Jan 5 – Mar 28, 2026

CYCLE OVERVIEW

This 12-week strength cycle launches the New Year with a beginner-friendly, foundational progression built around the Back Squat, Shoulder Press, and Deadlift. The goal is to help athletes reestablish consistent movement patterns, rebuild strength capacity, and develop confidence under the barbell, especially for newer or returning athletes after the holidays. Testing each power lift individually in Weeks 1 and 12 replaces the traditional single-day CrossFit Total because separating the lifts results in safer attempts, clearer data, and better movement quality. Athletes receive dedicated warm-ups and full attention for each lift, ensuring they express their true strength without the accumulated fatigue that comes from testing all three in one session.

Weekly barbell cycling alternates between Snatch and Clean & Jerk to reinforce technical skill, timing, and barbell fluency without overwhelming newer athletes. The cycle prepares athletes for the 2026 CrossFit Open by building a solid base early, staying intentionally light during Open weeks, and peaking for new post-Open PRs. With every strength session designed to fit inside a 20-minute window, the program integrates seamlessly into class structure while keeping athletes fresh, confident, and moving with purpose throughout the entire 12-week block.

12-WEEK STRENGTH CYCLE SUMMARY 

PART 1: OPEN PREP (Weeks 1–6)

Establish a strength baseline with individual lift testing, rebuild volume and confidence, and progress to controlled heavy exposures before a deload week.

PART 2: MAINTAINER → POST-OPEN MAX (Weeks 7–12)

Reduce intensity leading into the Open, stay light and technical during Open workouts, then rebuild and peak before retesting each lift individually.

WEEKLY STRUCTURE (4 Strength Days)

*Lifts will alternate days weekly based on programmed workouts

• Day 1: Back Squat
• Day 2: Shoulder Press
• Day 3: Deadlift
• Day 4: Barbell Cycling (Snatch ↔ Clean & Jerk)

 

BRIEF BREAKDOWN OF THE CYCLE

BEGINNER-FRIENDLY NEW YEAR FOUNDATION (Weeks 1–3)

Goal: Rebuild consistency, establish movement patterns, and develop a safe strength base.

• Week 1: Test Back Squat, Press, Deadlift individually
• Weeks 2–3: Volume-focused strength at 60–70%
• Barbell cycling stays light and skill-focused (RPE 6)

Why: Athletes are coming off holiday inconsistency; this resets technique and creates structure.

 

STRENGTH BUILD + CONTROLLED HEAVY WORK (Weeks 4–6)

Goal: Feel heavier loads with perfect mechanics.

• Weeks 4–5: Heavier doubles/triples at 75–82%
• Week 6: Deload (faster reps, same structure)
• Cycling sharpens bar path and timing

Why: Build strength without overreaching before the Open.

 

OPEN-READY MAINTAINER PHASE (Weeks 7–9)

 

Week 7: Moderate intensity to maintain strength (≈70%)
Weeks 8–9: CrossFit Open → VERY light lifting (55–62%)

Why: Strength should support Open performance, not interfere with it.

 

POST-OPEN REBUILD → PEAK (Weeks 10–12)

 

Week 10: Controlled return to moderate loading
Week 11: Heaviest exposures of the entire cycle
Week 12: Retest Back Squat, Press, Deadlift individually

Why: Post-Open recovery → rebuild → peak for new PRs.

 

THE WEEKLY STRUCTURE (4-Day Strength Format)

• Day 1: Back Squat
• Day 2: Shoulder Press
• Day 3: Deadlift
• Day 4: Barbell Cycling (alternating Snatch ↔ C&J)

Each session stays ≤ 20 minutes, ideal for a consistent class structure.

 

PERCENTAGE FOR POWER LIFTS/ RPE FOR OLYMPIC LIFTS

Power Lifts: The Back Squat, Shoulder Press, and Deadlift use percentage-based loading because these lifts are stable, predictable, and highly repeatable. Their mechanics stay consistent, making them ideal for structured strength progressions across a 12-week cycle. Percentages build strength with clarity and consistency, allowing coaches to control intensity and athletes to track progress reliably.

Olympic Lifts: RPE is used because they rely heavily on timing, speed, and precision, factors that change daily based on fatigue and mobility. Strict percentages can lead to poor positions, while RPE allows athletes to move with smooth, efficient technique. This keeps barbell cycling sustainable during Open prep and ensures Olympic lifting remains fast, technical, and repeatable.

SCALING & ATHLETE GUIDANCE

Beginners / New Year Returners

• Follow RPE instead of strict %
• Prioritize clean movement over load.
• Reduce heavy weeks by 5–10% as needed.
• Tempo reps encouraged (3-second down)

Intermediate Athletes

• Follow prescribed percentages
• Maintain pristine mechanics
• Avoid grinding reps in Weeks 4–5 and 11

Masters Athletes

• Add extra rest (30–60 sec per set)
• Swap Deadlift for Trap Bar or RDL if needed.
• Keep cycling technique-focused

WHAT ATHLETES WILL GAIN

By the end of this 12-week cycle, athletes will:

✔ Re-establish a strong foundational base after the New Year

✔ Improve movement quality and barbell confidence

✔ Enter the Open fresh, strong, and technically prepared

✔ Maintain strength during Open workouts without burnout

✔ Peak strength post-Open

✔ Retest higher 1RM numbers for Squat, Press, and Deadlift

✔ Improve barbell cycling efficiency and timing

This cycle creates the perfect bridge between:

Starting the year strong → Navigating the Open → Peaking afterward.

 

12-WEEK CYCLE LAY OUT

 

WEEK 1 — TEST WEEK – January 5, 2026

Intent: Establish starting numbers. Tests are capped at 20 minutes of working time. No grinders.

DAY 1 — BACK SQUAT TEST

Warm-Up: Empty bar → 40% → 55% → 70% → 80%
TEST: Build to 1RM Back Squat

 

DAY 2 — SHOULDER PRESS TEST

Warm-Up: Light strict pressing → 40% → 55% → 70%
TEST: Build to 1RM Strict Press

 

DAY 3 — DEADLIFT TEST

Warm-Up: Bar → 40% → 55% → 70% → 80%
TEST: Build to 1RM Deadlift

 

DAY 4 — BARBELL CYCLING (SNATCH)

Every 1:00 (8:00)
3 Power Snatches (singles) @ RPE 6

 

 

WEEK 2 — BASE BUILD 1 – January 12, 2026

Intent: Build foundational volume. Moderate loading. Focus on tempo and bar path.

DAY 1 — BACK SQUAT

Every 2:30 × 5 sets
5 × 4 @ 65%

DAY 2 — SHOULDER PRESS

Every 2:00 × 4 sets
4 × 5 @ 62%

DAY 3 — DEADLIFT

Every 2:30 × 4 sets
4 × 5 @ 65%

DAY 4 — CYCLING (C&J)

Every 1:00 (8:00)
3 Power Clean and Jerks (singles) @ RPE 6

 

 

WEEK 3 — BASE BUILD 2 – January 19, 2026

Intent: Continue adding moderate load. Movement quality > intensity.

DAY 1 — BACK SQUAT

Every 2:30 × 5
5 × 4 @ 70%

DAY 2 — SHOULDER PRESS

Every 2:00 × 4
4 × 4 @ 65%

DAY 3 — DEADLIFT

Every 2:30 × 4
4 × 4 @ 70%

DAY 4 — CYCLING (SNATCH)

Every 1:00 (10:00)
2 Touch-and-Go Power Snatch + 2 Overhead Squat @ RPE 6–7

 

WEEK 4 — INTENSITY BUILD – January 26, 2026

Intent: First real exposure to heavier loading. Still submaximal; no grinders.

DAY 1 — BACK SQUAT

Every 2:00 × 4
4 × 3 @ 75%

DAY 2 — SHOULDER PRESS

Every 2:00 × 4
4 × 3 @ 70%

DAY 3 — DEADLIFT

Every 2:00 × 4
4 × 3 @ 75%

DAY 4 — CYCLING (C&J)

Every 1:00 (8:00)
1 Clean and Jerk @ RPE 7

 

WEEK 5 — INTENSITY PEAK – February 2, 2026

Intent: Heaviest exposures of Part 1. Controlled doubles.

DAY 1 — BACK SQUAT

Every 2:30 × 4
4 × 2 @ 80–82%

DAY 2 — SHOULDER PRESS

Every 2:00 × 5
5 × 2 @ 75%

DAY 3 — DEADLIFT

Every 2:30 × 4
4 × 2 @ 80–82%

DAY 4 — CYCLING (SNATCH)

Every 2:00 (10:00)
2 Touch-and-Go Power Snatch + 1 Overhead Squat @ RPE 7

 

WEEK 6 — DELOAD (SPEED + POSITION) – February 9, 2026

Intent: Lightest week since testing. Preserve freshness heading into next phase.

DAY 1 — BACK SQUAT

Every 2:00 × 4
4 × 3 @ 65%

DAY 2 — SHOULDER PRESS

Every 1:30 × 4
4 × 3 @ 60%

DAY 3 — DEADLIFT

Every 2:00 × 4
4 × 3 @ 65%

DAY 4 — Clean and Jerk

Every 1:00 (10:00)
1 Clean + Jerk @ RPE 6

 

PART 2 — MAINTAINER → POST-OPEN MAX (WEEKS 7–12)

WEEK 7 — PRE-OPEN CONTROL WEEK – February 16, 2026

Intent: Reduce CNS fatigue. Ensure athletes feel fresh heading into the Open.

DAY 1 — BACK SQUAT

Every 2:00 × 4
4 × 3 @ 70%

DAY 2 — SHOULDER PRESS

Every 1:30 × 4
4 × 3 @ 65%

DAY 3 — DEADLIFT

Every 2:00 × 4
4 × 3 @ 70%

DAY 4 — CYCLING (SNATCH)

Every 1:00 (10:00)
3 Touch-and-Go Snatch @ RPE 6

 

WEEK 8 — OPEN WEEK 1 (VERY LIGHT) – February 23, 2026

Intent: Only technique + blood flow. No heavy loading.

BACK SQUAT

3 × 5 @ 60%

SHOULDER PRESS

3 × 5 @ 55%

DEADLIFT

3 × 5 @ 60%

CYCLING (C&J)

Every 1:00 (8:00)
1 Clean + Jerk @ RPE 5–6

 

WEEK 9 — OPEN WEEK 2 (VERY LIGHT) – March 2, 2026

Intent: Keep athletes fresh for the Open.

BACK SQUAT

3 × 3 @ 65%

SHOULDER PRESS

3 × 3 @ 65%

DEADLIFT

3 × 3 @ 65%

CYCLING (SNATCH)

Every 1:00 (8:00)
2 Snatch (smooth singles) @ RPE 5–6

 

WEEK 10 — POST-OPEN REBUILD – March 9, 2026

Intent: Moderate loading returns. Restore positions and rhythm.

BACK SQUAT

Every 2:30 × 4
4 × 3 @ 72–75%

SHOULDER PRESS

Every 2:00 × 4
4 × 3 @ 70%

DEADLIFT

Every 2:30 × 4
4 × 3 @ 72–75%

CYCLING (C&J)

Every 1:00 (10:00)
1 Clean and Jerk @ RPE 7

 

WEEK 11 — HEAVY PREP WEEK – March 16, 2026

Intent: Final heavy exposures before retesting. No misses allowed.

BACK SQUAT

Every 3:00 × 3
3 × 2 @ 78–82%

SHOULDER PRESS

Every 3:00 × 3
3 × 2 @ 75–78%

DEADLIFT

Every 3:00 × 3
3 × 2 @ 78–82%

CYCLING (SNATCH)

Every 2:00 (10:00)
2 Touch-and-Go Power Snatch + 1 Snatch Balance @ RPE 7

 

WEEK 12 — RETEST WEEK – March 23, 2026

Intent: Clean comparison to Week 1. Athletes should feel powerful and ready.

DAY 1 — RETEST BACK SQUAT

Warm-Up: Same progression as Week 1
TEST: Build to 1RM

DAY 2 — RETEST SHOULDER PRESS

Warm-Up: Same as Week 1
TEST: 1RM Strict Press

 

DAY 3 — RETEST DEADLIFT

Warm-Up: Same as Week 1
TEST: 1RM Deadlift

 

DAY 4 — FLUSH CYCLING (C&J)

Every 1:00 (8:00)
2 Clean + Jerk @ RPE 5–6