The emphasis shifts from building individual qualities to using them together: strength endurance, gymnastics capacity with elevated breathing, barbell cycling under fatigue, and repeatable high-intensity conditioning. Movement quality remains the standard as the demand increases.

Programming Focus

Strength Endurance Apply existing strength under fatigue.
Gymnastics Capacity Consistent mechanics with elevated breathing.
Barbell Cycling Sustain position and efficiency under fatigue.
High-Intensity Conditioning Greater work density and competitive pressure.

Cycle Structure

Weeks 1-6
Foundational / building phase. Establish volume, positional strength, gymnastics density, and repeatable conditioning.
Week 7
Reload. Reduce accumulated fatigue and prepare for testing.
Week 8
Test Week. Revisit primary strength, conditioning, and barbell cycling benchmarks.
Transition
Two lower-pressure training weeks to recover and prepare for next cycle, beginning January 4, 2027.

Cycle Highlights & Benchmarks

Key workouts to track progress and measure readiness. These benchmarks test strength, gymnastics capacity, and conditioning under fatigue, core elements of the Ares cycle.

Benchmark 01

Go, Dog. Go!

Conditioning

For Calories
5 Sets:
1:00 AMRAP
10 Burpees
Max Bike Calories in remaining time
Rest 1:00 between sets
Score: Total Bike Calories

Performed in Week 1 and Test Week. Tests repeat-sprint ability, anaerobic power, recovery between efforts, and sustainable high-output conditioning with minimal decline across the five sets.

Benchmark 02

Rip Current

Gymnastics Conditioning

For Time:
60 Calorie Row
50 Toes-to-Bar
40/30 Calorie Echo Bike
30 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
20 Shuttle Runs
10 Bar Muscle-Ups

Tests gymnastics mechanics and capacity under increasing grip, trunk, pulling, and cardiovascular fatigue. Athletes should manage early work to preserve quality for the final Bar Muscle-Ups.

Benchmark 03

Rope Burn

Barbell Cycling

For Time:
25 Thrusters 95/65lb (43/29kg)
25 Power Snatches 115/75lb (52/34kg)
25 Clean & Jerks 135/95lb (61/43kg)
Starting at 0:00 and every 2:30: 50 Double-Unders
Goal: 9:00 – 13:00
Time Cap: 15:00
RPE: 9/10

Tests efficient cycling across increasing loads with recurring Double-Under interruptions. Athletes balance aggressive sets with pacing, breathing, grip management, and technically consistent repetitions.

Strength Development

Strength emphasizes moderate-to-heavy work primarily in the 3-9 rep range, progressing from higher-volume sets toward heavier loading and the 5RM Front Squat and 5RM Push Press.

Front Squat

Volume to Intensity

Volume exposures such as 4-5 x 9 @ 65% and 4-5 x 7 @ 70%, heavier work such as 4-5 x 5 @ 75%, 4-5 x 4 @ 80%, and 5 x 3 @ 85%.

Mixed Squat Density

10:00 EMOM

Alternating 3 Front Squats @ 75% and 5 Back Squats at the same load; later, 2 Front Squats @ 80% and 4 Back Squats at the same load.

Push Press

Volume to Intensity

A similar volume-to-intensity progression, with 3 Push Press + 2 Split Jerk complexes at approximately 70-85% of Push Press across the cycle.

Strength Testing 5RM Front Squat + 5RM Push Press

Olympic Lifting

Olympic lifting progresses toward more complete lifts from the floor, alternating Snatch and Clean & Jerk emphasis. Training includes full lifts, moderate-to-heavy singles, barbell cycling, lifting under moderate fatigue, and Split Jerk development.

The goal is to preserve technical precision while increasing an athlete’s ability to express barbell skill in competition-style conditions.

Gymnastics Development

Move from isolated gymnastics strength toward capacity under fatigue. Strict strength and sound positions remain important, but gymnastics is increasingly paired with monostructural work to challenge grip, breathing, trunk control, and repeatability.

Progressive Gymnastics Conditioning Featuring Bar Muscle-Ups, Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups, and Toes-to-Bar alongside Echo Bike, Row, and Shuttle Runs.
Build Density By increasing gymnastics repetitions, increasing monostructural demand, or reducing recovery, generally changing one variable at a time.

Featured Benchmark Rip Current

Weekly Conditioning Targets

7-10 Minutes One workout around this time domain each week.
10-14 Minutes One workout around this time domain each week.
20+ Minutes One longer workout each week.
Repeatable Intensity Interval- or EMOM-based work each week.

Barbell Cycling

Athletes will regularly cycle moderate loads under cardiovascular and muscular fatigue through Thrusters, Snatches, Clean & Jerks, Deadlifts, and Shoulder-to-Overhead variations. Coaching priorities are efficient movement, breathing, transitions, and choosing sustainable sets.

What This Cycle Trains

RepeatabilityReproduce hard efforts without technical drop-off.
EfficiencyMove well under rising fatigue and breathing pressure.
PacingUnderstand when to push, settle, and recover.
ComposureMaintain decision-making and movement quality under pressure.

Cycle HighlightsGo, Dog. Go! | Rip Current | Rope Burn

Week 7: Reload

December 7-13 focuses on lowering training pressure before testing while preserving readiness and movement quality.

ReduceAccumulated fatigue.
PreserveReadiness.
MaintainMovement quality.

Week 8: Test Week

December 14-20 assesses the ability to express the qualities trained throughout Ares.

5RM Front SquatStrength test.
5RM Push PressStrength test.
Go, Dog. Go!Conditioning benchmark.
Rip CurrentGymnastics conditioning benchmark.
Rope BurnBarbell cycling benchmark.

Let’s Get After It

Ares is where athletes learn to combine the qualities they have developed: strength that holds up under fatigue, gymnastics that stays efficient while breathing climbs, technically sound barbell cycling, and intensity they can reproduce. The result is a more durable and capable CrossFit athlete, prepared for the Open-specific work of Artemis.

Cycle begins October 26, 2026.