A sample session template of the basic plan would look like this:
Warm-up:
100ft crawls—forward and reverse 10 x rocks and bobs
Goblet squat-to-halo drill Mobility get up
Individual corrective exercises
Practice / Strength: Swings Get ups Presses Deadlifts Finisher (infrequently):
2-12min of high-intensity conditioning work: e.g., wind sprints
Cool down:
Few minutes of low-intensity work Some stretching
Week 1:
Day 1: 15 reps @ moderate load Day 2: 12 reps @ moderate-heavy load
Day 3: 8-10 reps @ heavy (but not near max) load
Week 2:
Day1: 15 reps @ 10lbs more than day 1 of week 1. Day 2: 12 reps @ 10lbs more than day 2 of week 1. Day 3: 8-10 reps @ 10lbs more than day 3 of week1.
Week 3:
Day1: 15 reps @ 10lbs more than day 1 of week 2. Day 2: 12 reps @ 10lbs more than day 2 of week 2. Day 3: 8-10 reps @ 10lbs more than day 3 of week 2.
Week 4:
Deload or back off week—practice something else; work on conditioning; or do very light sets of the movements for practice.
Week 5:
Day1: 15 reps @ 5lbs more than day 1 of week 2. Day 2: 12 reps @ 5lbs more than day 2 of week 2. Day 3: 8-10 reps @ 5lbs more than day 3 of week 2.
Week 6:
Day1: 15 reps @ 5-10lbs more than day 1 of week 5. Day 2: 12 reps @ 5-10lbs more than day 2 of week 5. Day 3: 8-10 reps @ 5-10lbs more than day 3 of week 5.
Week 7:
Day1: 15 reps @ 5-10lbs more than day 1 of week 6. Day 2: 12 reps @ 5-10lbs more than day 2 of week 6. Day 3: 8-10 reps @ 5-10lbs more than day 3 of week 6.
Week 8:
Rest until mid-late week and try for a new max.
After another deload week, you can run through this program again, recalculating based on your new max. In this example, you are inching the loads up for a number of weeks, but waving the volume up and down during each week, then deloading (to spare the nervous system) for a week. When the loads are higher the volume is lower, and vice-versa. As you get stronger, the weights should feel lighter. Do not do too much alactic
Mon:
Warm up Strength:
Deadlift: 5 x 5 (five sets of five reps) Get up: 5 each side
Finisher:
Tabata rowing:
(20s of sprint / 10s rest for 8 cycles)
Stretch Tue: Warm up Strength: Swings: 50-100 in sets of 5-10 Push ups: 3 x 10-15 Pull-ups: 5 x 5 Stretch Wed: Warm up Finisher: 8 x 100m sprints Farmer’s carry Stretch Thur: Warm up Strength: Deadlift 5 x 5 Get ups 5 each side
Finisher:
5min snatch test
Stretch
Fri:
Warm up Strength:
Get ups 5 each side
Swings 50-100 in sets of 5-10
Stretch
Sat:
Long slow distance run or foot march
Sun: Off A sample strength-based week might look like this:
The loads should be as heavy as you can gracefully move with good posture for the day. A beginner could continue to make progress on a program like this for many months. Keep the deadlifts lighter than you would imagine, keep the get ups heavier, and make sure the swings move quick and crisp—with lots of snap in those hips.
We could also do a pure strength cycle:
Week 1, day 1:
Deadlift 3 x 5 @ moderate weight (50%) Pull ups 5 x 5
KB Press 8 x 2
Day 2 (48 hours later)
Two-hand swings: 100-200 in sets of 10-15 Get ups 5 each side
Front squat 2 x 5 (heavy)
Day 3 (48 hours later)
Deadlift 3 x 5 @ moderate weight (50%) Pull ups 5 x 5
KB Press 10 x 3
Week 2, day 1:
Deadlift 3 x 5 @ moderate weight (50%) Pull ups 5 x 5
KB Press 8 x 2
Day 2 (48 hours later)
Two-hand swings: 100-200 in sets of 10-15
Get ups 5 each side Front squat 2 x 5 (heavy)
Day 3 (48 hours later)
Deadlift 3 x 5 @ moderate weight (50%) Pull ups 5 x 5
KB Press 10 x 3
Week 3, day 1:
Deadlift 3 x 5 @ moderate weight (50%) Pull ups 5 x 5
KB Press 8 x 2
Day 2 (48 hours later)
Two-hand swings: 100-200 in sets of 10-15 Get ups 5 each side
Front squat 2 x 5 (heavy)
Day 3 (48 hours later)
Deadlift 3 x 5 @ moderate weight (50%) Pull ups 5 x 5
Week 4, day 1:
Deadlift 3 x 5 @ +10lbs from last week Pull ups 5 x 5 @ +10lbs from last week KB Press 8 x 2
Day 2 (48 hours later)
Two-hand swings: 100-200 in sets of 10-15 Get ups 5 each side
Front squat 2 x 5 (heavy)
Day 3 (48 hours later)
Deadlift 3 x 5 @ same load as Day 1 Pull ups 5 x 5 @ same load as Day 1 KB Press 10 x 3
Week 5, day 1:
Deadlift 3 x 3 @ +10lbs from last week Pull ups 5 x 5 @ +10lbs from last week KB Press 8 x 2
Day 2 (48 hours later)
Two-hand swings: 100-200 in sets of 10-15 Get ups 5 each side
Front squat 2 x 5 (heavy)
Day 3 (48 hours later)
Deadlift 3 x 3 @ same load as Day 1 Pull ups 5 x 5 @ same load as Day 1 KB Press 10 x 3
Week 6, day 1:
Deadlift 3 x 3 @ +10lbs from last week Pull ups 5 x 5 @ +10lbs from last week KB Press 8 x 2
Day 2 (48 hours later)
Two-hand swings: 100-200 in sets of 10-15 Get ups 5 each side
Front squat 2 x 5 (heavy)
Day 3 (48 hours later)
Deadlift 3 x 3 @ same load as Day 1 Pull ups 5 x 5 @ same load as Day 1 KB Press 10 x 3
Week 7, Deload:
Day 1:
Deadlift 3 x 8 @ 40%
Plank rows 3 x 8 squeeze at the top Get ups 5 each side (light, but slow)
Day 2 (48 hours later)
Two-hand swings: 100-200 in sets of 10-15 Get ups 5 each side
Front squat 2 x 5 (heavy)
Day 3 (48 hours later) Deadlift 3 x 8 @ 40%
Plank rows 3 x 8 squeeze at the top Get ups 5 each side (light, but slow)
Week 8, day 1:
Deadlift x Try a max KB Press x try a max Pull ups 5 x 5
Day 2 (48 hours later)
Tonic session: walk, practice body weight drills, etc.
Day 3 (48 hours later) Max Get up
Two-hand swings: 100-200 in sets of 10-15
The focus is the deadlift and press—make sure that you’re completing your reps. Use a load for the get ups that is challenging but doable. Front squats may be done with a daily max—whatever you feel like you can do for 2 x 5 on that day goes, but most of the time should be performed with a comfortable load. You could start this program over and recalculate for your new maxes if you wish.
There are all types of programs out there which are effective, it’s just that nothing remains effective forever, so things have to switched up periodically—sometimes just a variant, other times, a complete refocus … alactic power training as opposed to pure strength training.
Pavel has some great, tried and true programs. 8, 16, 17, 18, 19 As does Dan John. 10, 20, 21 And Mark Rippetoe. 22 And Marty Gallagher. 23 Whatever you choose—stick to it—do not change, add or alter it … complete it as written. Choose your training program, show up, do the work, and let the process work.
Another schedule is to alternate 3 weeks of predominantly strength training with 2 weeks of predominantly power training:
Week 1, day 1:
Deadlift x 15 singles at 60% Get ups 5 each side
Two-hand swings: 10 x 10
Day 2 (48 hours later)
Deadlift x 12 singles at 70% Get ups 5 each side
Two-hand swings: 10 x 10
Day 3 (48 hours later)
Deadlift x 12 singles at 80% Get ups 5 each side
Two-hand swings: 10 x 10
Week 2, day 1:
Deadlift x 15 singles at 60%+10lbs Get ups 5 each side
Two-hand swings: 10 x 10
Day 2 (48 hours later)
Deadlift x 12 singles at 70% Get ups 5 each side
Two-hand swings: 10 x 10
Day 3 (48 hours later)
Deadlift x 12 singles at 80% +10lbs Get ups 5 each side
Two-hand swings: 10 x 10,
Week 3, day 1:
Deadlift x 15 singles at 60%+20lbs Get ups 5 each side
Two-hand swings: 10 x 10,
Day 2 (48 hours later)
Deadlift x 12 singles at 70% +20lbs Get ups 5 each side
Day 3 (48 hours later)
Deadlift x 12 singles at 80% +20lbs Get ups 5 each side
Two-hand swings: 10 x 10 Week 4, day 1: 10 x swings 5 push-ups 100m sprint 10 rounds Day 2
5 get ups per side, then 5 rounds of:
15 x two hand swings 10 x right-hand swings 10 x left-hand swings 40yd farmer’s carry
Day 3 10 x swings 5 x pull ups 10 push-ups 5 x goblet squats 5 rounds Day 4
Long slow distance @ 90 min
Week 5, day 1
5 get ups per side, then 200 swings in sets of 10-15 Day 2 100m farmer’s carry 15 x push-ups 4 rounds Day 3 4 x 400m sprints Day 4 10 x right-hand swings 10 x push ups 10 x left-hand swings 5 x pull-ups 10 rounds
At this point, you would begin again with week 1, or some other strength work.