Summer Block 01 // Sessions 1–6
CrossFit Gym // Barbell + DB
BLOCK 01
Session intent: You've been squatting 235–245# for 5×5. This pushes to 240–250# — a small, honest step. The front squat is new stimulus, not a test. The sled keeps the legs working without loading the spine after the squat volume. Go home tired, not wrecked.
Session intent: This is the heaviest posterior chain day in the block. Hip thrust pre-fatigues the glutes before the deadlift — that's by design. The ring-assisted SL RDL is a new tool. Use it to clean up position, not to go heavy. The GHD back extensions after this session matter — they're active recovery for the erectors after the deadlift demand.
Session intent: Sumo + unilateral is a high-volume combination. The farmer carry replaces the sandbag lateral carry from recent sessions — same loaded gait stimulus, heavier and more practical. The FFE split squat is the biggest hypertrophy driver in the block — those 5 sets matter. Don't skip the curtsy lunges just because you're tired.
Session intent: This is the highest-variance session in the block. The barbell glute complex is a deliberate new tool — it builds time under tension across the hip hinge pattern without adding more individual exercises. One bar, one flow, four rounds. The cleans go up by one rep per set — that's 20 more reps of max hip drive than last time you ran this.
+ 3 × 6
Work: 295–305#
Session intent: The top set on hip thrust is new — building to a true heavy single (or set of 4) before the working sets teaches the nervous system where the ceiling is and makes the working sets feel more controlled. The step-up load bumps meaningfully. The suitcase carry is the most different movement in the block — it's doing something the other exercises aren't. Don't skip it because it looks easy.
+ 4 × 4
Volume: 245–250#
Session intent: This is the block test. The heavy set of 3 on the squat tells you where you're starting Block 2. Write that number down. The Bulgarian split squat load bump is the biggest DB jump in the program — if you can't hit 80–85# with clean reps, stay at 75–80# and log it. Block 2 starts wherever Block 1 ends, honestly.
This block is about loading density, not max intensity. Six sessions, every one of them has a clear purpose. The squat days and the hip thrust/deadlift days are the two pillars — everything else is volume that supports those. When you feel beat up, it's usually the accessory volume, not the primary. Don't cut the primary. Cut a set of curtsy lunges.
The new movements — front squat, barbell glute complex, suitcase carry, ring-assisted SL RDL — are tools, not tests. They're in here because variety in movement patterns recruits more total muscle fiber over a block than repeating the same five exercises forever. Start conservative. Own them. They'll be heavier in Block 2.
The sled and carry work are non-negotiable. I know they feel different from "real" lifting. They are real lifting. The sled builds hip drive without loading the spine after a heavy squat session. The carries build the lateral stability and hip strength that keep your knees and hips healthy under the barbell loads you're moving. Skip them and you're leaving results on the floor.
The GHD cash-out volume goes up slightly across the block. That's intentional — your core and erectors need to keep pace with what your hips and legs are doing. The back extensions are not a reward for finishing. They're part of the program.
Session 6 is the measuring stick. Come in fresh if you can — ideally 48 hours after Session 5. What you squat on that heavy set of 3 is the baseline for Block 2. Be honest with it. Log it. That number matters.
Where you are right now is exactly where you're supposed to be. Build from here.