesn't have to be a lot, just more than the last time. You respond to that stimulus by meeting it. And then you adapt and get better. Adaptation means goal. If the goal or adaptation you're working towards is to get faster, then you gotta run a little faster or do another rep or another set. If your goal or adaptation is to get stronger you've gotta do a more challenging skill level, use more resistance, do more reps / sets / rounds or move the resistance faster. If the goal or adaptation is to change your body composition, then it depends on if you're trying to add or subtract. Add muscle, then follow the strength goals and emphasize more calories / protein. If it's to subtract body fat, then follow the strength goals and emphasize fewer calories and more protein. If it's to see the scale go down, move more and eat less. If it's to see the scale go up, focus on getting stronger, doing less cardio and eat more.
Everyday you want to have Progressive Overload in your life so you can get 1% better each day. 1% better times 365 days is 37% better. That's a huge return. You'd take a 37% increase in your salary next year wouldn't you.
Make your PRE or Progressive Overload subtle so you can do it often and actually more than the last time. It's almost set it and forget. Almost because you do have to show up and try. Outside of that if you're doing 1% more every workout you'll fall into progress and good habits. You'll win. And this coming phase 3, plus 7 weeks straight will support you in this.
Phase 3 Links
Zoom Link
P3 Zoom Recordings Folder
extra pdf
virtual pdf
Stretch Only Video
Stretch pdf
Stretch & Sprint pdf
Phase 3 Overview
Q1 Themes: Weight Loss, Pillar Stability & Spring Sports Ready continue.
P3 Themes: Fast, Progressions & Peaking
Total DB Load stays 15-30% BW
Progressed Simple Movements
20:20 Interval Work Sets for Strength also Stays
Basic Planking Levels Get Progressed
Continue to Aim for Near Full Workouts From Day 1
Insider Trading
I'm keeping this headline from last phase as a reminder for you. Buy stock in you! Who do you want to be at the end of the year?
5 years from now what do you want to be able to do?
20 years from now when we all gather for an active adventure, what cool things should we be able to do? How awesome are we going to look in our matching outfits when we're adventuring or just playing pickle ball or how fancy will we look in our cocktail attire.
Work backwards from 20 years from now or 10 or 5 or at then end of this year. What do we need to do today, this week, this phase, in March and the rest of the year to keep working towards those visions you just imagined.
What will you say no to because it's not going to help you get there?
What will you say yes to because it does help you get there faster?
Progress the Program as you Progress
I'm keeping this headline from last phase too. If you didn't train this past week, then you might need a day or the week to get back on track. That's o.k. Last week's rest will support you in playing the long game of training for life and living an active lifestyle.
If you did train this past week, it's not going to hurt your long game because if you needed the rest you would have taken it, however it's going to help you short game immensely.
Either way, P3 is the peaking phase. We're heading towards how you finished 2023 if you were training with us, so if you haven't already tried leap frogging on exercises or sets or workouts, you may experience those opportunities this phase.
Progress the program as you progress means at any given moment in a workout if you think you can do more, go ahead and do it. Do a higher level for a set or more if you think you can do it. If you're not sure ask me. If you think you can, then you probably can. If you think you can't then you probably can't. Be in tune with yourself and if you see a leap frog opportunity, go for it. They come at the most random times.
5th Gear & 6th Gear.
Many times in my life I would be playing sports and/or running around with friends and all of a sudden another gear revealed itself. I didn't have this gear all the time, but sometimes it would show up and I could go faster. Even rarer would be when I was in top shape and I was playing and/or competing and I was going as fast as I could and then all of a sudden a 6th gear would reveal itself.
This is an analogy and metaphor to inspire you to be sensitive to opportunities to progress because you're showing up consistently, you're pursuing PR's and the 1% betters of Progressive Resistance Overload. If you notice the chance to leap frog and progress an exercise even if for only 1 set, go for it. If you think you can, you probably can!
Phase Progressions of a Quarter
1st phase
Generally speaking we go slower. Warm ups are simpler. You're learning a new routine. It can feel like a let down if you trained the previous phase, which was a peaking phase. If you're new it feels great because it more closely matches where you are.
2nd phase / 3rd phase
This feels a little better. The pace is quicker. The warm ups are a little more challenging and interesting. The movements progress, making it fresh and stimulating. You notice your progress. You do more work.
3rd phase / 4th phase
In most cases this is the peaking phase. The warm ups are layered. It requires your concentration. The concentration allows you to forget about home & work and get zeroed in on the movement and moment. The exercises are both fun and challenging. Your pace is fast. You can feel your progress and the workouts have your full attention. You want to meet the challenge and you feel rewarded by your efforts. If it's not exhilarating it's borderline exhilarating. Everyone loves the peaking phases.
Weekly Progressions
Week 1
Train as hard or as simple as you feel like on any given day. Progress as you feel ready on any given day. Feel good, have fun, get energized.
Week 2
You should be feeling even better than week 1 and ready to progress even more. Level up, add more weight and/or increase your resistance even if it's only 1 exercise, set or round. Keep training fast!
Week 3 / Week 4
If we got 4 rounds in either of the 1st 2 weeks you may be feeling a little tired and that's normal. Consider taking a step back with level, reps and/or resistance until you feel fresh again. If you feel fresh and/or when you feel fresh go for the reps I suggest and get your personal records.
Everyday is a great day to practice your nutrition habits and plan as it supports the person you want to become at the end of the year, in 5 years and 20 years from now. It's especially a great time to practice your nutrition habits & plan so you can perform at a high level in your workouts and recover faster from them so you can dominate life and be ready to perform at a high level again the next workout.
Make it count. Follow the plan. Have fun. Rinse & repeat.
Q1 Schedule: Jan 2 to March 15 (10 on, 1 off)
7 weeks straight to start the year
off New Year's Day (1/1), MLK Day (1/15), President's Day (2/19)
Empowerment Week (public school winter vacation): 2/17 to 2/25
3 weeks straight to finish the quarter
Phase 1: Jan 2 to Jan 26 (4 on, 0 off)
Phase 2: Jan 28 to Feb 16 (3 on, 1 off)
Phase 3: Feb 26 to Mar 15 (3 on, 0 off)
Weekend Workout Schedule
The next stretch & sprints are:
7:30-8:30am, Sun, 3/3: Stretch & Sprint @ MC
7:30-8:30am, Sun, 3/24: Stretch & Sprint @ MC
These are awesome in a myriad of ways. Your body feels great from the stretching. You feel energized from the sprinting and you feel connected from the social time. Plus sometimes people go to breakfast together afterwards. It's a great start to your Sundays.
