CFO and the Cube

On Monday, information pills we will begin a strength progression known as “The Cube.”  This version is the basic one created by Brandon Lilly, a champion power lifter, with some tweaks.  The version of the Cube that we will use will focus on the deadlift, the shoulder press from the rack and the back squat.  These lifts should be very familiar to all of you, as we have done builds on all these movements in the last 10 months (some multiple times) but we haven’t tried them all in one wave.
The Cube has 3 types of days: heavy days (5 sets of 2 at 80% and up), explosive days (a heavy set of 8 at 70% and up) and “rep” days (3 sets of 8 at 60%) and up.  The days are rotated through each movement, so you are never doing the same type of session in a given week.
These lifts are foundational, and this program will have great carryover to everything we do.  I have placed a great deal of emphasis on heavy singles, and I am excited to see how bigger sets, and more time under load, will expand CFO’s fitness.
We have spent a ton of time in recent months focusing on the Olympic lifts, and I want to give the power lifts a heavy place in the rotation.  You can fine tune technique, but in the end, it pays to be really freaking strong.  Working the deadlift, the press and the squat will get us there.
While the focus will be on the “power” lifts, we will still hit the Olympic lifts and Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday’s.  After the first couple of weeks, as we begin to see how the program is working, we may put the Olympic lifts in some form on the days we lift, but not yet.
We will be working off percentages.  Lilly actually recommends using 95% of your 1RM to factor lifts.  That may sound confusing – if you are working at 80% of 1RM, Lilly actually recommends you work off 95%, not 100%.  This makes sense as the numbers of reps increase, and we realize Lilly deadlifts over 900 pounds.  But if your 1RM is 100#, Lilly recommends you factor off 95#.  They are telling you to BE CONSERVATIVE.
After each week, we ratchet up the weight by 5%, so we will keep working heavier and heavier.
Just like any strength session, we will review the plan, the movement and we will have a warm up.  But, it will be much easier if you know the wights you want to hit.
If you know your 1RM, great.  If not, ask a coach.  They will estimate your 1RM, and will provide you with a working weight.  Don’t be a hero, be conservative and you WILL get stronger.  Not only over the short term, but the long time.  Strength and fitness are a journey not a destination.  

Lowell looking solid