CrossFit Armed – Mayhem Affiliate – Bodybuilding
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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
Chest & Tricep 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.
Drop Sets: Bench Press (2 sets of:
10 + 10 + 10
-into-
1 set of:
10 + 10 + Max)
*Rest 2:00-2:30 b/t sets
*Athletes will perform their first set of 10 reps at an RPE of 7. As soon as they rack the bar, they will strip 15-30% of the weight and go straight into their next set of 10. Then strip the barbell one more time an additional 15-30% for the last set of 10 reps. Rest should be minimal between each set of 10. After 2 working sets of 30 reps, athletes will perform their last set with the final weight being a max set.
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.
Barbell Incline Bench Press (4 sets: 10 Reps – RPE 8)
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
*Build to a moderate weight and stay the same or build across all sets.
Focus: Control should be shown with each rep on the way down and on the way up. Incline of bench should be around a 45-60 degree incline. 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.
D-Ball Bench Press (4 sets: 10 reps – RPE 8)
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
*Build to a moderate weight and stay the same or build across all sets.
Focus: Athlete will lay back on a flat bench, holding a moderate weight d-ball on either side in a crush-style grip. Due to pressing over the face, athletes should be sure to chalk up and have a solid grip on the d-ball. If grip begins to slip, athletes should stop immediately, sit up, and regrip before continuing. D-ball will be pressed towards the ceiling and lowered to the chest to complete a rep.
-Sub for [Crush Grip Kettlebell Bench Press[(https://youtu.be/mYP_ywa3e9s) if needed
Incline Bench DB Chest Fly (4 sets: 12 reps – RPE 8)
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
Focus: Lying on an incline bench, extend two dumbbells towards the ceiling. Keeping a slight bend in the elbows, lower the dumbbells out to the sides. Dumbbells should be kept in line with the sternum or slightly lower. Shoulders should be loaded back against the bench through the entire movement. Refrain from going deeper than the level of the bench at end range.
Standing Tricep DB French Press (4 sets: 10 reps – RPE 7)
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
*Build to a moderate weight, stay the same or build across sets
Focus: In a standing position, take one dumbbell and hold it by the upper DB head with arms extended overhead. Keeping the elbows tucked and pointed at the ceiling, lower the weight behind the head. Extend back overhead to complete. Be sure to keep core engaged and avoid overextension in the low back.
Inverted Skull Crusher (4 sets: 10 reps – RPE 7)
*Rest 1:00-1:30 b/t sets
*Build to a moderate weight, stay the same or build across sets
Focus: Racking a bar on a rig around waist height, assume a plank position on the bar with hands roughly shoulder width apart. Bend the elbows and lower the body to the bar. Range of motion should result with forehead ending close to barbell (similar to a lying barbell skull crusher). Raise height of bar to decrease difficulty.
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)
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.
Chest and Triceps (Time)
4 Rounds
10 Barbell Bench Press @ moderate weight – maintain quality
10 Barbell Incline Bench Press @ Moderate weight – maintain control and quality
12 Incline Bench DB Chest Fly @ moderate weight – maintain quality
10 Inverted Skull Crusher @ moderate weight – maintain quality
-Rest 3 min b/t rounds-
Scoring: Time
Demo Videos
Barbell Incline Bench Press
Incline Bench DB Chest Fly
Inverted Skull Crusher