A NEW 8-WEEK CYCLE
A new 8-week cycle started August 31st, and we’ve got a pretty good mix of stuff coming your way.
The big focus this cycle is getting stronger while still maintaining the conditioning and general fitness that makes Iron Cowboy what it is. We’re going to squat, bench, deadlift, do some cluster sets, get some good accessory work in, and continue rotating our conditioning so you aren’t doing the same thing week after week.
THE STRENGTH
♦️ 3 days a week: Squat, bench, and deadlift are back as the main strength movements. We’re also going to rotate these around the week so squat, bench, and deadlift don’t always land on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
♦️ Cluster sets: Something new this cycle is cluster sets on the big lifts. If you’ve never done them before, the idea is pretty simple. Instead of doing 6 reps straight, you might do 3 reps, take 10 seconds, then do 3 more reps. Same total work, but that short break lets you keep the quality of your reps higher.
♦️ 3-week waves: We’ll build for three weeks, progressively getting heavier, and then take a deload week. We push, then back off enough to let your muscles and joints catch up before we start the next wave.
THE CONDITIONING
This is one of the things I’m most excited about this cycle.
Our conditioning will rotate between aerobic, VO2, and anaerobic work. The goal is to hit all three energy systems throughout the cycle and keep things from getting stale.
And no, you won’t see the exact same conditioning week twice.
Never the same week twice. Never boring.
THE ACCESSORY WORK
After having a little less accessory work than normal in the last cycle, we’re bringing it back.
We’ll have accessory work 5 days a week, and the volume will build throughout each wave before resetting on the deload.
This is also where I’m going to tell you not to sandbag it.
If you push the accessory work, you’re going to get some awesome pumps and leave the gym feeling like you actually got some quality work in. If you skip it or half-ass it, you’ll probably leave thinking, “I probably could have done more.”
Do the accessory work. It’s there for a reason.
CORE
Yep. More dedicated core work this cycle.
On squat and deadlift days, we’ll use more isometric core work, meaning we’re training the core to resist movement rather than doing a bunch of flexion and extension.
The goal isn’t just to make your abs sore. We want a stronger midline that helps support everything else we’re doing.
MEMBER OF THE MONTH: MATTHEW VESCO
Our September Member of the Month is Matthew Vesco!
Matthew has been a really consistent presence in our evening classes and has done a great job of simply showing up and putting in the work.
What stands out to me most is his coachability. He listens, takes coaching, makes adjustments, and then goes out and actually applies it. That might sound like a small thing, but being willing to listen and continually improve is a huge part of getting better in the gym.
Consistency + coachability is a pretty good combination.
Congrats, Matthew! Keep it up.
BINGO BLACKOUTS
We also had a couple of people absolutely clean house on our Bingo challenge.
Congratulations to Carrie Fischer and Taelor Pugmire for getting a Bingo blackout!
That takes some commitment, especially when there are plenty of opportunities to say, “I’ll get that one tomorrow.”
Nice work, ladies!
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
With Labor Day coming up, we’ll have a slightly modified class schedule.
On Labor Day, we will have:
5:00 AM
9:00 AM
12:00 PM
There will be no evening classes that day.
As always, 24/7 access is available, so if none of those class times work for you, you can still get your training in.
Enjoy the holiday, get outside, spend some time with your family, and then get your ass back in the gym.
LET’S GET TO WORK
September and October are two of the busiest months of the year around Wyoming. Hunting season is here, and we know a lot of you are going to be spending some extended time in the mountains chasing elk, deer, antelope, or whatever else you drew a tag for.
And honestly, we get it.
We aren’t expecting you to put hunting on hold so you can make it to the gym every day. There will be trips, long days, camps, pack-outs, and probably a few nights where you’re sleeping somewhere that definitely doesn’t have a shower.
But maintaining your fitness while you’re hunting is worth it. Being strong and in decent shape makes those long days, climbing, hiking, carrying gear, and packing an animal out a whole lot easier.
If you know you’ll be gone for extended periods this fall, remember that Unlimited isn’t your only option. We have 8x/month and 12x/month memberships that can be a great fit during the hunting season. You can stay involved with the program, get some good training in when you’re in town, and not pay for unlimited classes when you’re going to be spending weeks in the mountains.
For everyone else, keep getting your workouts in when you can. Even a couple good sessions a week can go a long way toward maintaining the strength and fitness you’ve built.
So whether you’re in the gym five days a week or squeezing in a workout between checking trail cameras and getting your gear ready:
Keep yourself in shape for the things you actually enjoy doing.
And for those heading into the mountains this fall—good luck, be safe, and bring home some meat.