Welcome to April, AKA Strength Month. This month each blog post will focus on a different aspect of strength in CrossFit. Your challenge is to select a lift that you would like to improve, and follow the provided strength cycle for an entire month. Whether you start now or in three months, it doesn’t matter. Just get stronger.
The lift that you select to improve will typically have two sessions a week. These sessions can be added before or after your regular CrossFit workout, or they can be replacements for the regular metcon. (PhysWell runs open gym at 8am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, and 2pm).
The strict press is one of the most foundational exercises in CrossFit and weightlifting. It is a pure test of upper body pressing strength, targeting the shoulders, triceps, and core. Whether you’re a beginner looking to improve your pressing power or an experienced athlete aiming to break through a plateau, a well-structured strength cycle can help you push your numbers higher. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through a four-week program designed to improve your strict press over the course of a month.
The beauty of the strict press is that it requires no additional assistance from your legs or lower body—your upper body and core must do all the work. This makes it an ideal lift to build raw pressing strength, while also improving posture, core stability, and overall shoulder health.
Why a Strength Cycle for Strict Press?
A focused strength cycle can help you achieve specific goals for your strict press. Here’s why it’s effective:
- Progressive Overload: A strength cycle involves gradually increasing the weight or reps each week, which ensures you’re constantly challenging your muscles to grow and adapt.
- Consistency: Consistency is key to developing strength. A structured program ensures you’ll be working on your strict press every week, building a solid foundation while focusing on technique.
- Accessory Work: Building a strict press isn’t just about pressing heavy weights overhead. Accessory exercises like overhead holds, lateral raises, and triceps extensions will help develop the muscle groups involved and strengthen weak points in your movement.
- Overcome Plateaus: If your strict press has plateaued, this cycle will challenge you with new rep ranges, intensity, and variations to break through that barrier.
4-Week Strict Press Program
Program Structure Overview:
- Frequency: 3 days per week
- Primary Focus: Strict Press
- Secondary Focus: Accessory movements to support shoulder health, triceps, and core strength
Note: This cycle will involve gradually increasing intensity while also focusing on technique, hypertrophy (muscle growth), and endurance.
Week 1: Building the Foundation
Day 1 (Strength Focus):
- Strict Press: Test out your max starting strict press
- Strict Press: 5 sets of 5 reps at 70% of your 1RM
- Dumbbell Lateral Raises: 4 sets of 10 reps
- Triceps Dips: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Plank: 3 sets of 45 seconds
Day 2 (Endurance and Stability):
- Strict Press: 4 sets of 6 reps at 65% of your 1RM
- Overhead Holds: 3 sets of 30 seconds (hold the barbell overhead, focus on maintaining stability)
- Dumbbell Front Raises: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Russian Twists: 3 sets of 20 twists
Day 3 (Hypertrophy Focus):
- Strict Press: 3 sets of 8 reps at 60% of your 1RM
- Push-Ups: 4 sets of 15 reps (focus on form and control)
- Face Pulls: 4 sets of 12 reps
- Side Planks: 3 sets of 30 seconds per side
Week 2: Increasing Intensity
Day 1 (Strength Focus):
- Strict Press: 5 sets of 4 reps at 75% of your 1RM
- Dumbbell Lateral Raises: 4 sets of 10 reps
- Triceps Dips: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Plank with Shoulder Taps: 3 sets of 30 taps
Day 2 (Explosiveness and Stability):
- Strict Press: 4 sets of 5 reps at 70% of your 1RM
- Overhead Holds: 4 sets of 40 seconds
- Dumbbell Front Raises: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Russian Twists: 4 sets of 20 twists
Day 3 (Volume and Hypertrophy):
- Strict Press: 4 sets of 6 reps at 70% of your 1RM
- Push-Ups: 5 sets of 15 reps
- Face Pulls: 4 sets of 15 reps
- Side Planks: 3 sets of 45 seconds per side
Week 3: Peaking Strength
Day 1 (Strength Focus):
- Strict Press: 5 sets of 3 reps at 80% of your 1RM
- Dumbbell Lateral Raises: 5 sets of 8 reps
- Triceps Dips: 4 sets of 6-8 reps
- Plank with Shoulder Taps: 3 sets of 40 taps
Day 2 (Stability and Explosiveness):
- Strict Press: 4 sets of 4 reps at 75% of your 1RM
- Overhead Holds: 4 sets of 45 seconds
- Dumbbell Front Raises: 4 sets of 12 reps
- Russian Twists: 4 sets of 25 twists
Day 3 (High Volume):
- Strict Press: 4 sets of 5 reps at 75% of your 1RM
- Push-Ups: 5 sets of 20 reps
- Face Pulls: 5 sets of 15 reps
- Side Planks: 3 sets of 1 minute per side
Week 4: Max Testing and Deload
Day 1 (Strength Focus):
- Strict Press: Test out your max ending strict press
- Strict Press: 4 sets of 2 reps at 85% of your 1RM
- Dumbbell Lateral Raises: 4 sets of 10 reps
- Triceps Dips: 3 sets of 6 reps
- Plank with Shoulder Taps: 3 sets of 45 taps
Day 2 (Stability and Light Explosiveness):
- Strict Press: 3 sets of 3 reps at 80% of your 1RM
- Overhead Holds: 3 sets of 45 seconds
- Dumbbell Front Raises: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Russian Twists: 4 sets of 30 twists
Day 3 (Deload and Testing):
- Strict Press: 3 sets of 5 reps at 60% of your 1RM (light)
- Push-Ups: 3 sets of 20 reps
- Face Pulls: 3 sets of 15 reps
- Side Planks: 3 sets of 1 minute per side
Additional Tips for Success
- Warm-Up Properly: A good warm-up is essential before pressing heavy. Focus on dynamic shoulder stretches, mobility work, and light pressing sets.
- Form Over Ego: It can be tempting to push heavier weights, but your form should always be the priority. Pressing with proper technique will prevent injury and help you lift more in the long run.
- Recovery: Muscle growth happens during recovery, so don’t skip rest days. Make sure you’re getting adequate sleep, staying hydrated, and eating enough protein to support muscle repair.
- Track Progress: Keep a log of your sets, reps, and weights. Tracking your progress will help you see where you’re improving and where you might need to adjust your training.
- Accessory Movements Matter: The accessory exercises in this program will help improve the smaller muscles that support your strict press. Don’t skip these!
Conclusion
This four-week strict press strength cycle is designed to progressively challenge your upper body pressing strength, while also focusing on stability, hypertrophy, and shoulder health. By following this program and committing to your training, you’ll improve your strict press significantly over the course of a month.