Stuck In A Boring Training Phase? Try This.
Escalating density has that high intensity feel to it but if you want to get the most out of the workout you need to be smart, moderate intensity, focus on your movement and work hard – this is why I believe it’s an amazing way to workout in a short amount of time.
Escalating Density can also be used to build strength and gives your body a fat burning effect by virtue of the pace and total number of reps being performed.
O.K so how does it work?
If you have trained CrossFit before it actually looks like a good old fashioned AMRAP (as many reps as possible) but with use of the big muscle movements.. But Oh… it’s so much more than that.
Here are some examples of escalating density couplets.
Session 1 – 10 minute AMRAP
Strict Press (choose a weight)
Strict Pull Ups
Session 2 – 10 minute AMRAP
Deadlifts (choose a weight)
DB Reverse Lunges (choose a weight)
Session 3 – 10 minute AMRAP
Bench Press (choose a weight)
Barbell Bent Over Row (choose a weight)
Session 4 – 10 minute AMRAP
Front Squat (choose a weight)
Barbell Hip Thrust (choose a weight)
Interested now?
OK so, 3-2-1, go!
Pick a rep scheme for each movement.
Don’t go anywhere near fatigue until at least minute 7 or 8. (Mind you every time I told the class this before the 10 minute workout, I mean every time, someone would be fatiguing and having to drop the weight around the 3rd minute)
Perform reps on the first movement and then the second, then back to the first for 10 minutes non stop.
If you are going to try this here is my advice.
Choose weight roughly 60% of your 1 rep max.
Each set you perform on each movement, always finish that movement 3-4 reps before failure. See how long you can hold that for.
For example: Lets say for session 1 you are going to do 6 reps on strict press and 6 strict pull ups because you can do 10 reps of each.
Hold that for as long as possible, taking little 10 second breaks between movements.
If you start fatiguing towards the 5 minute mark, drop to 5 reps. Until you hit 10 minutes.
Now the goal is to calculate the total reps of strict press and the total reps of pull ups and next week improve your total reps AKA progressive overload.