How To Progress Conditioning Workouts

How To Progress Conditioning Workouts

By Sarah Rippel

Author of “Home Program Design Mastery,” “The Ultimate Group Training System,” “Build ‘N Burn 2.0,” & “Build ‘N Burn”

We often talk about how to progress our clients with regard to strength programming, but progression with regard to conditioning is not discussed nearly as often!

If you have a background in endurance training like I do, then you understand the importance of building progression across the weeks leading up to a competitive event. Not unlike strength progression, there needs to be a stimulus that induces a training effect without going overboard.

If we are talking running, for example, the total distance in a training plan should not increase by more than 10% per week. There are other things that are involved with the periodization of training, of course, but that’s a huge rule of thumb when designing a training plan!

Progressing a client’s conditioning in the gym setting is relatively straightforward if we are talking about “cardio” activities such as the rower, bike, and of course walking or running.

How do we go about creating progression with metabolic conditioning circuits?

Here are a few examples to help illustrate several ways in which progression can be implemented across a three-week block!

ADD A ROUND EACH WEEK

WEEK 1

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

3 Rounds:
1) Rope Single-Strand Slam x 20
2) Hand-Over-Hand Sled Pull x 10yds
3) Sled Push x 10yds
4) Farmer Carry x 20yds
5) Row x 500m (increase pace each round)

4 Rounds:

1) Rope Single-Strand Slam x 20
2) Hand-Over-Hand Sled Pull x 10yds
3) Sled Push x 10yds
4) Farmer Carry x 20yds
5) Row x 500m (increase pace each round)

5 Rounds:

1) Rope Single-Strand Slam x 25
2) Hand-Over-Hand Sled Pull x 10yds
3) Sled Push x 10yds
4) Farmer Carry x 20yds
5) Row x 500m (increase pace each round)

In this progression, everything is kept the same, but an additional round is added per week. This is a simple example of increasing the volume of work over time. There should be no need to take rest breaks between the exercises. Transitioning from one to the next while taking a few deep breaths should be sufficient! The goal is to work at a sustainable pace in week 1, then hold that same pace in the following weeks.

INCREASE THE REPS EACH WEEK

WEEK 1

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

3 Rounds:
1) Rope Single-Strand Slam x 20
2) Hand-Over-Hand Sled Pull x 10yds
3) Sled Push x 10yds
4) Farmer Carry x 20yds
5) Row x 500m (increase pace each round)

3 Rounds:

1) Rope Single-Strand Slam x 20-25
2) Hand-Over-Hand Sled Pull x 10-15yds
3) Sled Push x 10-15yds
4) Farmer Carry x 20-30yds
5) Row x 500m (increase pace each round based on last week)

3 Rounds:

1) Rope Single-Strand Slam x 25
2) Hand-Over-Hand Sled Pull x 15-20yds
3) Sled Push x 15-20yds
4) Farmer Carry x 30-40yds
5) Row x 500m (increase pace each round, again based on last week!)

In this progression, the exercises are kept the same. In addition, three rounds of the circuit are performed each week, and the volume of rowing is kept constant. The reps or distance of the other exercises are increased across the weeks. As with the previous example, there should be no need to take rest breaks between the exercises. Transitioning from one to the next while taking a few deep breaths should be sufficient! Prescribing a set rest break at the end of each round (~20-30 seconds) or between exercises (~5-10 seconds) may be necessary to help those who do not have a good grasp of pacing be able to perform sustainable work!

INCREASE THE INTENSITY & ROUNDS EACH WEEK

WEEK 1

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

3 Rounds:
1) Rope Single-Strand Slam x 20
2) Hand-Over-Hand Sled Pull x 10yds
3) Sled Push x 10yds
4) Farmer Carry x 20yds
5) Row x 500m

*All at moderate pace

4 Rounds:

1) Rope Single-Strand Slam x 20
2) Hand-Over-Hand Sled Pull x 10yds
3) Sled Push x 10yds
4) Farmer Carry x 20yds
5) Row x 500m (start @ pace from last week & increase slightly each round)

5 Rounds:

1) Rope Single-Strand Slam x 20
2) Hand-Over-Hand Sled Pull x 10yds
3) Sled Push x 10yds
4) Farmer Carry x 20yds
5) Row x 500m (start @ a pace 5-10sec slower than final round last week & either maintain or increase each round)

In this progression, week one allows the exerciser to perform the workout at a moderate pace. People who tend to go too hard may need to be told to hold back, as the goal is not to “sprint” each exercise but to perform it at 70-80% of that intensity. In week two, they will be able to kick things up a notch by increasing the row pace across each round. In week three the final row pace from week two will be used to set the intensity, with the option of holding that pace or building across each round. As with the previous example, the use of a set rest break at the end of each round (~20-30 seconds) may be necessary to keep people moving at a sustainable pace!

Video Links:

Rope Single-Strand Slam (https://youtu.be/kQqYoMw5YsA)

Hand-Over-Hand Sled Pull (https://youtu.be/RKbMtfQJIPo)

Sled Push (https://youtu.be/jwPknsEwKb4)

Farmer Carry (https://youtu.be/yoa4sJ9nL90)

Rowing (https://youtu.be/U8D31wwb4wo)

Stay tuned for Part 2 where I go over a few more examples of Progressing Conditioning Workouts

——————————

Check out top level programming by Sarah Rippel :

Home Program Design Mastery plus Done for You programs,templates and more!