Deep Dive into Workout Tracks

Robert Graham • May 9, 2024

In our previous blog post, we introduced you to the three core tracks at Relentless Strength and Conditioning: Athletic, Competitive, and Fitness. Each track offers a unique path to achieve the same fitness goals, but with adjustments to cater to different experience levels and preferences.

 

Today, we're taking a deeper dive into two key components of our workouts: weightlifting and conditioning. We'll show you how these sections are scaled within each track, ensuring a challenging and achievable workout for everyone.


Weightlifting Breakdown:

 

Let's use the example of a Back Squat exercise that we recently completed:

 


  • Athletic Track: This version challenges athletes to build to a heavy 5 rep back squat for the day. While there is not a specific target weight, athletes are cued to work towards a progressively heavier set while still maintaining depth, positioning, and speed of the reps. For some, they may use today to hit a personal record while others will use these sets to improve the movement at challenging weights.

 

  • Competitive Track: For this particular day, the competitive track might be following the same programming as the Athletic track. For certain lifts like back squats, this is the case, but often we incorporate more difficult versions of the lift. Instead of back squats, the competitive track may have been overhead squats instead, demanding greater core stability and shoulder mobility.


  • Fitness Track: For this day's programming, the back squat is modified to a pause box squat. This option reduces the range of motion but helps build confidence with the squat movement. Athletes will still engage in a squat while getting instant feedback on depth by having the box as a target. It also helps correct overall body positioning. These cues will help build towards a standard back squat while still allowing the athlete to put weight on the bar and build strength.



Conditioning (Metcon) Breakdown:

 

Our conditioning section also offers multiple track options. For this day's piece, the goal was to have a full sprint mentality and push each athlete to their threshold. Within each version, the movements are the same with varying difficulty levels.


  • Athletic Track: This version is aimed towards the majority of our members. The medball weight and target height for the wallball throws remain standard across our workouts. The prescribed 50 reps is a challenging number that many would typically break into 2-3 sets. However, the coaching cue encourages athletes to attempt going unbroken or with only 2 sets. From there, athletes can adjust the weight of the medball, the target height, or both to achieve the desired intensity. This approach carries over to the sit-ups as well as the run.


  • Competitive Track: This track follows the same scheme and approach as the Athletic track but challenges athletes with a heavier medball, a higher target for the wall ball throws, and a more difficult sit-up variation. Athletes following this track should still aim to go unbroken despite the increased difficulty.
  • Fitness Track: This track offers a different approach, utilizing a set time limit instead of a specific rep count. Whereas the Athletic and Competitive versions have a set rep count to complete for time, the Fitness track provides a 5-minute clock for athletes to complete as much as they can within that timeframe. This eliminates the stress of not finishing the workout on time. Additionally, the movements are slightly modified. Athletes complete medball squats without throwing the ball to a target. They also complete standard sit-ups and the run without holding the medball.

 


 

Remember, with all our workouts, coaches are there to assess your fitness level and guide you towards the perfect track for you. They can also modify any exercise within a track to ensure proper form and maximize your results.


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Finding Your Perfect Workout Track

By Robert Graham • May 2, 2024
Relentless Strength and Conditioning: Finding Your Perfect Workout Track At Relentless Strength and Conditioning, we take pride in creating custom-designed programming to help you reach your fitness goals. Unlike gyms that rely on generic plans, our workouts are built specifically for our members. This means you get a program tailored to your needs and progress, with direct attention from our experienced coaches. Here's what sets us apart: Made for You: We see firsthand how our programs work and use member feedback to constantly improve them. This ensures you get the most effective workout possible. Three Tracks, One Goal: We offer three versions of each workout – Athletic, Competitive, and Fitness. Regardless of the track, everyone works towards the same goal. Choosing Your Track: Athletic Track (Targeting 75%): Designed for most members, this track incorporates Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, gymnastics movements, and conditioning exercises. It prioritizes both time and task completion. Coaches are always available to modify weights, movements, or intensity as needed. Competitive Track (Targeting 10%): This track elevates the challenge with heavier weights and complex gymnastics movements. While workouts are designed to be completed as written, modifications can be made to keep them achievable. Fitness Track (Targeting 15%): The most accessible option, this track uses dumbbells instead of barbells and offers easier variations of gymnastics movements. Don't be fooled by the term "Fitness" – these workouts are challenging and deliver the same results as the other tracks. Finding Your Fit: We understand choosing a track can be tough. That's why our coaches are there to guide you. You're not locked into one track; feel free to mix and match based on your goals and comfort level. We recommend starting with the Athletic track and adjusting from there. Your coach will work with you to ensure the perfect intensity for your needs. Remember, the most important thing is to show up, ask for help, and push yourself! You might surprise yourself with what you can achieve.
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