Athlete Testimonial: Sam Hanske

*In addition to highlighting Sam’s amazing accomplishments, this post is also a shameless plug for Barbell Club.* 😁

“I have been following Woodstock Athletics’ programming* since August 2022, when I joined the gym. In my first year I saw major improvements to my overall fitness: hitting PRs and getting acquainted with the type 2 fun that is CrossFit style training.

*Coach’s Note: Coach Steph writes all the programming and is responsible for everyone’s suffering on a daily basis (except on Sunday… That’s all Hillary.)

Since June 2023, I have gained 19 pounds of muscle and lost 14 pounds of fat following the programming and in August 2024 made the decision to commit to Barbell Club to bust through a plateau I’d hit with my major lifts.

3 months later, I was able to hit 25 pound PRs on each lift with more in the tank, with many more PRs around the corner. I wish I had done this earlier and will absolutely be committing to another cycle with Steph’s guidance. When it comes to strength, Steph will not steer you wrong!”

Both of these pictures show INCREDIBLE PROGRESS! Not only has Sam adjusted his body composition dramatically, but his strength gains have been UNBELIEVABLE.

Big wins come when you put in the work CONSISTENTLY over a long period of time.

New Barbell Club Cycle Starts Today!

Hey Team!

A new Barbell Club cycle starts today, and I want to share a little information about it.

This is a 12 week cycle, and it’s based on percentages of your 1RM’s. Each main lift (squat, bench, and deadlift) will have a Heavy, Medium, and Light day each week.

If you do not know your 1RM’s or have not tested them in a while, use 80-90% of your most recent 1RM to determine your percentages. Please feel free to reach out if you have questions or want help figuring out your numbers.

This week, I will include notes on the Barbell Club post each day to give you some guidance on how to approach your workout.

Today, it’s “medium” day for squat and bench, and “light” day for deadlifts.

For your warm-up, spend a few minutes on the bike or rower, and then mobilize your hips and upper back. If you have particular mobility issues to work on, address those as well.

As always, start with a set of squats with an empty bar, and focus on bracing and breathing appropriately. Be INTENTIONAL with every rep.

Do 2-4 warm-up sets to get to your working weight (you don’t have to do sets of 5 for warm-ups), and then start your working sets. Rest 2-4 minutes between sets. (This will apply to all lifts, every day. For heavy days, however, you might need a few more warm-up sets to get to working weight.)

Deadlifts will always be DEAD STOP REPS. This will improve your strength off the floor and help you achieve a better start position each rep.

For your accessory work, choose a weight that is about an RPE 8. The reps should be challenging but not devastatingly hard.

Finally, I STRONGLY encourage you to track your workouts in a notebook or in the notes on your phone. Record not only the weights you lifted (including for the accessories), but also how your lifts felt.

If you are consistent with this program for the next 12 weeks, I can guarantee that you will see progress. 💪🏼

See you at the gym!