13-Week Super Total & 5K Macrocycle Overview

Context & Purpose

  • The Open preseason and season emphasize metabolic efficiency, work capacity, and skill/strength adaptation under fatigue.

  • To better manage fatigue and prepare for the Super Total & 5K cycle, we introduced a three-week technical primer on Oly lifts and a 6-week hypertrophy cycle for the power lifts.

  • This early technical and building focus allowed us to refine movement quality and build capacity so we can start the cycle with better preparedness.

Progressive & Integrated Approach

  • Rather than rebuilding all components (base strength, hypertrophy, technique, movement quality, and running) post-Open, we spread them out over a longer timeline.

  • This balanced approach ensures better load management and increases the likelihood for sustainable progress.

  • Current cycle standing:

    • Performance Athletes: Entering Week 4 of 16

    • Fitness Athletes: Entering Week 6 of 18

Athlete-Specific Preparations

  • Performance Athletes:

    • Completing the first 4-week technical block, testing snatch and clean & jerk triples.

  • Fitness Athletes:

    • Completing a 6-week hypertrophy cycle, culminating in:

      • Heavy deadlift singles this week

      • Back squat 5RM attempt next week

Cycle Goals & Outcomes

  1. Increase base strength & hypertrophy

  2. Refine technical capacity of core lifts

  3. Improve movement quality with more unilateral work & tempo work

  4. Peak core lifts for the Super Total

  5. Build running capacity up to a 5K

 Performance Strength

  • Oly

    • Split jerk

      • Focus | Find those feet and vertical bar path  

      • Macro 2 (55-75% 1RM)

        • Jerk balance + split jerk  

      • Macro 3 (70-85% 1RM)

        • BTN jerk + split jerk  

      • Macro 4 (75-90% 1RM)

        • Push press + jerk or as a clean & jerk complex

      • 8-week Push Press progression coinciding with Macro 2 & 3

      • Each cycle concludes with heavy triples, doubles or singles

    • Snatch

      • Focus | Bar path and overhead stability     

        • Macro 1 (65-75% 1RM)

          • Segment power snatch + snatch balance

        • Macro 2 (70-85% 1RM)

          • Snatch high pull + floating snatch + OHS

        • Macro 3 (75-90% 1RM)

          • Snatch pull + snatch + snatch balance   

        • Macro 4 | Heavy singles or EMOMs

        • Each cycle concludes with heavy triples, doubles, or singles

    • Clean     

      • Focus | Bar-path, first pull, and turnover

        • Macro 1 (70-80% 1RM)

          • Segment power clean triples

        • Macro 2 (70-85% 1RM)

          • Clean pull + hang power clean + hang clean

        • Macro 3 (75-90% 1RM)

          • Segment power clean + clean

        • Macro 4 (75-90% 1RM)

          • Clean + front squat + jerk complex mixed with clean & jerk EMOM

        • Each cycle concludes with heavy triples, doubles, or singles

Fitness Strength

  • Deadlift

    • Macro 1 (65-80% 1 RM)

      • TNG deadlifts with moderate volume, moderate intensity for hypertrophy stimulus and to repeat movement mechanics.

    • Macro 2

      • Deficit deadlifts mixed with heavy singles for technique

    • Macro 3

      • Clusters

  • Bench press

    • Macro 1

      • Pause bench press and moderate volume DB bench

    • Macro 2

      • Bench press building intensity

        • Week 1 – 4x4

        • Week 2 – 4x3

        • Week 3 – 4x2

        • Week 4 – Build to a heavy single

      • DB bench press increases intensity

    • Macro 3 (75-85% 1RM)

      • Heavy pause bench press

      • 3-5x5 DB bench press

    • Macro 4 (>85% 1RM)

      • Clusters

Back squat

  • Performance

    • Macro 1

      • BB back rack split squats

        • Moderate volume & load

    • Macro 2 (70%+ 1RM)

      • Pause back squats

    • Macro 3 (75-85% 1RM)

      • Back squat 5s, building to 5RM

    • Macro 4 (75-90% 1RM)

      • Back squat doubles and triples

  • Fitness

    • Macro 1

      • Volume build to 5RM

    • Macro 2

      • Mix of heavy triples and heavy pause triples

    • Macro 3

      • Back squat clusters

    • For athletes looking to pump up back squat numbers, the program is set up for you to back squat 2x/week if desired. Volume and intensity are balanced over the week between the two tracks so you won’t get obliterated under too much volume-load.

Conditioning

  • Running is back… huzzah! 🎉

  • We will gradually build capacity to avoid overloading tissues during the buildup.

  • Initial focus: 1x/week runs, progressing to 1-2 miles using various interval formats.

  • In the last six weeks, most weeks will include a run-only Metcon based on the popular Norwegian 4x4 model (4-minute hard efforts with 3-minute recovery).

  • Running will also be integrated into shorter Metcons to increase total running volume leading up to the 5K peak effort.

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