HEAVY AF VOL 10 Drop
Hello, all my strong friends!
We’re on to a new Heavy AF cycle! We’ve got a handful of new movements to work on, the biggest event of the year quickly coming up, and lots of things to discuss and refine.
In this email, we’ll go over the plan, we’ll talk about our main movements, I’ll give loads of helpful info, and a little banter.
THE PLAN
FACE OFF
Sept 14th will be the biggest event the Ukrainian Village has ever seen! Someone tell the neighbors. FACE OFF 2025. 25 teams.125 Athletes. Some want the smoke. Some are self-proclaimed “normies” and are avoiding the smoke.
Many of you who are competing in FACE OFF are looking for a new 3RM deadlift or to put on a show in the bench press. I got you. Over the next couple of cycles, we will have a focus on Bench and Deadlifts to best prepare a killer TGC showing.
FACE OFF lands 14 weeks from the start of this new HAF program. We’ll spend the next 8 weeks focusing on some general strength outcomes - building as much overall strength and familiarity in our movements as possible. Then, as we move into the next cycle for the start of August, we will employ some specificity and work on the same demands needed for comp day.
I’m aware many of you are not competing in Face-Off, which is cool (but also isn’t cool), you’ll just have serious FOMO after you crush this cycle and watch your friends do what you coulda done.
FACE OFF or no FACE OFF, we are all getting yoked! So we good.
Let's get into it!…
TRAINING SPLITS:
MONDAY MOVEMENTS
A] BB BACK OR FRONT PAUSE SQUATS
B] DB RDL
On Monday, athletes' choice is back. You guys can decide which squat variation to work on - front or back.
A reminder that either squat choice can bias different outcomes: a back squat tends to be more accessible, loadable, and utilizes the glutes a little more, while the front squat lends more to improve your overall squat technique and utilizes the quads a little more. Pick ya poison. If you want big quadsies like J-Money-Lord, go front. If you want to go heavy and work on ya booty, go back.
For the first 4 weeks of the cycle, we will use pause reps when establishing our top set. Pause reps in barbell squatting involve briefly pausing at the bottom of the squat—typically 1–3 seconds, before driving back up.
The cue your excellent Monday coaches will give you is to stop momentum in the bottom position. This technique increases time under tension and emphasizes strength and control in the weakest part of the lift (the “hole”). Our intention here is to improve squat mechanics, build explosive power, and enhance muscular endurance and stability.
Pause reps will be performed on the TOP SETS ONLY. We’ll start week 1 with a 3-second pause, then as we move through weeks 2, 3, and 4, the duration of the pause will decrease. Keep in mind here that the pause performed on the top set will constrain the amount you can load, this will lead to a lighter drop set - so expect some not-so-maximal sets early in the program where your focus should be depth and speed out of the hole.
Following the first four weeks with pauses, we will move to a traditional squat to finish.
IF CHOOSING BACK SQUATS - HIGH VS LOW BAR BACK SQUATTING:
If you’re fairly new to the gym or squatting, I would disregard this info - you have bigger things to worry about, like getting your hip CARs right. However, if you feel you’re somewhat of an OG and you’re planning to back squat, you might want to consider your bar position: High or low BB Back Squats.
The key difference between high bar and low bar back squats lies in bar placement, torso angle, and muscle emphasis.
During high bar squats, the bar rests on the upper traps, just below the neck. This is the more common of the two options and tends to favour a more upright torso, more quads due to the vertical position, and is usually preferred by Olympic lifters and those wanting to focus more on quad development. Athletes with longer torsos and shorter legs tend to find high-bar squats more comfortable.
During low bars, the bar sits lower across the rear deltoids and upper back. This is less common and requires more forward lean to maintain balance over the mid-foot and utilizes more glutes, hamstrings, and posterior chain due to the hip-dominant angle. It is favored by powerlifters for maximizing load due to mechanical leverage. The low bar position can offer opportunities to sit lower into a squat for those with particularly long legs or people who tend to be more forward-leaning in a high bar squat. (Hi, that’s me!)
Each variation serves different training goals and biomechanics. If you’re interested in switching up your bar position and trying something new, talk to ya coach.
The secondary movement on Mondays will be a Dumbell RDL. You know the drill — slight bend in the knees, hinge from the hips, dumbbells track down close to the legs, spine stays neutral. Don’t turn it into a squat, and don’t rush the tempo — the magic’s in the control and the stretch. We goin’ heavy, so make sure to wear wrist straps.
Additional movements on Mondays will be vertical jumps, some presses, and some side bends to finish out your main lifts.
Finally, your accessory work: I don’t normally include a note regarding accessories, but this time I thought I’d include something because I have a feeling some of ya’ll are going to skip. Accessory work on Monday is going to be an exercise selected by your coach that isolates knee flexion, your hamstrings (aka ya leg biceps).
This won't be the same as walking home with an arm pump, and isn’t the sexiest of movements, but there is some intention in this: It’s summer, and many of you (you know, cuz we at TGC do it all baby) are upping our running mileage. Isolated knee flexion (like hamstring curls) targets the hamstrings in a way running alone doesn’t. While running trains the hamstrings in a lengthened, dynamic position, isolated work strengthens them in their shortened range — where injuries often happen.
This movement helps balance quad dominance, supports knee stability, and reduces the risk of strains, especially during faster runs or hill work. Think of it as insurance: small movement, big return for my runners. So do your hamstring CURLS!
WEDNESDAY MOVEMENTS
A] BB FLOOR PRESS
B] KB COSSACK SQUAT
BB FLOOR PRESS
The barbell floor press is a bench press variation performed while lying on the floor. It limits the range of motion by stopping the elbows when they touch the ground, reducing shoulder strain and emphasizing the lockout portion of the lift.
We will perform this lift for the first four weeks of the program before switching to conventional bench press.
Swapping in a BB floor press for a few weeks can work wonders for our bench. The floor limits range of motion, so we’re focusing on the lockout portion of the press — right where most people stall. That means stronger triceps and more control when grinding through sticking points.
A few weeks of floor pressing can help target weak spots, shift the stimulus, and set us up for a stronger return to full ROM.
Our secondary lift on Wednesdays is going to be a KB Cossack Squat. I’m imagining your faces as you read that. Kinda like buying a taco from Star Lounge for the first time and getting charged $6. Not the biggest deal, but c’mooooooooon. See ya’ll Wednesdays. Ok, I’ll try sell you:
Unlike traditional squats, the Cossack squat targets movement in the frontal plane (side-to-side). It stretches and strengthens the adductors (inner thigh muscles) and glutes, which are often tight and weak in most people.
Cossack squats promote active mobility—the ability to control movement through a range, particularly the abduction and external rotation angles, which are key in achieving depth, stability, and preventing injuries related to compensation patterns in the regular squat.
Finally, there is ankle and knee mobility synergy. While focused on the hips, the Cossack squat also improves ankle dorsiflexion and knee flexion, which are closely linked to hip mobility. Greater mobility through the entire chain leads to more efficient movement and reduced strain on any single joint.
Show me someone who crushes Cossack squats, and I’ll show you someone with some healthy buttery hips and an impeccable Barbell Squat.
To finish out Wednesdays, we’ll have some upper body power work, a pulling exercise, and some abs.
FRIDAY MOVEMENTS
A] BB SUMO OR CONVENTIONAL BANDED DEADLIFT
B] DB SA ROW
The primary exercise on Fridays will be a choice of sumo or conventional banded deadlifts.
Using a band to load a deadlift— is commonly referred to as accommodating resistance, which adds variable tension throughout the lift. As the bar rises, the band stretches and increases resistance, matching the natural strength curve of the movement (i.e., you’re stronger at the top than the bottom).
This style of lift improves lockout strength, enhances speed and power, encourages explosive movement to overcome rising tension, and promotes better technique, since the band punishes poor bar path or loss of control.
Banded deadlifts will be performed on ALL SETS. We will utilize bands for four weeks before switching to regular deadlifts.
A single-arm dumbbell row will be our secondary movement on Fridays. We will use benches to create a tripod style stance, which will create a tone of stability, and I’d love for us to utilize straps.
Along with deadlifts and single arm rows will be sprints or jumps, some overhead presses, and a rotational exercise to top your Friday HAF day.
SATURDAY MOVEMENTS
A] MIN 20-10 *CONSTRAINED MAX OUTS*
3 CLEANS, 2 FRONT SQUATS, 1 PUSH JERK
B] ANDERSON FRONT SQUAT
BB COMPLEX: 3 Squat Clean + 2 Front Squats + 1 Push Jerk
*Constrained Max outs*
FOLLOWED BY: BB Snatch Grip High Pull: *EMOM*
My Saturday squad,
During this cycle, as normal, your main block will be split into two parts, constrained max outs for 10min, then an EMOM for 10min.
We’ll be performing 3 BB Squat Cleans with 2 additional front squats on top and finishing with a single push jerk. We’ll work on this for the first 10 minutes of the block, utilizing our constrained max outs. Then, for the second 10 minutes, we’ll perform a Snatch grip high pull EMOM for the remainder of the time using a percentage of the top set performed with the Complex.
This is a little different than normal, switching the movement entirely to a snatch grip high pull for the EMOM. The snatch grip high pull is a weightlifting exercise that involves pulling the barbell from the floor to chest height using a wide, snatch-style grip. The movement emphasizes explosive hip, knee, and ankle extension (triple extension), followed by a powerful upward shrug and high elbow pull, keeping the bar close to the body.
This exercise builds strength and power in the posterior chain—especially the traps, glutes, hamstrings, and upper back—while improving coordination and technique for Olympic lifts like the snatch (No Jon, this does not necessarily mean we will eventually be performing snatches, we’re doing this for the trap and pulling gainzzz, sorry dawg). It’s commonly used to develop athletic explosiveness and upper-body pulling strength without the technical demands of a full snatch.
Over the weeks, components of the complex will be reduced to increase the load potential of the movement and therefore progressively load the snatch grip high pull.
The secondary lift on Saturdays will be an Anderson squat, also known as a pin squat, which is a squat variation performed from a dead stop at the bottom of the movement, with the bar starting on safety pins or supports—usually set at or just below parallel.
Key benefits are the lack of stretch reflex, starting from the bottom, eliminates momentum, forcing pure strength out of the hole, and reinforcing proper posture and bracing from the start of the lift.
The Anderson squat is especially beneficial for lifters looking to break through squat plateaus.
In addition to your barbell work, other movements will be a Coach E favourite in a weighted box jump and an upper body isolation exercise in a DB Crucifix Hold (an isometric shoulder exercise where you hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended straight, forming a “T” shape) - cuz ya’ know, who doesn’t want massive shoulders?
Make sense? Cool…
SOME KEY POINTS TO IMPROVE YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY:
OKKKKK…. These are some topics that I frequently discuss with many of you that I think should be shared with the group.
“WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT MY ACHES AND PAINS?”
This is a question we get asked frequently this time of year. A lot of you spend the winter months relying heavily on our HIGH LEVEL programming for your fitness routine, then when the weather changes we start to add in things like running (shout out Garage Run Club!), outdoor sports, swimming, biking etc - generally our activity level increases in the summer, which is amazing. However, this can also lead to over-training, and then inevitably aches and pains, which ya’ll query us about. So here are my thoughts:
Over-training occurs when the stress of exercise or activity is greater than the body's ability to recover. It happens when you train too much, or too frequently, without enough recovery time. This can lead to decreased performance, muscle and joint pain, or unusual muscle soreness that persists long after a workout. The most common example of this is my seasonal runners, who start logging miles when summertime-Chi hits.
So my advice if this feels like you, or maybe to avoid experiencing this later in the summer, is to build, follow, and then regulate a consistent weekly routine. Then, if we start to identify decreased performance, muscle and joint pain, or unusual muscle soreness, we have a good indication that we are doing a little too much. Which means you should change your routine.
The body responds and adapts best to a consistent stimulus; best practice is the same routine every week. If you haven't already, build out or write a fixed weekly plan for yourself that you can stick to. Then follow that plan for 3-4 weeks (get a large sample size) and see how you feel. If you feel crappy you’re doing too much, and should reduce something from your plan.
I know this sounds overly simple, maybe even obvious, but the point is to find what routine works specifically for you that you can execute forever… then a few years later, you’ll have experienced minimal injury and lots and lots of consistent work! Then you’ll be jacked. Perfect.
“HOW DO I BREAK MY PR PLATEAU?”
To break a lifting plateau, it’s often helpful to change up your training variables—this can include adjusting volume, intensity, rest periods, or exercise selection, which I say ALL THE TIME.
Another thing to add to this, which I think a few of you could utilize, is to focus more on lifting speed rather than just increasing weight. While I love how much we all encourage each other to lift heavy or throw on extra plates after a successful set - training with lighter loads at maximum velocity improves neuromuscular efficiency and power output, helping you move heavier weights more explosively over time. So don’t just focus on weight, FOCUS ON SPEED as well.
”SHOULD I USE MIXED GRIP OR STRAPS WHEN I DEADLIFT?”
When deadlifting, both lifting straps and the mixed grip (one hand overhand, one underhand) are commonly used to improve grip strength, but they serve slightly different purposes. I have recently been asked which choice is better. I always encourage the use of grips with heavy single-arm stuff, but deadlift is a little different, you have some options:
A mixed grip allows you to hold heavier loads without the bar rolling out of your hands, making it a popular choice in powerlifting, where often straps aren’t allowed.
Lifting straps, on the other hand, wrap around the bar and your wrists to reduce grip fatigue, allowing you to focus on pulling with your posterior chain rather than worrying about grip failure.
While straps are great for training volume and heavy pulls, especially when grip is the limiting factor, they don’t build grip strength like raw or mixed grip training does. Many lifters rotate between the two depending on training goals and grip fatigue.
So, with that being said, straps are great for higher volume or tempo-based work, mixed grip is a little more accessible, and it trains your grip. Either are a great option to ensure maximal loading, and if I were you, I would switch between the two. But generally, they serve the same function fairly evenly, and it doesn't matter too much.
Squad, let me know if this email was helpful and if, in the future, there is anything you would like me to include or talk about.
Love ya’ll!
Coach Ashley Stephen
Director of Training
The Garage Chicago Gym
