Our Next Progression: 4.20.26–6.13.26
From April 20 through June 13, we’re kicking off a brand-new 8‑week progression that blends focused strength work, weekly gymnastics practice, and structured Murph prep. This block is designed to help you show up to Memorial Day Murph feeling strong, confident, and ready, while also building skills you’ll use all year long.
What to Expect Each Week
Across this cycle, you’ll see a consistent structure so you know what you’re walking into and what you’re building toward each week.
- Dedicated strength work anchored in classic barbell lifts to drive full-body strength and stamina.
- Weekly gymnastics sessions that alternate between handstand work and rope climbs, giving you time to refine skills and build capacity without feeling overwhelmed.
- Progressive Murph prep pieces to build volume in running, push‑ups, pull‑ups (or scaling options), and squats ahead of Memorial Day.
Think of this as a “layered” cycle: your strength, gymnastics, and conditioning won’t live in separate silos—each week they’ll support each other so you’re improving across the board, not just in one area.
Strength Focus: Stronger for Everything
The strength portion of this progression will revolve around big, foundational lifts that carry over to both daily life and your performance in workouts like Murph. Expect a mix of:
- Main lifts to build absolute strength (Snatches, Clean and Jerks, Back Squat, Deadlifts and Bench Press) programmed in a way that lets you see clear progress week to week.
- Higher‑rep sets and accessory work sprinkled in to build muscular endurance for bigger sets of push‑ups, squats, and pulling.
The goal isn’t just to chase one‑rep maxes; it’s to give you the strength base to handle higher volume under fatigue with better positions and less breakdown.
Gymnastics: Handstands and Rope Climbs
Our gymnastics work this cycle will alternate weekly between handstand-focused sessions and rope-climb sessions.
- Handstand weeks: You’ll see drills that meet you where you are! Everything from wall-supported holds and shoulder-tap progressions to handstand walking practice for more advanced athletes.
- Rope-climb weeks: Expect focused technique work (footwork, body position, efficient pulling) plus strength-building variations like rope pulls or lower‑rope climbs if you’re still working toward your first full ascent.
By alternating weeks, you’ll have enough exposure to improve, but also enough time to recover and let things “click” between sessions.
Murph Prep: Building Up the Right Way
We’ll also be layering in Murph prep throughout this progression so Memorial Day doesn’t sneak up on you. You’ll see:
- Weekly Murph-inspired conditioning pieces that build volume in running, push‑ups, pull‑ups (or ring rows/banded options), and air squats.
- Smart progressions that increase total work while protecting your shoulders, elbows, and knees with appropriate scaling and coaching.
Whether Murph is a bucket-list goal, a yearly tradition, or something you’ll scale for the first time, this cycle is designed to help you approach it with a plan instead of just gritting your teeth and hoping for the best.
How to Get the Most Out of This Cycle
A few tips to help you make the most of these 8 weeks:
- Show up consistently, especially on days with strength and gymnastics pieces—those add up week after week.
- Pick one or two key skills (like tighter handstand position or cleaner rope footwork) and commit to improving them over the whole cycle.
- Be honest with scaling, particularly in Murph prep; building good reps at the right level now will serve you much better than “surviving” ugly reps at a too‑hard option.
We’re pumped to run this progression with you and to see how your strength, skills, and confidence grow between now and mid‑June.