Thursday August 20th

General Warm-Up
2:00 Cardio Choice (Row Ideally)
-
2 Sets:
10 Up Dog + Down Dog
10 Down Dog Toe Touches
5 Inchworm Push-Ups
15 Banded Pull-Aparts
8 Bootstrap Squats
5/5 Pendulum Lunges
-
Specific Barbell Prep prior to starting clock
5-8 Empty Barbell Bench Press
5 Bench Press @ 40-50%
3 Bench Press @ 55-60%
2 Bench Press @ 65-70%

Strength: Bench Press
For Load

‍

Take 15:00 to Establish a 3RM Bench Press Baseline

Today's strength block establishes our Bench Press 3RM baseline to anchor the Hercules Cycle's pressing percentages going forward.

Loading Notes:
Suggested Loading Jumps
3 @ 70-75%
3 @ 80-85% of anticipated 3RM (Opener)
3 @ 88-92%
3 @ 95%+ (Peak Attempt)

Points of Performance:
- Feet flat into the floor, shoulder blades retracted and depressed into the bench, and a neutral wrist stack over the bar before every rep.
- Bar touches the chest with control at the bottom and a powerful drive to full lockout at the top with the elbows not caving inward.
- A consistent bar path diagonally toward the lower chest, not straight up, protecting the shoulder and maximizing lat engagement through the press.

Modifications:
- Level 1: Build to a technically strong 3-rep effort at a load that allows full range of motion and a controlled tempo; log this number as the baseline and prioritize position over load.
- Hotel Gym / Travel: Every 2:30 x 4-5 Sets, 5-10 Dual Dumbbell Bench Press or Floor Press, depending on available weights and loading

Primer
2 Round:
150/125m Row (Building Effort, Focusing on Consistent Split)
15/15ft (7.5/7.5m) Dual Dumbbell Farmers Walking Lunge at warm-Up loads
1 Partial Wall Walk + 1 Full Walk Walk or working modification

1 Round:
250/225m Row (Building Effort, Focusing on Consistent Split)
15/15ft (7.5/7.5m) Dual Dumbbell Farmers Walking Lunge at working load
2 Wall Walks

Use this to confirm row pace, dumbbell load, and wall walk standard before "White Water" begins.

Conditioning
"White Water"
Every 5:00 x 3 Sets
500/450m Row
50ft (15m) Dual Dumbbell Farmers Walking Lunge
5 Wall Walks 10-in

Time Cap: 4:30 per Set
Score = Sum Total Time (3 Sets)

Dumbbells: 50/35lb (22.5/15kg)

[White Water: Levels]

Level 2:
Every 5:00 x 3 Sets
500/450m Row
50ft (15m) Dual Dumbbell Farmers Walking Lunge
4 Wall Walks 10-in
Dumbbells: 35/25lb (15/12kg)

Level 1:
Every 5:00 x 3 Sets
400/350m Row
50ft (15m) Dual Dumbbell Farmers Walking Lunge
3 Wall Walks 30-in
Dumbbells: 25/15lb (12/7kg)

Masters 55+:
Every 5:00 x 3 Sets
400/350m Row
50ft (15m) Dual Dumbbell Farmers Walking Lunge
3 Wall Walks 20-in
Dumbbells: 35/25lb (15/12kg)
‍

Objectives, Stimulus, Workout Strategy and Movement Modifications:

Goals: 3:30-4:15 per Set
Stimulus: Mixed Modal / Muscular Stamina
RPE: 8/10

Primary Objective: Complete each set in 3:30-4:15, targeting a steady 2k row pace that leaves grip and shoulders ready for the lunge and wall walks.

Secondary Objective: Lunge unbroken for the full 50ft (15m) across all three sets, no dumbbells down mid-effort.

Workout Strategy

"White Water" is a pacing workout disguised as a conditioning test, and the athletes who treat it that way will hold their splits across all three sets while everyone else fades on the wall walks in rounds two and three. The row dictates everything that follows: a controlled 2k pace off the start protects the shoulders and grip before the dumbbells even leave the floor, and athletes who sprint the first 500m will arrive at the lunge already compromised. Pick the dumbbells up with intention, keep a tall midline through every lunge step, and do not set them down; the 50ft (15m) is short enough to hold unbroken at the right load if the row was smart. Wall walks are the most technically demanding movement here and also the most fatiguing for the shoulders, so athletes should pace their ascent, lock out at the top with full hip extension every rep, and control the descent rather than collapsing down. With only three rounds and a full minute of rest when the work is done right, there is no reason to sandbag; the target window is narrow enough to demand genuine effort from the first set, so go in with a plan and repeat it.

Points of Performance

Row: Maintain a consistent 2k pace, driving with the legs first and finishing with the pull, no sprinting off the start.
Dual Dumbbell Farmers Walking Lunge: Tall midline, full knee descent to just above the floor, and dumbbells held at the sides without swinging or compensating laterally.
Wall Walk: Belly off the floor through the entire movement, hips fully locked out at the top, and a controlled descent back to the start position with no collapsed midsection.

Modifications / Adjustments

Row: Reduce meters / 500/450m Ski Erg / 30/25 Calorie Bike / 400m Run
Dual Dumbbell Farmers Walking Lunge: Reduce load / Single Dumbbell Farmers Lunge / Unweighted Walking Lunge / Reduce distance to 25ft (7.5m)
Wall Walks: Reduce reps / Partial Wall Walk to comfortable height / Pike Push-Up + :10 Handstand Hold / Inchworm Push-Up

‍

‍