Hard to believe but it’s that time of year again where we strap ourselves in for 10 days of madness for our coveted overreaching program. This will be the ninth iteration of our most challenging and satisfying program and while we have mastered the processes (seriously we are professionals at this), once again this year we are going to mix it up a little. While the scientific foundations will be the same, the method of exercise prescription and periodisation will have a different kind of Hammer spice to it.
SHOCK THE SYSTEM, ACHIEVE GREATNESS – HOW GOOD!
Overreaching is pushing yourself into a mild state of fatigue with your training, in order to produce big gains in a short period. While regression in performance can occur during an overreaching period, performance rebounds back rapidly, usually above and beyond its previous level, after a short period of rest (see figure below).
Quite simply, we train the shit out of you for ten days, shocking your system to such a fatigued state that when your body finally rests, it prepares itself just in case you do something stupid like this again. The human body adapts by altering a number of physiological properties into an enhanced state and each year we place overreaching just before the Christmas and New Year break so participants are forced into a ‘recovery phase’ when gyms are closed over the festive period. So theoretically, you’re making gains during the period that your blood consists of your folk’s pavlova or half roast turkey – Boom!
For the last 8 years our participants have performed weight training twice a day for 8 days in groups of 4-5. By day 3 your body will be burning all over and by the end of the week, you’ll see a whole other side to yourself. By the end of it all, the recovery week can’t come soon enough. Now the recovery phase consists of a minimum of five (preferably seven) days rest from weight training (weights), with conditioning preferably recommenced three days after conclusion of the program.
What does this Years program have install?
Each year we try to make the program more advanced and intricate than the previous. No, you don’t have to be more advanced, it just means the programming, the periodisation and the exercise selection is niftier this year, largely due to us as coaches being critical of what has and has not worked in years gone by. We as coaches always program for all strength and fitness levels not to mention those of us with one or more little niggles.
We’re continuing on from last year so participants can expect the program to involve: Strength training performed concurrently with interval training; Force-Velocity circuits; Strength-Speed sessions; Volume work; Occlusion training and don’t forget about those pipes baby. Not following? Don’t stress, these training modalities will all be explained in good time to ensure there are no hidden surprises (except for finishers – we keep that under wraps).
HOW IS THIS GOING TO WORK?
We will be kicking off on 13th December 2018, with the full schedule to be released at the beginning of December.
The schedule of the ten days will be varied; however, it will consist of:
- 7 days, two sessions per day; and
- 3 days, one session per day.
There will be both morning and afternoon sessions: morning sessions will be run in 20-minute ‘waves’, running from 5:00am with the last wave starting at 7:20am. Afternoon sessions will run in a similar ‘wave’ format with a few exceptions as the first few afternoon sessions are conditioning based and will be performed in 2-3 large classes.
All of that clear as mud? Don’t fret, the schedule will be provided once numbers are finalized.
Sessions will be executed in groups of no more than five at once and will last 45 minutes. However, you will be expected to arrive 15 minutes prior in order for you to perform the prescribed warm up and trigger pointing programs (which will be explained to you prior). It is important that we commence on time each time; if you are late and have not performed the warm-up/trigger pointing exercises, you will not be able to participate.
A FEW THINGS YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF…
You are going to hurt, and we mean, really hurt. Your joints will ache, your muscles will scream and your nervous system is going to be under immense stress. It has to be, in order to get the compensations that we are seeking. ‘Being sore’ is not an excuse not to show up; we will all be sore. If you have any injuries, we can accommodate those and alter your program to suit.
Pricing
We will be offering two options to ensure that we cater for everybody’s commitments, with each option designed to maximize your training effort within your availability.
*Debited weekly for 4 weeks commencing 15th December 2017.
- One-a-day This has been designed for participants who can’t commit to two-a-day training sessions. Participants will perform one full body session per day and to achieve a hypertrophic and metabolic effect.
- Original two-a-day Participants in our original two-a-day program will perform weights in a split session format which focuses on specific body parts in order to achieve optimal hypertrophic and metabolic effects. Participants will yield a higher super-compensation effect due to the attention to various body parts.
Book now!