Junkie Journal April 6 🏆 StormKing PR Roll Call We wrapped up this current strength cycle last week with 1-rep max tests, and a lot of new PRs showed up! Here’s who we caught in Wodify: Deadlift Scott Hunter Debbie Givens Tasha Fitzgerald Front Rack Lunge Dawn Mason Debbie Givens Bench Press Trevor Dropp Dawn Mason Lauren Stallings Savannah Brazelton Michele Winsor Tasha Fitzgerald Back Squat Abbi Fountain Joe Descala Jon Promer Haley Jahn Kristina Cain Megan Miller Hannah Shamp Strength cycles work when you show up and track your lifts. Please score your weightlifting! 🏋️ Programming This Week After testing new 1-rep maxes last week, we now move into the next phase of training using our 8–5–3 wave format. The goal of this phase is simple: use those new strength numbers. Because you now have a fresh idea of what your max strength looks like, you should begin to notice something over the next couple of weeks: Weights that used to feel heavy start moving more confidently for the same familiar rep ranges. Establish Your NEW Working Weight This week is about establishing your new working weight. Choose a load that is challenging but repeatable, because you’ll be working with similar weights over the next two weeks. The focus right now isn’t max effort. It’s about: • Quality movement • Consistency • Building confidence under the bar Strength Lifts This Week Our primary lifts include: * Deadlift * Bench Press * Back Squat * Power Clean Each day begins with strength work using the 8–5–3 waves, moving through: 8 reps → moderate load 5 reps → heavier load 3 reps → your heaviest work of the day Focus Points As you work through the waves, focus on: • Controlled, quality reps • Hitting your rest intervals • Moving the bar with confidence Over the next two weeks you should start to feel stronger with these rep schemes, because the weights are now based on the progress you built during the last cycle. Conditioning Work After the lifting portion, we’ll finish classes with short to mid range conditioning pieces that support the strength work. You’ll see movements like: • Box Jumps • Sit-Ups • Burpees • Push-Ups • Dumbbell Deadlifts • Lunges • Dumbbell Snatches Thursday Workout Thursday will feature a longer conditioning effort, combining cardio with farmer carries to challenge grip strength, core stability, and overall endurance. Track Your Progress As always, track your lifts in Wodify and look for small improvements where you can. Those small increases week after week are exactly how long-term strength is built 📚 Education — Why Familiar Rep Schemes Get Stronger Over Time You may notice something interesting over the next couple of weeks. The rep scheme hasn’t changed. We’re still using 8–5–3 waves. But the weights should be getting heavier. That’s not random. It’s how strength actually develops. Last week we tested new 1-rep maxes, which gave you a clearer picture of your current strength. Now we use those numbers to guide the next phase of training. When you repeat familiar rep ranges like 8s, 5s, and 3s, a few important things happen: Your nervous system becomes more efficient. Your brain learns how to recruit muscle fibers more effectively for that movement. Your technique improves. Repeating the same lifts and rep schemes allows your body to move more confidently and efficiently. Your strength capacity increases. The weight you can handle for those reps slowly climbs. So even though the rep scheme stays the same, the bar weight increases over time. That’s one of the biggest differences between structured training and random workouts. Random workouts feel different every day. Structured training repeats key movements so your body can actually adapt and improve. At StormKing, you’ll see the same lifts and rep schemes come back again and again for a reason. Because strength isn’t built in a single workout. It’s built through repetition, progression, and consistency over time. 💪 What We’re Training For At StormKing, we’re not just training for the next workout. We’re training for the long game. Strength that helps you: • Keep hitting PRs years from now • Stay strong enough to try new challenges and new sports • Show up ready for whatever workout is on the board • Train for the life you want outside the gym Fitness trends come and go. But strength, consistency, and longevity never go out of style. Keep showing up. Keep building. That’s the StormKing way. 👏