Programming: How It’s Done at DEUCE

People often ask how we come up with the workouts here a DEUCE, and since it’s my turn to program for the next month I figured I’d give you all some insight into the process. For our GPP program, remember our goal is to achieve the most broad, general, inclusive fitness possible. Our programming must reflect that goal.

Here’s the short story:

Danny, Lindsey, and I take turns programming in one month blocks. The programming is then cross-examined, questioned, debated, and ridiculed by the staff to eliminate biases and assure commitment to the goal; general physical preparedness.

Sitting down to program for the month is quite a demanding creative process. With our recent training in mind, I’ll create the next four weeks to accumulate exposures and stimuli across a number of variables.

We account for volume (low, medium, and high rep ranges), load (bodyweight, light, medium, and heavy days), time oriented sessions versus task oriented sessions. In addition, we consider skill development and progression. For example, you’ll see methodic progressions or themes surrounding the handstand push up in past months.

We monitor and vary exposures to both high skill and low skill weightlifting sessions, as well as high skill and low skill gymnastics sessions. Also, we program to balance and account for exposures to all four metabolic pathways (phosphagen, glycolytic, oxidative, and lactate shuttle). Furthermore, there is that obvious variable – the movements – that we must account for, too. Believe it or not, it’s possible to account for all of the variables above with just deadlifts and pull ups, for example.

In our worldview, fitness is about your capacity to do things. Part of this capacity is your output across a number of different time tables. We program workouts to test and develop out put in the zero to five minute range, the five to twelve minute range, the twelve to twenty, and the 20+ minute range accordingly.

As you can see, the system you’re enrolled in here may be varied, but it’s far from random. The next time you see a workout on the board, consider the number of variables before your eyes. You might just enjoy geeking out on what your training entails.

 

Logan Gelbrich

@functionalcoach