Moving right along!
Phase 5: Foundational Movement Pattern Development
The first four phases of this sequence are all precursors to this, the big movement patterns you’ll be practicing in the fifth phase of this system. Everything you’ve done was important to get you to this point, but now is where your mind and muscle take over and get primed for performance.
Simply choose the pattern you’ll be training as your big movement of the day. If it’s squat day, then use the bodyweight squat. Bench press day? Hit the push-up. Simple, easy, effective.
As any serious lifter knows, it takes continuous tweaking and re-mastery of the big lifts in order to continue to see benefits without racking up injuries. So this phase allows us to step back and focus on the feel and quality of the foundational movement pattern at hand, without the stress of actually having maximum loading on.
Why not just load up and go? Because you can’t perfect your movement patterns during hard and heavy training. They need to be two separate entities.
That’s why we use 2-3 sets of 3-5 slow, controlled, and deliberate bodyweight reps to grease the groove of the foundational movement pattern. The focus is not generating a training effect, but rather preparation.
This is definitely not wasted time! If you spend 2-3 minutes here, that time will pay off throughout the workout to come.
Yours for greater strength,
– Peter (Head of Personal Training at ADAPT)