CrossFit Armed – Mayhem Affiliate – Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding RPE Scale
RPE 1-3 || This should be a weight that an athlete can move with ease throughout the intended rep range.
RPE 4-5 || This is a weight that provides a moderate amount of resistance but the athlete feels like they could double the intended rep range with the weight they chose
RPE 6-7 || This is a moderate-moderate/heavy weight for the athletes. This should provide a challenge for the intended rep range but should not be something that they are worried of failing. The rest needed between sets should be minimal.
RPE 8-9 || This is a near maximal effort for the intended rep range. Athletes should need and want adequate amount of rest between the sets at this RPE.
RPE 10 || This is a max effort for the intended rep range. The athlete should be fully taxed at the end of each set.
Mayhem Bodybuilding Goals
What?
Bodybuilding is a tool that Mayhem Athletes can use to increase strength, muscular endurance and hypertrophy to better themselves in whatever their fitness goals are. It can also be used as a tool to give the muscles and joints a break from the high intensity that comes with CrossFit day in and day out.
How?
Mayhem Bodybuilding is a stand-alone hypertrophy focused program that includes elements of strength training. You may layer this on top of some of the other Mayhem Athlete Program, but it is not designed to be performed on top of all other tracks each day. We will include pieces of some days in other programs as “ACCESSORY”
Goals?
The goals are to stay focused and rest just long enough so that you can perform the next set with quality and control unless stated otherwise.
Keep your attention of each set and keep your phone in your bag. Sessions are not done “for time” but treat them like you are limited on time. Keep a visible clock running to keep you accountable. Lastly, the goal is all the gainzzzzz!!!!!
Progression
This cycle moves to the traditional upper body push, upper body pull, lower body push/pull seen previously in this programming (earlier in 2022) which is also seen in classical bodybuilding programming.
This cycle will have athletes increasing in weight and decreasing in volume across 8 weeks, followed by a de-load week, and then a max week. The cycle also introduces the concept of mechanical drop sets. The MDS will rotate across days through the cycle to add new variety and fun challenges to athletes’ weekly routines.
See below for an outline of how each year is laid out
4 Yearly Cycles
Cycle 1 (January – March: Mechanical Drop Sets)
Monday: Chest & Triceps
Tuesday: Back & Biceps
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Monostructural
Friday: Arms & Shoulders
Saturday: Glutes & Core
Cycle 2 (April – June: Shock Method)
Monday: Anterior
Tuesday: Posterior
Wednesday: Lower Body Push/Pull
Thursday: Monostructural
Friday: Shoulders & Core
Saturday: Glutes & Arms
Cycle 3 (July – September: Traditional)
Monday: Chest & Triceps
Tuesday: Back & Biceps
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Monostructural
Friday: Arms & Shoulders
Saturday: Glutes & Core
Cycle 4 (October – December: Traditional)
Monday: Anterior
Tuesday: Posterior
Wednesday: Lower Body Push/Pull
Thursday: Monostructural
Friday: Shoulders & Core
Saturday: Glutes & Arms
Upper Body Anterior Warm-up (Checkmark)
Crossover Symmetry Warm-up
-into-
3 rounds
10 Perfect Pushups (controlled form)
15 Band Pull-A-Parts
5 PVC Around the Worlds (each way)
10 Wall Angels
5 Scorpions (each side)
Demo Videos
Perfect Push ups
Banded Pull Aparts
PVC Around the Worlds
Wall Angels
Scorpion Stretch
Focus: Effort should be easy building into moderate. Get yourself moving and opened up for upcoming work.
Bench Press (6 sets of 4 reps @ – RPE 8.5/10 (attempt to go a little heavier than last week)
)
*Rest 2:00-2:30 b/t sets
Focus: Control should be shown with each rep on the way down and on the way up. Bar should be lowered to just below the sternum. Keep elbows at a 45 degree angle to the body and avoid flaring out. Shoulders should be loaded back against the bench throughout reps.
Alt. DB Tempo Incline Bench + Double DB Incline Bench (4 sets: 8 reps (Complete 8 reps alternating, then complete 8 reps together) – RPE 7)
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
*Build to a moderate weight and stay the same or build across all sets.
Focus: Incline of bench should be around a 45-60 degree incline. Start with both DBs extended overhead. Bench with one arm, leaving the other arm extended overhead and then repeat with other side. Tempo for this movement is 2 sec negative + 1 sec pause in bottom + explosive press up. No tempo on double reps. Go directly into double DB reps after alternating reps have been completed. Loading should be moderate and allow for control throughout entire rep. Select a weight that you can control when sitting back to start and sitting up to finishing set. Do not drop the dumbbells. To avoid injury, bring the knees up to meet the dumbbells and sit up with them. If you have to drop them to deload, you’ve gone too heavy.
Alt. DB Tempo Incline Bench + Double DB Incline Bench
https://youtu.be/1KFEd3svlMQ
Reverse Grip Barbell Bench Press (4 sets: 10 reps – RPE 7)
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
*Build to a moderate weight and stay the same or build across all sets.
Focus: Lying on a flat bench, athlete will reverse grip a barbell and unrack. Width grip is dependent on athletes mobility but should be roughly outside the width of the torso. Lower the barbell to the chest and press back up to extension. Be sure keep shoulders loaded down and back against the bench at all times.
Reverse Grip Barbell Bench Press
https://youtu.be/DLqYWWVCQRI
Resistance Band Chest Fly – High to Low (4 sets: 10 reps – RPE 7)
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
Focus: On a rig, loop a resistance band on each side (light to moderate light resistance weight) above head level. Facing away from rig, grasp a band in each hand. Starting with arms extended to the sides and a forward lean (stagger feet for stabilization), press the bands forward with slightly bent arms, crossing over in front of the body at waist level. Return out to the sides and repeat, crossing the opposite arm on top from the last rep. Slight bend in the arm should be maintained throughout reps (excessive bending of the elbow will place focus on triceps rather than chest)
Resistance Band Chest Fly
https://youtu.be/yVcEkvgymt8
Ring Curls (4 sets: 10 reps – RPE 7)
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
Focus: Setup a pair of rings so bottom of ring is at the top of the hips. Lean back with an overhand grip so that body is around 45-60 from horizontal. Adjust feet/ring height until a comfortably challenging position can be achieved. Curl with the arms (turning from the overhand to underhand grip) with a focus on bringing the rings towards the face or slightly outside of the face. Control the descent to full extension.
DB Preacher Curl (4 sets: 10 reps – RPE 7)
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
*Build to a light/moderate weight. Stay the same and focus on strict control throughout
Focus: Using either an incline bench or the rounded portion of a GHD pad, brace the back of the upper arm against the bench/pad. The bench/pad is used to completely isolate on the bicep and remove assistance from body/shoulder. Attempt very light weight before working sets to get a feel for range of motion/amount of isolation that is placed on the bicep. DO NOT OVERLOAD THIS MOVEMENT BY GOING TOO HEAVY. Curl the DB with one arm braced against the pad and then switch to the other side and complete on the opposite arm to finish the set.
DB Preacher Curl
https://youtu.be/R4s8obKxrro
Cooldown/Mobility (Checkmark)
1 min Pec Stretch against Door/Rig
1 min Lacrosse Ball Pec Smash (each side)
1 min Overhead Elbow Grab Tricep stretch (each side)
1 min Tricep Lacrosse Ball Smash (each side)
Focus: Do your mobility work to keep range of motion. Pec Stretch consists of raising bent arm to the side to make an “L”, raise arm so that upper arm is at a 45 degree angle to the neck and place forearm against rig/door frame. Slowly lean into stretch.
Mayhem Mini-Pump
Mini-Pump Sessions are used as a supplement to another Mayhem Athlete track or on days when you are pressed for time and cannot complete the full day’s bodybuilding session as programmed. You should NOT complete today’s bodybuilding program AND the mini-pump session. Choose one or the other.
Upper Body Anterior (Time)
4 Rounds
10 Barbell Bench Press @ moderate weight – maintain quality RPE 7
10 Alt. DB Tempo Incline Bench + Double DB Incline Bench @ Moderate weight – maintain control and quality RPE 7
10 Resistance Band Chest Fly – High to Low @ moderate weight – maintain quality RPE 7
15 DB Preacher Curl @ moderate weight – maintain quality RPE 7
-Rest 3 min b/t rounds-
Scoring: Time
Demo Videos
Alternating DB Tempo Incline + Double DB Incline Bench
Resistance Band Chest Fly High to Low
DB Preacher Curl
