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Why set time caps in workouts?
It's all about intensity
Ever wondered why we set time caps to workouts? Is it just a number your coaches pick out of thin air to ensure an adequate time frame to suffer for? Not quite.
There are actually a number of factors at play when determining a workout’s time frame. Firstly, the intended stimulus is the first port of call when designing each workout.
Does the coach want it to be a fast-paced, intense workout or do we want you to be lifting heavy weights that are going to slow you down and force you to take longer breaks? These could be in the forms of AMRAPS or rounds for time. Another workout option is a longer conditioning piece at a decreased intensity due to the volume of work required over the time domain. This could be in the form of an EMOM.
Regardless of AMRAP, RFT or EMOMs, time caps within each modality provide you with a guideline as to setting your pace to complete the prescribed work. With this in mind, your aim shouldn’t always be to Rx the workout, but to find modifications and weights that require effort, but allow you to complete the workout while working on your current skill set.
Remember,“Rx” means doing the workout at the prescribed weight/height, for the prescribed number of reps, to the full movement standard. Any workout that is completed otherwise is considered a scaled or modified. Remember, there is nothing wrong with completing it as such. In fact, if you are able to modify the workout to get the correct “dose-response,” then you are way ahead of those who simply try to go as close to Rx as possible without considering the workouts intent. Not sure how to do this? Simply ask your coach to help.
So, let's apply the above to a workout
Complete 10 rounds for time:
3 Barbell clean & jerks 5 Burpees over the bar
Rx - 80/55kg
Time cap for this workout is 10 minutes
To start, think about this; What’s really more important in the workout: the load, volume or intensity? In this workout, volume and intensity are the keys, and the weight (load) is a means to an end. This is going to be a super fast workout, with short, planned breaks.
The aim is to complete 10 rounds of 3 clean and jerks and 5 burpees over the bar in 10 minutes. Based on the time cap you would need to complete a round every 60 seconds. The burpees over the bar should be completed within 20-25 seconds. Here is the crunch point though, picking the right weight to use for the clean and jerks.
Knowing your 1-rep clean and jerk max it's always helpful. For instance, if you know that on a good day you can clean and jerk 100kg, then 80kg in this workout equates to 80%of your 1-rep max. Does 30 reps at that weight plus 50 burpees all within 10 minutes sound doable? If your weight selection only allows you to get through 6 rounds of work when 10 are required, then you are missing out on 40%of the workout. As coaches, we don’t expect you to finish every workout but we want your weight choices to get you as close to the finish line as possible.
If you choose weights that require 30-60 seconds of rest when it is a conditioning workout, you’re better off saving that weight for a workout dedicated to building strength and power.
In an ideal scenario, you should complete the workout under the required time cap while still using loads and movements that are going to challenge you. It might not always happen this way, but everyday is a school day when it comes to how you approach a workout.
Completing the workout, your forearms are pumped, your lungs feel like they are going to burst and you feel a real sense of accomplishment in getting that done.
Reasons for a time cap:
It's all about intensity. Putting a time cap on a workout forces you to ramp up your intensity so that you get the intended benefit/stimulus of the workout. Let’s take the workout Fran, everyone knows Fran. A workout of 21-15-9 Thrusters and Pull-Ups, this a sprint and should be completed in under 8 minutes. If you’re taking too long to finish the workout then you’re not getting the required stimulus of the workout. You’re probably resting more than you are working and therefore not getting much “intensity”.
Modify your workout, make the intensity relative. Time capped workouts force you to scale/modify the movements or weights to an appropriate load or volume that will allow you to finish the workout in the intended time and thereby achieving intended stimulus. Of course you might be able to do the Rx weight or movement for a handful of reps but you would not be able to complete the workout with that amount of volume. So then you should scale the Rx weight or movements so that you finish the workout in the allotted time or quicker. Therefore achieving the intended stimulus of the workout and feeling exactly the same as everyone in the room.
The workouts are programmed for specific loads, volume and intensity not just with that session in mind but with what the rest of the week looks like. We calculate the intensity by the amount of time we expect the workout to take with the ability to change. What it comes down to is what we are trying to achieve in the workout and how we want you to feel during and after the workout. Some workouts are designed to take 45-60 minutes (like Murph) and others less than 8 minutes (like Fran). Those workouts with a smaller amount of time required to complete the workout generally mean you will be working at a greater intensity than the longer sessions.
Your goal in every work should be to complete it.
Keep it simple, put a process in place that you know is going to be achievable and that you can maintain. Then get after it.
Connect with Andy:
ENGINE
Double Mikko’s Triangle. We’re doubling the time and aiming to double the calories. Can you match your pace and hold on?
GYMNASTICS
Tuesday morning, we're diving into all things handstand push-ups with both strict and kipping variations, plus some fun progressions to challenge your upside-down game. Expect overhead strength work and spicy core finishers, too.
Toes-to-bar will take centre stage on Thursday evening with drills on the low bar and rig to sharpen your skills. Then we’ll move on to capacity work before wrapping it up with core and lat work to boost strength, control, and coordination.
HYROX
Build the Upper body strength you need for HYROX with a focus on sled pulls, farmers carries, push-ups (to power through your burpees), push presses (for stronger wall balls) and SkiErg conditioning.
MOBILITY
We have been quite dominant with mobility for the lower body; per request, we will stick with the flows, but make sure we hit the upper body harder this weekend. This session will be aimed towards the people that have shoulder niggles.
PURE STRENGTH
This week's pure strength session marks the start of the deadlift cycle, following high-volume RDLS. We also have some heavy box squats and volume reps to finish up on Monday. On Wednesday, we will start a paused bench press progression, incorporating some overhead presses and barbell rows as accessories.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting, we are focusing on developing the split jerk technique. Followed by a classic complex of clean + front squat + jerk.
Monday Ride
A ride dedicated to group riding skills and some fitness. Coach Rob Foster leads this ride, if you'd like to join email Rob Foster
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner. We start together, run hard then finish together and chat about it over a coffee and breakfast.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday - Long Ride
Our weekly endurance ride.
Please email Rob Foster for more details.
Time: 05:59 am
Location: Bottom of the Stick, Al Qudra.
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Tempo
This week will be dialling into that Tempo effort (7/10 RPE) for 8 mins blocks. You will take a 3 min recovery after each block and repeat the sequence 3x.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. This week we will be running 200s and 600s at 3km and 5km pace. We will help you identify the best pace group for your ability at the session.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
Today we have intervals in the morning and evening. We will be running1km at effort, into 4 x 400s and then back to 1km of effort. Push hard on the 400s, these should be a 9/10 RPE.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be running
10X
1min @ 9/10; 1min @ 3/10
5mins easy jog
then,
4X
4mins @ 7/10; 1min @ 1/10 (easy jog/walking)
Coffee post session at Common Grounds at 7am.
Monday:
We start the week with some single-leg deadlifts into a power clean front squat complex, followed by a leg-focused workout that is sure to set the tone for the week.
Strength:
A) Every 2:30 x 5 6/6 Single Leg Deadlift
B) Every 90secs x 5 2 power clean + 2 front squat
Conditioning:
17min AMRAP
3 Power Clean (60/40)
6 Front Squat
9 Box Jump
Tuesday:
On Tuesday, it's all about push and pull in the strength work, with pull-ups, bench press, gorilla rows, and some static overhead strength.
Strength:
A) EMOM x 6 - 15-20 sec UB kipping pull-ups
B) Alt EMOM x 10 - 8 DB Bench Press / 12 Alt Gorilla Row
C) Alt EMOM x 9 -M1 - 30 Sec Dual KB OH / 30 sec hollow hold / 30 sec arch hold/rock
Conditioning:
4 rounds for time:
16 Alt KB STOH
1 Lap Car Park Farmers Carry
10 Burpees Over KB
30 Double Unders
Wednesday:
On Wednesday, we will start with some heavy squats, followed by work on both the GHD hip extension and the GHD sit-up, and then a tough interval workout.
Strength:
A) Every 2 mins x 6 - 3 2 2 1 1 back squat + 1 set AMRAP @ 80% of top single
B) Alt EMOM x 12 - 5/10 GHD Sit Ups / 30 sec Pallof Press L&R / 10-15 Hip Extensions
Conditioning
In a 3-minute window:
15 TTB
30 wall balls
AMRAP cal row
Rest 2 mins x 3
Thursday:
On Thursday, we have some bodybuilding in the strength work, followed by a real test of grip and capacity in the workout with high-volume dumbbell snatches.
Strength:
A) Every 2 mins x 5 6/6 DB Strict Press
B) Alt EMOM x 9 - 30 sec banded tricep extension / 15-20 DB Lateral Raise / 15-20 Barbell Bicep Curls
Conditioning:
For time:
120 DB Hang Snatch
Every 3 mins
15/12 Cal Assualt Bike
10 Hand Release Push Ups
Friday:
Finally, we conclude the week with an awesome partner workout that combines aerobic work with strongman exercises.
Strength:
EMOM x 5 6 Sandbag Over Bar
Conditioning:
In Pairs for Time:
800m run together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
100 Cal Ski
Park Run Together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
80 Cal Ski
Half Park Run Together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
60 Cal Ski
Car Park Run (Together)
20 Sandbag Over Bar
40 Cal Ski
Ever wondered why we set time caps to workouts? Is it just a number your coaches pick out of thin air to ensure an adequate time frame to suffer for? Not quite.
There are actually a number of factors at play when determining a workout’s time frame. Firstly, the intended stimulus is the first port of call when designing each workout.
Does the coach want it to be a fast-paced, intense workout or do we want you to be lifting heavy weights that are going to slow you down and force you to take longer breaks? These could be in the forms of AMRAPS or rounds for time. Another workout option is a longer conditioning piece at a decreased intensity due to the volume of work required over the time domain. This could be in the form of an EMOM.
Regardless of AMRAP, RFT or EMOMs, time caps within each modality provide you with a guideline as to setting your pace to complete the prescribed work. With this in mind, your aim shouldn’t always be to Rx the workout, but to find modifications and weights that require effort, but allow you to complete the workout while working on your current skill set.
Remember,“Rx” means doing the workout at the prescribed weight/height, for the prescribed number of reps, to the full movement standard. Any workout that is completed otherwise is considered a scaled or modified. Remember, there is nothing wrong with completing it as such. In fact, if you are able to modify the workout to get the correct “dose-response,” then you are way ahead of those who simply try to go as close to Rx as possible without considering the workouts intent. Not sure how to do this? Simply ask your coach to help.
So, let's apply the above to a workout
Complete 10 rounds for time:
3 Barbell clean & jerks 5 Burpees over the bar
Rx - 80/55kg
Time cap for this workout is 10 minutes
To start, think about this; What’s really more important in the workout: the load, volume or intensity? In this workout, volume and intensity are the keys, and the weight (load) is a means to an end. This is going to be a super fast workout, with short, planned breaks.
The aim is to complete 10 rounds of 3 clean and jerks and 5 burpees over the bar in 10 minutes. Based on the time cap you would need to complete a round every 60 seconds. The burpees over the bar should be completed within 20-25 seconds. Here is the crunch point though, picking the right weight to use for the clean and jerks.
Knowing your 1-rep clean and jerk max it's always helpful. For instance, if you know that on a good day you can clean and jerk 100kg, then 80kg in this workout equates to 80%of your 1-rep max. Does 30 reps at that weight plus 50 burpees all within 10 minutes sound doable? If your weight selection only allows you to get through 6 rounds of work when 10 are required, then you are missing out on 40%of the workout. As coaches, we don’t expect you to finish every workout but we want your weight choices to get you as close to the finish line as possible.
If you choose weights that require 30-60 seconds of rest when it is a conditioning workout, you’re better off saving that weight for a workout dedicated to building strength and power.
In an ideal scenario, you should complete the workout under the required time cap while still using loads and movements that are going to challenge you. It might not always happen this way, but everyday is a school day when it comes to how you approach a workout.
Completing the workout, your forearms are pumped, your lungs feel like they are going to burst and you feel a real sense of accomplishment in getting that done.
Reasons for a time cap:
It's all about intensity. Putting a time cap on a workout forces you to ramp up your intensity so that you get the intended benefit/stimulus of the workout. Let’s take the workout Fran, everyone knows Fran. A workout of 21-15-9 Thrusters and Pull-Ups, this a sprint and should be completed in under 8 minutes. If you’re taking too long to finish the workout then you’re not getting the required stimulus of the workout. You’re probably resting more than you are working and therefore not getting much “intensity”.
Modify your workout, make the intensity relative. Time capped workouts force you to scale/modify the movements or weights to an appropriate load or volume that will allow you to finish the workout in the intended time and thereby achieving intended stimulus. Of course you might be able to do the Rx weight or movement for a handful of reps but you would not be able to complete the workout with that amount of volume. So then you should scale the Rx weight or movements so that you finish the workout in the allotted time or quicker. Therefore achieving the intended stimulus of the workout and feeling exactly the same as everyone in the room.
The workouts are programmed for specific loads, volume and intensity not just with that session in mind but with what the rest of the week looks like. We calculate the intensity by the amount of time we expect the workout to take with the ability to change. What it comes down to is what we are trying to achieve in the workout and how we want you to feel during and after the workout. Some workouts are designed to take 45-60 minutes (like Murph) and others less than 8 minutes (like Fran). Those workouts with a smaller amount of time required to complete the workout generally mean you will be working at a greater intensity than the longer sessions.
Your goal in every work should be to complete it.
Keep it simple, put a process in place that you know is going to be achievable and that you can maintain. Then get after it.
Connect with Andy:
Monday Ride
A ride dedicated to group riding skills and some fitness. Coach Rob Foster leads this ride, if you'd like to join email Rob Foster
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner. We start together, run hard then finish together and chat about it over a coffee and breakfast.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday - Long Ride
Our weekly endurance ride.
Please email Rob Foster for more details.
Time: 05:59 am
Location: Bottom of the Stick, Al Qudra.
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Tempo
This week will be dialling into that Tempo effort (7/10 RPE) for 8 mins blocks. You will take a 3 min recovery after each block and repeat the sequence 3x.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. This week we will be running 200s and 600s at 3km and 5km pace. We will help you identify the best pace group for your ability at the session.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
Today we have intervals in the morning and evening. We will be running1km at effort, into 4 x 400s and then back to 1km of effort. Push hard on the 400s, these should be a 9/10 RPE.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be running
10X
1min @ 9/10; 1min @ 3/10
5mins easy jog
then,
4X
4mins @ 7/10; 1min @ 1/10 (easy jog/walking)
Coffee post session at Common Grounds at 7am.
Monday:
We start the week with some single-leg deadlifts into a power clean front squat complex, followed by a leg-focused workout that is sure to set the tone for the week.
Strength:
A) Every 2:30 x 5 6/6 Single Leg Deadlift
B) Every 90secs x 5 2 power clean + 2 front squat
Conditioning:
17min AMRAP
3 Power Clean (60/40)
6 Front Squat
9 Box Jump
Tuesday:
On Tuesday, it's all about push and pull in the strength work, with pull-ups, bench press, gorilla rows, and some static overhead strength.
Strength:
A) EMOM x 6 - 15-20 sec UB kipping pull-ups
B) Alt EMOM x 10 - 8 DB Bench Press / 12 Alt Gorilla Row
C) Alt EMOM x 9 -M1 - 30 Sec Dual KB OH / 30 sec hollow hold / 30 sec arch hold/rock
Conditioning:
4 rounds for time:
16 Alt KB STOH
1 Lap Car Park Farmers Carry
10 Burpees Over KB
30 Double Unders
Wednesday:
On Wednesday, we will start with some heavy squats, followed by work on both the GHD hip extension and the GHD sit-up, and then a tough interval workout.
Strength:
A) Every 2 mins x 6 - 3 2 2 1 1 back squat + 1 set AMRAP @ 80% of top single
B) Alt EMOM x 12 - 5/10 GHD Sit Ups / 30 sec Pallof Press L&R / 10-15 Hip Extensions
Conditioning
In a 3-minute window:
15 TTB
30 wall balls
AMRAP cal row
Rest 2 mins x 3
Thursday:
On Thursday, we have some bodybuilding in the strength work, followed by a real test of grip and capacity in the workout with high-volume dumbbell snatches.
Strength:
A) Every 2 mins x 5 6/6 DB Strict Press
B) Alt EMOM x 9 - 30 sec banded tricep extension / 15-20 DB Lateral Raise / 15-20 Barbell Bicep Curls
Conditioning:
For time:
120 DB Hang Snatch
Every 3 mins
15/12 Cal Assualt Bike
10 Hand Release Push Ups
Friday:
Finally, we conclude the week with an awesome partner workout that combines aerobic work with strongman exercises.
Strength:
EMOM x 5 6 Sandbag Over Bar
Conditioning:
In Pairs for Time:
800m run together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
100 Cal Ski
Park Run Together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
80 Cal Ski
Half Park Run Together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
60 Cal Ski
Car Park Run (Together)
20 Sandbag Over Bar
40 Cal Ski
ENGINE
Double Mikko’s Triangle. We’re doubling the time and aiming to double the calories. Can you match your pace and hold on?
GYMNASTICS
Tuesday morning, we're diving into all things handstand push-ups with both strict and kipping variations, plus some fun progressions to challenge your upside-down game. Expect overhead strength work and spicy core finishers, too.
Toes-to-bar will take centre stage on Thursday evening with drills on the low bar and rig to sharpen your skills. Then we’ll move on to capacity work before wrapping it up with core and lat work to boost strength, control, and coordination.
HYROX
Build the Upper body strength you need for HYROX with a focus on sled pulls, farmers carries, push-ups (to power through your burpees), push presses (for stronger wall balls) and SkiErg conditioning.
MOBILITY
We have been quite dominant with mobility for the lower body; per request, we will stick with the flows, but make sure we hit the upper body harder this weekend. This session will be aimed towards the people that have shoulder niggles.
PURE STRENGTH
This week's pure strength session marks the start of the deadlift cycle, following high-volume RDLS. We also have some heavy box squats and volume reps to finish up on Monday. On Wednesday, we will start a paused bench press progression, incorporating some overhead presses and barbell rows as accessories.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting, we are focusing on developing the split jerk technique. Followed by a classic complex of clean + front squat + jerk.
Ever wondered why we set time caps to workouts? Is it just a number your coaches pick out of thin air to ensure an adequate time frame to suffer for? Not quite.
There are actually a number of factors at play when determining a workout’s time frame. Firstly, the intended stimulus is the first port of call when designing each workout.
Does the coach want it to be a fast-paced, intense workout or do we want you to be lifting heavy weights that are going to slow you down and force you to take longer breaks? These could be in the forms of AMRAPS or rounds for time. Another workout option is a longer conditioning piece at a decreased intensity due to the volume of work required over the time domain. This could be in the form of an EMOM.
Regardless of AMRAP, RFT or EMOMs, time caps within each modality provide you with a guideline as to setting your pace to complete the prescribed work. With this in mind, your aim shouldn’t always be to Rx the workout, but to find modifications and weights that require effort, but allow you to complete the workout while working on your current skill set.
Remember,“Rx” means doing the workout at the prescribed weight/height, for the prescribed number of reps, to the full movement standard. Any workout that is completed otherwise is considered a scaled or modified. Remember, there is nothing wrong with completing it as such. In fact, if you are able to modify the workout to get the correct “dose-response,” then you are way ahead of those who simply try to go as close to Rx as possible without considering the workouts intent. Not sure how to do this? Simply ask your coach to help.
So, let's apply the above to a workout
Complete 10 rounds for time:
3 Barbell clean & jerks 5 Burpees over the bar
Rx - 80/55kg
Time cap for this workout is 10 minutes
To start, think about this; What’s really more important in the workout: the load, volume or intensity? In this workout, volume and intensity are the keys, and the weight (load) is a means to an end. This is going to be a super fast workout, with short, planned breaks.
The aim is to complete 10 rounds of 3 clean and jerks and 5 burpees over the bar in 10 minutes. Based on the time cap you would need to complete a round every 60 seconds. The burpees over the bar should be completed within 20-25 seconds. Here is the crunch point though, picking the right weight to use for the clean and jerks.
Knowing your 1-rep clean and jerk max it's always helpful. For instance, if you know that on a good day you can clean and jerk 100kg, then 80kg in this workout equates to 80%of your 1-rep max. Does 30 reps at that weight plus 50 burpees all within 10 minutes sound doable? If your weight selection only allows you to get through 6 rounds of work when 10 are required, then you are missing out on 40%of the workout. As coaches, we don’t expect you to finish every workout but we want your weight choices to get you as close to the finish line as possible.
If you choose weights that require 30-60 seconds of rest when it is a conditioning workout, you’re better off saving that weight for a workout dedicated to building strength and power.
In an ideal scenario, you should complete the workout under the required time cap while still using loads and movements that are going to challenge you. It might not always happen this way, but everyday is a school day when it comes to how you approach a workout.
Completing the workout, your forearms are pumped, your lungs feel like they are going to burst and you feel a real sense of accomplishment in getting that done.
Reasons for a time cap:
It's all about intensity. Putting a time cap on a workout forces you to ramp up your intensity so that you get the intended benefit/stimulus of the workout. Let’s take the workout Fran, everyone knows Fran. A workout of 21-15-9 Thrusters and Pull-Ups, this a sprint and should be completed in under 8 minutes. If you’re taking too long to finish the workout then you’re not getting the required stimulus of the workout. You’re probably resting more than you are working and therefore not getting much “intensity”.
Modify your workout, make the intensity relative. Time capped workouts force you to scale/modify the movements or weights to an appropriate load or volume that will allow you to finish the workout in the intended time and thereby achieving intended stimulus. Of course you might be able to do the Rx weight or movement for a handful of reps but you would not be able to complete the workout with that amount of volume. So then you should scale the Rx weight or movements so that you finish the workout in the allotted time or quicker. Therefore achieving the intended stimulus of the workout and feeling exactly the same as everyone in the room.
The workouts are programmed for specific loads, volume and intensity not just with that session in mind but with what the rest of the week looks like. We calculate the intensity by the amount of time we expect the workout to take with the ability to change. What it comes down to is what we are trying to achieve in the workout and how we want you to feel during and after the workout. Some workouts are designed to take 45-60 minutes (like Murph) and others less than 8 minutes (like Fran). Those workouts with a smaller amount of time required to complete the workout generally mean you will be working at a greater intensity than the longer sessions.
Your goal in every work should be to complete it.
Keep it simple, put a process in place that you know is going to be achievable and that you can maintain. Then get after it.
Connect with Andy:
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Tempo
This week will be dialling into that Tempo effort (7/10 RPE) for 8 mins blocks. You will take a 3 min recovery after each block and repeat the sequence 3x.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. This week we will be running 200s and 600s at 3km and 5km pace. We will help you identify the best pace group for your ability at the session.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
Today we have intervals in the morning and evening. We will be running1km at effort, into 4 x 400s and then back to 1km of effort. Push hard on the 400s, these should be a 9/10 RPE.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be running
10X
1min @ 9/10; 1min @ 3/10
5mins easy jog
then,
4X
4mins @ 7/10; 1min @ 1/10 (easy jog/walking)
Coffee post session at Common Grounds at 7am.
Monday:
We start the week with some single-leg deadlifts into a power clean front squat complex, followed by a leg-focused workout that is sure to set the tone for the week.
Strength:
A) Every 2:30 x 5 6/6 Single Leg Deadlift
B) Every 90secs x 5 2 power clean + 2 front squat
Conditioning:
17min AMRAP
3 Power Clean (60/40)
6 Front Squat
9 Box Jump
Tuesday:
On Tuesday, it's all about push and pull in the strength work, with pull-ups, bench press, gorilla rows, and some static overhead strength.
Strength:
A) EMOM x 6 - 15-20 sec UB kipping pull-ups
B) Alt EMOM x 10 - 8 DB Bench Press / 12 Alt Gorilla Row
C) Alt EMOM x 9 -M1 - 30 Sec Dual KB OH / 30 sec hollow hold / 30 sec arch hold/rock
Conditioning:
4 rounds for time:
16 Alt KB STOH
1 Lap Car Park Farmers Carry
10 Burpees Over KB
30 Double Unders
Wednesday:
On Wednesday, we will start with some heavy squats, followed by work on both the GHD hip extension and the GHD sit-up, and then a tough interval workout.
Strength:
A) Every 2 mins x 6 - 3 2 2 1 1 back squat + 1 set AMRAP @ 80% of top single
B) Alt EMOM x 12 - 5/10 GHD Sit Ups / 30 sec Pallof Press L&R / 10-15 Hip Extensions
Conditioning
In a 3-minute window:
15 TTB
30 wall balls
AMRAP cal row
Rest 2 mins x 3
Thursday:
On Thursday, we have some bodybuilding in the strength work, followed by a real test of grip and capacity in the workout with high-volume dumbbell snatches.
Strength:
A) Every 2 mins x 5 6/6 DB Strict Press
B) Alt EMOM x 9 - 30 sec banded tricep extension / 15-20 DB Lateral Raise / 15-20 Barbell Bicep Curls
Conditioning:
For time:
120 DB Hang Snatch
Every 3 mins
15/12 Cal Assualt Bike
10 Hand Release Push Ups
Friday:
Finally, we conclude the week with an awesome partner workout that combines aerobic work with strongman exercises.
Strength:
EMOM x 5 6 Sandbag Over Bar
Conditioning:
In Pairs for Time:
800m run together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
100 Cal Ski
Park Run Together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
80 Cal Ski
Half Park Run Together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
60 Cal Ski
Car Park Run (Together)
20 Sandbag Over Bar
40 Cal Ski
ENGINE
Double Mikko’s Triangle. We’re doubling the time and aiming to double the calories. Can you match your pace and hold on?
GYMNASTICS
Tuesday morning, we're diving into all things handstand push-ups with both strict and kipping variations, plus some fun progressions to challenge your upside-down game. Expect overhead strength work and spicy core finishers, too.
Toes-to-bar will take centre stage on Thursday evening with drills on the low bar and rig to sharpen your skills. Then we’ll move on to capacity work before wrapping it up with core and lat work to boost strength, control, and coordination.
HYROX
Build the Upper body strength you need for HYROX with a focus on sled pulls, farmers carries, push-ups (to power through your burpees), push presses (for stronger wall balls) and SkiErg conditioning.
MOBILITY
We have been quite dominant with mobility for the lower body; per request, we will stick with the flows, but make sure we hit the upper body harder this weekend. This session will be aimed towards the people that have shoulder niggles.
PURE STRENGTH
This week's pure strength session marks the start of the deadlift cycle, following high-volume RDLS. We also have some heavy box squats and volume reps to finish up on Monday. On Wednesday, we will start a paused bench press progression, incorporating some overhead presses and barbell rows as accessories.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting, we are focusing on developing the split jerk technique. Followed by a classic complex of clean + front squat + jerk.
Monday Ride
A ride dedicated to group riding skills and some fitness. Coach Rob Foster leads this ride, if you'd like to join email Rob Foster
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner. We start together, run hard then finish together and chat about it over a coffee and breakfast.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday - Long Ride
Our weekly endurance ride.
Please email Rob Foster for more details.
Time: 05:59 am
Location: Bottom of the Stick, Al Qudra.
Ever wondered why we set time caps to workouts? Is it just a number your coaches pick out of thin air to ensure an adequate time frame to suffer for? Not quite.
There are actually a number of factors at play when determining a workout’s time frame. Firstly, the intended stimulus is the first port of call when designing each workout.
Does the coach want it to be a fast-paced, intense workout or do we want you to be lifting heavy weights that are going to slow you down and force you to take longer breaks? These could be in the forms of AMRAPS or rounds for time. Another workout option is a longer conditioning piece at a decreased intensity due to the volume of work required over the time domain. This could be in the form of an EMOM.
Regardless of AMRAP, RFT or EMOMs, time caps within each modality provide you with a guideline as to setting your pace to complete the prescribed work. With this in mind, your aim shouldn’t always be to Rx the workout, but to find modifications and weights that require effort, but allow you to complete the workout while working on your current skill set.
Remember,“Rx” means doing the workout at the prescribed weight/height, for the prescribed number of reps, to the full movement standard. Any workout that is completed otherwise is considered a scaled or modified. Remember, there is nothing wrong with completing it as such. In fact, if you are able to modify the workout to get the correct “dose-response,” then you are way ahead of those who simply try to go as close to Rx as possible without considering the workouts intent. Not sure how to do this? Simply ask your coach to help.
So, let's apply the above to a workout
Complete 10 rounds for time:
3 Barbell clean & jerks 5 Burpees over the bar
Rx - 80/55kg
Time cap for this workout is 10 minutes
To start, think about this; What’s really more important in the workout: the load, volume or intensity? In this workout, volume and intensity are the keys, and the weight (load) is a means to an end. This is going to be a super fast workout, with short, planned breaks.
The aim is to complete 10 rounds of 3 clean and jerks and 5 burpees over the bar in 10 minutes. Based on the time cap you would need to complete a round every 60 seconds. The burpees over the bar should be completed within 20-25 seconds. Here is the crunch point though, picking the right weight to use for the clean and jerks.
Knowing your 1-rep clean and jerk max it's always helpful. For instance, if you know that on a good day you can clean and jerk 100kg, then 80kg in this workout equates to 80%of your 1-rep max. Does 30 reps at that weight plus 50 burpees all within 10 minutes sound doable? If your weight selection only allows you to get through 6 rounds of work when 10 are required, then you are missing out on 40%of the workout. As coaches, we don’t expect you to finish every workout but we want your weight choices to get you as close to the finish line as possible.
If you choose weights that require 30-60 seconds of rest when it is a conditioning workout, you’re better off saving that weight for a workout dedicated to building strength and power.
In an ideal scenario, you should complete the workout under the required time cap while still using loads and movements that are going to challenge you. It might not always happen this way, but everyday is a school day when it comes to how you approach a workout.
Completing the workout, your forearms are pumped, your lungs feel like they are going to burst and you feel a real sense of accomplishment in getting that done.
Reasons for a time cap:
It's all about intensity. Putting a time cap on a workout forces you to ramp up your intensity so that you get the intended benefit/stimulus of the workout. Let’s take the workout Fran, everyone knows Fran. A workout of 21-15-9 Thrusters and Pull-Ups, this a sprint and should be completed in under 8 minutes. If you’re taking too long to finish the workout then you’re not getting the required stimulus of the workout. You’re probably resting more than you are working and therefore not getting much “intensity”.
Modify your workout, make the intensity relative. Time capped workouts force you to scale/modify the movements or weights to an appropriate load or volume that will allow you to finish the workout in the intended time and thereby achieving intended stimulus. Of course you might be able to do the Rx weight or movement for a handful of reps but you would not be able to complete the workout with that amount of volume. So then you should scale the Rx weight or movements so that you finish the workout in the allotted time or quicker. Therefore achieving the intended stimulus of the workout and feeling exactly the same as everyone in the room.
The workouts are programmed for specific loads, volume and intensity not just with that session in mind but with what the rest of the week looks like. We calculate the intensity by the amount of time we expect the workout to take with the ability to change. What it comes down to is what we are trying to achieve in the workout and how we want you to feel during and after the workout. Some workouts are designed to take 45-60 minutes (like Murph) and others less than 8 minutes (like Fran). Those workouts with a smaller amount of time required to complete the workout generally mean you will be working at a greater intensity than the longer sessions.
Your goal in every work should be to complete it.
Keep it simple, put a process in place that you know is going to be achievable and that you can maintain. Then get after it.
Connect with Andy:
Ever wondered why we set time caps to workouts? Is it just a number your coaches pick out of thin air to ensure an adequate time frame to suffer for? Not quite.
There are actually a number of factors at play when determining a workout’s time frame. Firstly, the intended stimulus is the first port of call when designing each workout.
Does the coach want it to be a fast-paced, intense workout or do we want you to be lifting heavy weights that are going to slow you down and force you to take longer breaks? These could be in the forms of AMRAPS or rounds for time. Another workout option is a longer conditioning piece at a decreased intensity due to the volume of work required over the time domain. This could be in the form of an EMOM.
Regardless of AMRAP, RFT or EMOMs, time caps within each modality provide you with a guideline as to setting your pace to complete the prescribed work. With this in mind, your aim shouldn’t always be to Rx the workout, but to find modifications and weights that require effort, but allow you to complete the workout while working on your current skill set.
Remember,“Rx” means doing the workout at the prescribed weight/height, for the prescribed number of reps, to the full movement standard. Any workout that is completed otherwise is considered a scaled or modified. Remember, there is nothing wrong with completing it as such. In fact, if you are able to modify the workout to get the correct “dose-response,” then you are way ahead of those who simply try to go as close to Rx as possible without considering the workouts intent. Not sure how to do this? Simply ask your coach to help.
So, let's apply the above to a workout
Complete 10 rounds for time:
3 Barbell clean & jerks 5 Burpees over the bar
Rx - 80/55kg
Time cap for this workout is 10 minutes
To start, think about this; What’s really more important in the workout: the load, volume or intensity? In this workout, volume and intensity are the keys, and the weight (load) is a means to an end. This is going to be a super fast workout, with short, planned breaks.
The aim is to complete 10 rounds of 3 clean and jerks and 5 burpees over the bar in 10 minutes. Based on the time cap you would need to complete a round every 60 seconds. The burpees over the bar should be completed within 20-25 seconds. Here is the crunch point though, picking the right weight to use for the clean and jerks.
Knowing your 1-rep clean and jerk max it's always helpful. For instance, if you know that on a good day you can clean and jerk 100kg, then 80kg in this workout equates to 80%of your 1-rep max. Does 30 reps at that weight plus 50 burpees all within 10 minutes sound doable? If your weight selection only allows you to get through 6 rounds of work when 10 are required, then you are missing out on 40%of the workout. As coaches, we don’t expect you to finish every workout but we want your weight choices to get you as close to the finish line as possible.
If you choose weights that require 30-60 seconds of rest when it is a conditioning workout, you’re better off saving that weight for a workout dedicated to building strength and power.
In an ideal scenario, you should complete the workout under the required time cap while still using loads and movements that are going to challenge you. It might not always happen this way, but everyday is a school day when it comes to how you approach a workout.
Completing the workout, your forearms are pumped, your lungs feel like they are going to burst and you feel a real sense of accomplishment in getting that done.
Reasons for a time cap:
It's all about intensity. Putting a time cap on a workout forces you to ramp up your intensity so that you get the intended benefit/stimulus of the workout. Let’s take the workout Fran, everyone knows Fran. A workout of 21-15-9 Thrusters and Pull-Ups, this a sprint and should be completed in under 8 minutes. If you’re taking too long to finish the workout then you’re not getting the required stimulus of the workout. You’re probably resting more than you are working and therefore not getting much “intensity”.
Modify your workout, make the intensity relative. Time capped workouts force you to scale/modify the movements or weights to an appropriate load or volume that will allow you to finish the workout in the intended time and thereby achieving intended stimulus. Of course you might be able to do the Rx weight or movement for a handful of reps but you would not be able to complete the workout with that amount of volume. So then you should scale the Rx weight or movements so that you finish the workout in the allotted time or quicker. Therefore achieving the intended stimulus of the workout and feeling exactly the same as everyone in the room.
The workouts are programmed for specific loads, volume and intensity not just with that session in mind but with what the rest of the week looks like. We calculate the intensity by the amount of time we expect the workout to take with the ability to change. What it comes down to is what we are trying to achieve in the workout and how we want you to feel during and after the workout. Some workouts are designed to take 45-60 minutes (like Murph) and others less than 8 minutes (like Fran). Those workouts with a smaller amount of time required to complete the workout generally mean you will be working at a greater intensity than the longer sessions.
Your goal in every work should be to complete it.
Keep it simple, put a process in place that you know is going to be achievable and that you can maintain. Then get after it.
Connect with Andy:
One-Hour Workout: Revving Your Swim Engine
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