Open Gym Strength and Conditioning – Bodybuilding
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Bodybuilding RPE Scale
RPE 1-3 || This should be a weight that an athlete can move with ease throughout the intended rep range.
RPE 4-5 || This is a weight that provides a moderate amount of resistance but the athlete feels like they could double the intended rep range with the weight they chose
RPE 6-7 || This is a moderate-moderate/heavy weight for the athletes. This should provide a challenge for the intended rep range but should not be something that they are worried of failing. The rest needed between sets should be minimal.
RPE 8-9 || This is a near maximal effort for the intended rep range. Athletes should need and want adequate amount of rest between the sets at this RPE.
RPE 10 || This is a max effort for the intended rep range. The athlete should be fully taxed at the end of each set.
Mayhem Bodybuilding Goals
What?
Bodybuilding is a tool that Mayhem Athletes can use to increase strength, muscular endurance and hypertrophy to better themselves in whatever their fitness goals are. It can also be used as a tool to give the muscles and joints a break from the high intensity that comes with CrossFit day in and day out.
How?
Mayhem Bodybuilding is a stand-alone hypertrophy focused program that includes elements of strength training. You may layer this on top of some of the other Mayhem Athlete Program, but it is not designed to be performed on top of all other tracks each day. We will include pieces of some days in other programs as “ACCESSORY”
Goals?
The goals are to stay focused and rest just long enough so that you can perform the next set with quality and control unless stated otherwise.
Keep your attention of each set and keep your phone in your bag. Sessions are not done “for time” but treat them like you are limited on time. Keep a visible clock running to keep you accountable. Lastly, the goal is all the gainzzzzz!!!!!
Progression
This cycle moves to the traditional upper body push, upper body pull, lower body push/pull seen previously in this programming (earlier in 2022) which is also seen in classical bodybuilding programming.
This cycle will have athletes increasing in weight and decreasing in volume across 8 weeks, followed by a de-load week, and then a max week. The cycle also introduces the concept of mechanical drop sets. The MDS will rotate across days through the cycle to add new variety and fun challenges to athletes’ weekly routines.
See below for an outline of how each year is laid out
4 Yearly Cycles
Cycle 1 (January – March: Mechanical Drop Sets)
Monday: Chest & Triceps
Tuesday: Back & Biceps
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Monostructural
Friday: Arms & Shoulders
Saturday: Glutes & Core
Cycle 2 (April – June: Shock Method)
Monday: Anterior
Tuesday: Posterior
Wednesday: Lower Body Push/Pull
Thursday: Monostructural
Friday: Shoulders & Core
Saturday: Glutes & Arms
Cycle 3 (July – September: Traditional)
Monday: Chest & Triceps
Tuesday: Back & Biceps
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Monostructural
Friday: Arms & Shoulders
Saturday: Glutes & Core
Cycle 4 (October – December: Traditional)
Monday: Anterior
Tuesday: Posterior
Wednesday: Lower Body Push/Pull
Thursday: Monostructural
Friday: Shoulders & Core
Saturday: Glutes & Arms
Chest & Tricep Warm-up (Checkmark)
Crossover Symmetry Warm-up
-into-
3 rounds
10 Perfect Pushups (controlled form)
15 Band Pull-A-Parts
5 PVC Around the Worlds (each way)
10 Wall Angels
5 Scorpions (each side)
Demo Videos
Perfect Push ups
Banded Pull Aparts
PVC Around the Worlds
Wall Angels
Scorpion Stretch
Focus: Effort should be easy building into moderate. Get yourself moving and opened up for upcoming work.
Bench Press
*Rest 2:00-2:30 b/t sets
Focus: Control should be shown with each rep on the way down and on the way up. Bar should be lowered to just below the sternum. Keep elbows at a 45 degree angle to the body and avoid flaring out. Shoulders should be loaded back against the bench throughout reps.
7 sets: 4 Reps TEMPO 3 Seconds down (30X0) – RPE 7 (Week 3 of 4)
*Rest 2:00-2:30 b/t sets
Alt. DB Tempo Incline Bench + Double DB Incline Bench
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
*Build to a moderate weight and stay the same or build across all sets.
Focus: Incline of bench should be around a 45-60 degree incline. Start with both DBs extended overhead. Bench with one arm, leaving the other arm extended overhead and then repeat with other side. Tempo for this movement is 2 sec negative + 1 sec pause in bottom + explosive press up. No tempo on double reps. Go directly into double DB reps after alternating reps have been completed. Loading should be moderate and allow for control throughout entire rep. Select a weight that you can control when sitting back to start and sitting up to finishing set. Do not drop the dumbbells. To avoid injury, bring the knees up to meet the dumbbells and sit up with them. If you have to drop them to deload, you’ve gone too heavy.
4 sets: 8 Reps (8 alternating each side then 8 together) – RPE 8
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
Double DB Bench Press
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
*Build to a moderate weight and stay the same or build across all sets.
Focus: Select a weight that you can control when sitting back to start and sitting up to finishing set. Do not drop the dumbbells. To avoid injury, bring the knees up to meet the dumbbells and sit up with them. If you have to drop them to deload, you’ve gone too heavy.
4 sets: 10 reps – RPE 8
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
Incline Bench DB Chest Fly
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
Focus: Lying on an incline bench, extend two dumbbells towards the ceiling. Keeping a slight bend in the elbows, lower the dumbbells out to the sides. Dumbbells should be kept in line with the sternum or slightly lower. Shoulders should be loaded back against the bench through the entire movement. Refrain from going deeper than the level of the bench at end range.
4 sets: 12 reps – RPE 8
*Rest 2:00-2:30 b/t sets
Inverted Skull Crusher
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
*Build to a moderate weight, stay the same or build across sets
Focus: Racking a bar on a rig around waist height, assume a plank position on the bar with hands roughly shoulder width apart. Bend the elbows and lower the body to the bar. Range of motion should result with forehead ending close to barbell (similar to a lying barbell skull crusher). Raise height of bar to decrease difficulty.
4 sets: 10 reps – RPE 7
*Rest 2:00-2:30 b/t sets
Single Arm Standing Tricep Extension w/ band
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
*Build to a moderate weight, stay the same or build across sets
Focus: Resistance should allow for control throughout the extension. ALWAYS INSPECT BANDS FOR SIGNS OF POTENTIAL BREAKAGE BEFORE USING. Avoid going to complete lockout at the bottom: focusing on stopping just before full extension. Focus on engagement of triceps with each rep and stop before failure is reached. Keep free hand behind tricep to stabilize arm and minimize swing.
4 sets: 10 reps (each side) – RPE 7
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
Cooldown/Mobility (No Measure)
1 min pec stretch against door/rig
1 min lacrosse ball pec smash (each side)
1 min overhead elbow grab tricep stretch (each side)
1 min tricep lacrosse ball smash (each side)
Athletes Notes
Pec Stretch against door or rig
Standing Lacross Ball Pec Smash or Lying Lacross Ball Pec Smash
Overhead Elbow Grab Tricep Stretch
Tricep Lacross Ball Smash
Mayhem Mini-Pump
Mini-Pump Sessions are used as a supplement to another Mayhem Athlete track or on days when you are pressed for time and cannot complete the full day’s bodybuilding session as programmed. You should NOT complete today’s bodybuilding program AND the mini-pump session. Choose one or the other.
Chest and Triceps (Checkmark)
4 Rounds
10 Barbell Bench Press @ moderate weight – maintain quality
10 Alt. DB Tempo Incline Bench + Double DB Incline Bench @ Moderate weight – maintain control and quality
12 Incline Bench DB Chest Fly @ moderate weight – maintain quality
10 Inverted Skull Crusher @ moderate weight – maintain quality
-Rest 3 min b/t rounds-
Athletes Notes
Alternating DB Tempo Incline + Double DB Incline Bench
Incline Bench DB Chest Fly
Inverted Skull Crusher
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