Strength & Conditioning · Windsor

Block 01 · Foundation

Krystal’s week

Three full-body sessions to build strength, stability and control while your heart stays comfortably under its ceiling. Nothing here is a race. This block is the base you’ll build on to get back to the fast, fun stuff.

Sessions
3 per week, full body, 48 hrs apart
Session length
45–60 min
Effort
RPE 4–6. Always leave 4 or more reps in the tank
Heart-rate ceiling
145 bpm · top of Zone 2
Block length
4 weeks, then we review

Your ceiling

Wear a chest strap

Never above

145bpm

Your heart rate decides when your next set starts, not the clock. Lifting is never the reason to go above 145.

100–120 · Warm-upWhere the bike ramp sits. Start your next set once you’re back down to 115–120.
120–140 · WorkingWhere your sets should land.
140 · Rack itPut the weight down. Next set: fewer reps or more rest.
145+ · Off limitsStop and let it settle fully before doing anything else.

i.

Chest strap, not a watch

Wrist sensors lag during lifting and read low right when your heart rate peaks.

ii.

Breathe out through the effort

No holding your breath and no max bracing. Sip air at the top and exhale through the hardest part of the rep.

iii.

Never to failure

Finish every set feeling like you could do at least four more good reps.

The week

Mon · Wed · Fri
MonDay 1Squat · press · row
TueWalkEasy, Zone 2 or below
WedDay 2Hinge · row · press
ThuWalkEasy, or mobility
FriDay 3Hip · push · pull
SatRestRecover
SunRestRecover

Bars show how hard each session is. Day 1 is the toughest, so put it on the day you’re usually freshest. Day 3 is the gentlest: if you’re having an off week, it’s the one to keep. Tue, Thu, Sat works just as well.

Every session

≈ 50–55 min
Warm-up · 10 min5 min easy bike at 100–120 bpm, then the listed prep.
Main lifts · 30–35 minStraight sets. Rest until you’re back to 115–120.
Trunk · 5–8 minFloor work saved for the end.
Cool-down · 3–5 minEasy walk or bike. Don’t just stop and leave.

Tempo · 3-1-1 · every lift

Slow on the way back

3seconds lowering or returning
1pause
1the effort

Applies to every lift: 3 seconds on the easy direction (lowering the squat, bringing the bar back down, letting the row return), a 1-second pause, then 1 second for the push, pull or stand. Speed isn’t the goal in this block.

Breathing

Exhale on the hard part

In as you lower, out as you push or pull.

Holding your breath spikes blood pressure. That matters more than the weight on the bar.

Stop the session and message me if you notice

  • Chest pain, pressure or tightness
  • Palpitations or a heartbeat that feels irregular
  • Dizziness or light-headedness
  • Breathlessness that doesn’t match the effort

No weight is worth pushing through any of these.

Four weeks

One change at a time

01

Find your weights

Learn how your heart rate responds to each lift. Note the ones that push it up.

RPE 4–5

02

Add reps

Same weights. Work to the top of each rep range.

RPE 5

03

Add a little load

Only on lifts where you hit the top of the range comfortably.

RPE 5–6

04

Hold and review

Hold, or drop about 10%. Then we check in and plan block two.

RPE 4–5

Only move forward if your heart rate stayed under 145 and you felt normal the next morning: usual resting heart rate, no lingering fatigue.