Name: Playbook - Aaron Lesue - Block 3 Benchmarks | Strength
Uploaded: 2022-04-06T06:27:57.846Z
Duration: 45 min
Description: Block 3 Benchmarks | Strength

Block 3 Benchmarks -As blocks 1-3 progress benchmarks progress, blocks 4-6 will have strength and flexibility standards to aim for

Strength
Strict Calf Raise 3 x 20 @10% BW
Monkeyfoot Hamstring Curl 3 x 20 @10% BW per side
Monkeyfoot Hip Flexor 3 x 20 reps @10% BW
Heel Elevated Squat x 20 @ 25% Bodyweight
BB RDL x 20 reps @ 50% Bodyweight 
Chin Up - Full Range x 10
BTNP 40% x 10
Slant Jefferson Curl x 25% wrists below toes
External Rotation 10% x 10
Lever Bicep Curl - 25% x 10
OH Plate Raise - closest plate to 25% Bodyweight x 10
Tibialis Raise 3 x 20 @10%
Soleus Calf Raise -  There is no exact amount only since machines vary in their load. HOWEVER, machines DO provide a measurement, so you should be aiming to get measurably stronger.
Split Squat 25% Bodyweight x 10 perfect form reps per side
Hip Thrust 100% Bodyweight  x 10
Petersen Split Squat 25% Bodyweight x 10
L-Sit ISO to Knee Tuck x 20 second hold
Bench Press 100% x 10
Dips - 10 Full Range
Copenhagen - Level 3 x 10s ISO + 10 reps
QL 10% x 10 perfect form reps per side
Petersen Step Down:  3 x 20 @ 25% Bodyweight and 4-6” elevation
Nordic - flat ground reps!
Reverse Nordic- flat ground reps!
Hip Flexor x 20 total reps, cables and bands vary in their load, so just make sure you are gaining to get measurably stronger.
Plank 3-Way x 1 minute each

- Begin with a full stretch at bottom position 
- Push through the balls of your feet and raise your heel to top position (standing as tall on your toes as you can)
- Pause at the top working to get engaging your calf
- Lower slowly and return to start position
- Switch and repeat on the opposite side

Dumbbell single leg calf raise

Physio Ball:
- Heels on top of the ball
- Hips up, glutes contracted
- Use your hamstring to pull heels toward glutes
- Work at your level, work toward single leg reps

Monkeyfeet:
- If you have access to monkeyfeet it can be convenient to go from hip flexors straight into hamstrings with the same goal of 10% of body weight for 20 reps each - if not, that’s ok, you can use the bands/cables for hip flexors and physio ball or machine for hamstrings.

Hamstring Curl (PB or Monkeyfoot Option)

- Standing on one leg, drive your opposite knee up past 90 degrees
- Control the eccentric lowering
[modify] - bands or cables

Single Leg Hip Flexor (Monkeyfeet)

As always begin at your pain free level with little-to-no weight if needed and work your way up.

- allow knees to track over the toes as you drop hips straight down without pushing them back 
- cover calf with the hamstring in bottom position
- thighs parallel to the ground 
- maintain upright torso throughout, ribs and pelvis “stacked”
- use quads to return to starting position without pushing your knees outward or allowing torso to drop forward and hips to shoot back - maintaining internal hip rotation instead of external rotation (pushing knees out causes this, so knees knees tracked directly over toes)
- this strict form allows you to put more force into the ground instead of torque on the knee and load on the low back. This improves quad strength and is money in the bank setting us up for better quality squat form long term!

Heel Elevated Squat

- Begin with bar in your hands, not the floor
- Slowly lower the weight with a slight bend in your knees, hinging at the hips and keeping your back straight (keeping a straight line from your tailbone through the back of your head)
- Lower weight until you feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings
- Drive your hips forward and use your hamstrings to power back to standing
*main emphasis is to focus on your hips moving back and forth instead of the concerning about how far the weight is moving up and down.

RDL (Barbell - Romanian Deadlift)

- Use either grip and band assistance as needed
- Engaging your back, pull your body up with the goal of chin past the bar
- Control the eccentric lowering

Chin-ups

- As always begin with little to no weight, work your way up as you progress
- With the bar in back squat position, press the bar straight up to full lockout, controlling the entire movement
- Slowly control the eccentric lower abs return to start position
[Modify] Full range dumbbell press or front rack military press

BTN Press

- Tuck your chin to your chest 
- Flex (curl) your spine as you slowly lower reaching your hands toward your toes
- Without bending your knees
- Reverse the motion and return to starting position “unraveling your back” one vertebrae at a time

Jefferson Curl (slantboard)

- Rest elbow on inner quad, inside of knee
- Keep chest up
- Lower the DB slowly & under control 
- Full stretch at bottom maintaining upright chest
- Control concentric without momentum & with minimal knee movement 
- Always start with little or no weight and work your way up

Seated Dumbbell External Rotation

- Holding the dumbbells at a 45 degree angle and slight stretch in the shoulders/chest
- Curl the weight up with slight external rotation of the wrist
- Slowly lower and return to bottom position

Lever Bicep Curl

- Holding a weight plate with one hand on each side
- Raise the plate straight overhead with minimal elbow bend
- Control the lowering back to starting position

Overhead Plate Raise

- Use your Tibialis (shin muscles) to pull your toes up as far as you can 
- Slowly lower back down then repeat

Tibialis Raise (wall)

- Begin with your feet in full stretch at the bottom, weight rested/stacked on top of your knees/quads
- Press up using your toes activating your calf muscles, reach for full range at top position
- Lower slowly and above full stretch the calf muscles at the bottom, repeat

Soleus Calf Raise

- Cover calf with hamstring
- Torso upright, ribs and pelvis "stacked"
- Front heel slightly raised if needed (heel to flat ground is long term ankle mobility goal)
- Back knee, not touching the ground

Always begin with the weak leg and match (elevation, sets, and reps) with the strong leg. This allows us to create balance from one side to the other.

Over time, with reps and load, ankle mobility will improve and heel will get closer to flat ground. 

Goal: 10 Flat ground reps each side
Back knee NOT touching, ribs and pelvis stacked. Working at your pain free, perfect form level.

Long Term Goal:
Perform Split Squat until you achieve 5 full range reps @ 50% bodyweight. Then general progression would be to VMO Squat, then to Front Squat, then to Barbell back Squat.

KOT Split Squat

- Support upper back on a bench and the barbell across your hips
- Push through your heels and extend your hips driving the weight up
- Both knees will be bent to 90 degrees at top position 
- Lower your glutes to the floor by softening your hip extension and controlling the weight down

Barbell Hip Thrust

- Begin with front leg in fixed position pressed against a bench or immovable object
- Use your rear leg as prime mover
- Lower rear knee just above ground level (without touching)
- Press through your back leg squeezing your quad to return to start position

Petersen Split Squat

- Squeezing your hips and quads straighten your legs out into L-sit position
- Hold with goal of reaching entire prescribed time
- If/when legs begin to fail, finish the remaining time with knee tucks

L-Sit ISO + Knee Tuck

- Grip the bar with preferred width 
- Lower the bar down to your mid chest  
- Push the bar straight up engaging your chest

Bench Press (barbell)

Begin at your level using elevation and assistance as necessary

- Leaning forward with tension in the chest
- Bend at the elbows and lower to full stretch at bottom position 
- Keep your elbows close to your body
- Full range goal is elbows above head at bottom position achieving full stretch in chest and shoulders 
- Extend your arms engaging your triceps to return to starting position 

Once you can complete all reps at your level, progress to the next level

Dips (full range)

- Holding a side plank with one leg on the bench and the other leg hanging (both at a 90 degree bend)
- ISO: Squeeze the adductor to hold your lower leg toward the supported leg for prescribed time (squeezing the knees together) 
- Reps: Perform by dropping lower leg to the floor and returning to squeeze your knees together for prescribed reps
- Iso for 10 seconds, then immediately perform 10 reps

Copenhagen Plank ISO + Reps (level 3)

- Start by standing on box with one foot off to the side
- Slowly lower and tap the heel only to the ground
- Without bouncing, push through the stationary foot and return to start
- Switch legs and repeat movement
- As you get stronger you will move the “off leg” forward and eventually raise to a forward position (pistol squat) no longer touching the ground

Single Leg Step Down

- Squeeze glutes throughout
- Fight the eccentric (lowering)
- Use as much padding/elevation as needed
- Pull with the hamstrings to return to start position
- Use assistance from arms as needed
- Slight bend in the hips helps avoid excessive back extension (arching the low back) on the concentric

Nordic Hamstring Curl

- Lying on your back
- Pull a band or cable by driving your knees up toward your chest beyond 90 degrees 
- Return to start position
- Repeat

Hip Flexor (band or cable)

- Complete all variations back to back
- Front elbow plank ISO Hold
- Left dips
- Right dips

Block 3 Benchmarks | Strength

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