TL;DR – Summary
- New programming started this week.
- Powerlifting + Bodybuilding AKA PowerBuilding
- Next 12 Week Cycle starts in July. Be conservative with weight selection in the interim.
- After a couple of months, If necessary, can pivot programming based on member/coach feedback
- Workouts for the full week are available in Wodify each Sunday
- Implementing Rate of Perceived Exertion ‘RPE’ Scale link to learn more.
- We appreciate your patience and understanding during this transition.
- Want to learn more?
Hey Stronger Faster Houston Community,
We are excited to announce that we started new programming this week, and we can’t wait for you to try it out and see the results. We reviewed countless programs, philosophies, and programming examples before deciding on a program that fit our philosophy and focus on building strength and adding muscle. We considered recommendations, suggestions, member feedback, past programming, and even Stronger Faster’s origin story while deciding on a program. We believe the new programming fits Stronger Faster Houston and keeps our fitness principles unchanged.
We appreciate everyone’s patience with the recent unexpected transitions; our mission and ideology are not changing, though you will see style & terminology differences and some new movements in the new programming. We expect you will enjoy the changes, and it is beneficial to mix it up from time to time to pump in new blood to continue to improve and adapt.
To ease the transition, the full week of workouts will be available by Sunday in the Wodify app for you to view and allow planning. We value your feedback, and after a month or two, please let us know what you think. If necessary, we can consider different programming.
Without further ado, here’s an introduction to our new programming:
🏋️ Powerlifting + Full-Body Bodybuilding:
We’re combining the best of both worlds to achieve ‘Powerbuilding’. It’s all about Powerlifting + Bodybuilding, helping you develop the strength you need and build the well-rounded physique you want while minimizing injury risk. (though all activity has inherent risk). Powerbuilding is a blend of the three main powerlifting lifts: squat, bench press and deadlift combined with bodybuilding accessories and volume to evoke more muscle growth and development. This is vey similar to our prior programming.
🔄 12-Week Training Cycles:
We are following a 12-week training cycle with four macrocycles, ensuring that you progress and challenge yourself over time. Note: We are jumping into the last phase of the “Full Power Mode” cycle, so please adjust weights/expectations accordingly. The next cycle, “Hinge & Hold Heavy” starts in July! Keep an eye on our schedule for class times.
💪 The Workout Breakdown:
Each workout will consist of 2 assigned parts and 1 optional part:
A.) Functional Strength – varies by cycle
B.) Bodybuilding (2) Upper Days / (2) Lower Days / (1) Bodyweight Flow
C.) Extra Credit (Optional)
⏰ Time Management Tips:
We know your time is valuable, so the workouts are designed to be completed within 45-60 minutes for Parts A and B. Part C, the Extra Credit, can be done on your own time or as an alternative workout (i.e. injury/mobility issues or more/less conditioning).
⚖️ RPE & WORKOUT TYPES
RPE = Rate of Perceived Exertion. We measure this on a 1-10 scale. Every strength and workout component will have an RPE score. This will help you understand the relative intensity you are aiming for in each workout. Per Barbell Medicine, a useful heuristic to apply at first is relating it to the estimated number of repetitions left before failure, also known as “Repetitions in Reserve” (RIR). In this context, an RPE 10 represents a maximal effort, where no additional repetitions could be completed at the same weight. A 9 RPE, therefore, describes a near-maximal effort, where one more repetition could be completed before failure; an 8 RPE denotes a difficult, albeit clearly sub-maximal effort, where two more repetitions could be completed at the same weight, and so on.
Using RPE in your training can be helpful for a bunch of reasons!
- It helps you gauge the intensity of your workouts, especially if you’re trying to train at a specific intensity level like easy, moderate, or hard.
- It lets you adjust the weight based on your current level of readiness / fatigue based on day to day variables, sleep such as, nutrition, stress, emotional/psychological state, hydration, sleep.
- It helps you track your progress; as you get fitter, you should be able to do workouts that feel harder (higher RPE) with less effort.
- It can help prevent overtraining or burnout by ensuring you’re not consistently working out at a high intensity (RPE 8 or above).
RPE Scale:
- 1 – 10% → No loading / No Intensity
- 2 – 20% → Very Light / warm-up weight/pace/feel
- 3 – 30% → Light / warm-up weight/pace/feel
- 4 – 40% → Moderate-Light weight/pace/feel
- 5 – 50% → Moderate weight/pace/feel – 5 RIR (Reps in Reserve)
- 6 – 60% → Moderate+ weight/pace/feel – 4 RIR
- 7 – 70% → Moderate-Heavy/High weight/pace/feel – 3 RIR
- 8 – 80% → Sub-Heavy/Sub-Max High weight/pace/feel – 2 RIR
- 9 – 90% → Very Heavy/Very High weight/pace/feel – 1 RIR
- 10 – 100% → Max Loading/Absolute Max weight/pace/feel while still maintaining sound mechanics – 0 RIR
For more on RPE/Autoregulation – https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/autoregulation-and-rpe-part-i/
Note it will take time to dial in RPE.
TYPE = Specific Category of Workout: Effort, Sprint, Grind, Heavy, & Quality. These categories offer a high-level understanding of the stimulus.
EFFORT
EFFORT workouts are typically designed to be performed at a pace that the athlete can sustain across the entire workout.
SPRINT
SPRINT workouts are typically designed to be performed at or near max intensity the entire duration. They are usually short, fast-paced, and very intense.
GRIND
GRIND workouts are typically designed to test an athlete’s physical, mental, and emotional grit. They are typically long, tough, and designed to wear the athlete down.
HEAVY
HEAVY workouts are typically designed around heavier loading and moving external weighted objects like barbells, kettlebells, or dumbbells.
QUALITY
QUALITY workouts are typically designed for a higher level of practice, skill development, intentional movement, or recovery.
Remember, the programming is all about getting stronger, gaining muscle, and improving health without stress. We want you to have fun, achieve your goals, and enjoy the journey with minimal mental effort. Show up, trust the program, put in the work, know your limits, make friends, and reap the benefits. Give the new programming some time and then feel free to share your experiences and give us your feedback—it’s what helps us deliver the best experience for you. We will continue to improve, review programming opportunities and adjust as necessary. Permit yourself to prioritize quality movement over the amount of weight you move – that is the secret to staying healthy and having longevity in your training!
Thanks for being an incredible part of the Stronger Faster Houston community. YOU make Stronger Faster what it is; the coaches, the programming, and the facilities are just the tools. We appreciate each and every one of you.
Stay tuned for more updates via email and GroupMe. Don’t forget to follow and tag us on Instagram @strongerfaster.
Consistency is Key.
Colin & Lisa
Stronger Faster Houston
Want to learn more?
