Progression Based Programming. At Graviton, we design our group class programming using a six-week strength and conditioning training cycle. Over the first six-weeks, we assign specific movement categories and workout types to a particular day of the week. For example, on Wednesdays you might find us doing some variation of a strength training piece with a squat. Followed by a strict upper body pull and an aerobic threshold workout. Over the course of the eight weeks, we’ll work on variations of these movements and categories to help you progress. In other words, the goal is to improve your skills, strength, aerobic endurance, and overall competency with these exercises and movements over the course of the six weeks. We believe that consistently working on movements using a planned-out progression is the best way to learn and develop your overall fitness. Every 12 weeks, we assess our members on a series of benchmarks using categories and movement they have been working on over the training cycles.
Should everyone benchmark? The short answer is, Yes. It is valuable to periodically assess your fitness level to take a snapshot of where you are currently and then reflect on the progress that you have made over time. Completing benchmark assessments will help you get the most out of your training experience at Graviton. Whether you’re training to be fit for life or training for competitive sport, there is a lot of value in assessing your fitness benchmarks.
3 Ways Benchmarking Adds Value:
1) Helps you work toward a clearly defined goal. We start with an end goal and then design the roadmap to get to that goal. For example, if your goal is to string together multiple pull ups, then we have a clear understanding of what the goal is how we’re going to get there. On the contrary, doing a bunch of random workouts all the time that are not tied back to an end-goal would not help you get better at your pull up endurance. We believe our plan makes more sense!
2) Helps you appreciate the journey. In fitness training, progress happens overtime. There are no quick fixes. Benchmarking helps us set the expectation that progress will happen only with consistent training efforts. This helps us realize the difference between training mode and assessment mode. Training mode is what we’re doing most of the time over the course of the eight-week cycle. We’re working on refining our skills and building foundational strength. Assessment mode is the time to dial up the intensity and find out how far we’ve progressed.
3) Helps you determine your unique fitness levels. To make progress over time, you need to have a realistic understanding of what your current skills, abilities and fitness level is across multiple different categories and movements. We’re all going to have areas of strength and areas of improvement. But, unless you assess these levels, you will never be able to know if you are actually improving and making progress in your fitness journey. In addition, knowing your current fitness levels will also help you to adapt and scale future workouts appropriately. To see results, it’s important that overtime you’re working at the correct relative intensity based on your fitness level.
What’s after benchmark week? At Graviton, a new training cycle! We like to keep it fresh and interesting. You will see new moves and workout types on different days throughout the new cycle. Our program has lot of variety while also incorporating a thoughtfully designed progression.
Interested in learning more about our training program at Graviton? Whether you’re an experienced athlete or looking to jumpstart your fitness, Book your free intro session today.