May
MONTHLY PROGRAMMING FOCUS | MAY 2025
NCFIT WORKOUT
MAY | MONTH V, PHASE II – STEADY BURN
PREVIOUS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHTS
Began Oly Strength Cycle
Higher Volume Kipping Pull-Ups + Toes to Bar
Extra Credit Focus on Snatch/ Clean Pulls
Beginning of Optional Murph Prep
Hero Workout – Small
THE MONTH AHEAD – MAY 2025
This month of programming could be our favorite month of the year yet! Let’s talk about some of the themes carried over from last month and then we can talk about the brand new! We see our Oly Strength cycle continuing on and finishing mid-May. We are confident athletes will see improvements from week 1 of the cycle! We also saw the first week of Murph Prep during the final week of April under its own separate category of “Optional Murph Prep.” For this month we will now see it housed under the Extra Credit on 1-2 of the days. We have focused on the movements/ volume for Murph fairly well during class workouts but a little extra practice never hurts! Now let’s talk about all the new focuses for this month!
We start off with a higher focus on both Ring/ Bar Muscle-Ups. We saw last month’s Extra Credit start to trend towards practicing the Ring Muscle-Ups and now we will see them more frequently during classes. The Extra Credit for this month, while also incorporating Murph, will also incorporate extra practice/ drills for the Ring Muscle-Up. The Ring MUP is usually the more challenging of the two movements so we want to give extra practice and drills to help give people hopefully develop the skill faster! We will also see longer Bike distances/ Cals to continue to build that endurance! We have a LOT of special workouts coming your way this month…you will see NCFIT specific Cinco De Mayo & Mother’s Day workouts, along with Isabel/ Isabel+, and of course MURPH! Murph will be on Memorial Day (5/26) and we can’t wait to help you run an amazing day of classes for such a special workout. Let’s keep our nose to the grindstone through this month!
OLYMPIC LIFTING CYCLE (3/31-5/16)
Week 1 – Test 1RM Snatch + Clean & Jerk
Week 2 – 3x3 @RPE 6, 3x2 @RPE 7, 2x1 @RPE 8
Week 3 – 3x2 @RPE 7, 3x1 @RPE 8, 2x1 @RPE 8+
Week 4 – 3x2 @RPE 8, 3x1 @RPE 8+, 2x1 @RPE 9
Week 5 – 2x1 @RPE 8, 1x1 @RPE 8+, 5x1 @RPE 9
Week 6 – Deload
Week 7 – Retest
WEEKLY ACTIONABLES & MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS
(2x/ Week) Olympic Lifting Strength Cycle
(2x/ Week) Optional Murph Prep
(3x/ Week) Extra Credit – Murph Prep + Ring Muscle-Up Development
(1x/ Week) Optional Partner Workout
(1x/ Month) NCFIT Cinco De Mayo Workout
(1x/ Month) NCFIT Mother’s Day Workout
(1x/ Month) Classic Workout: Isabel / Isabel+
(1x/ Month) Hero Workout – Murph
COMPETE
MAY | MONTH V, PHASE II – POWER OUTPUT
PREVIOUS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHTS
(2x/week) Snatch/Clean Pulls
(1x/week) Bike Engine Building
(1x/week) Bar Muscle Up Skill
(1x/week) Power Snatch Cycling
We spent April throwing down with some of the 3 Bs of being a badass competitor…the Barbell, the Bike, and the Bar Muscle Up. Right into April we saw our C2 Bike Test with weekly progressions to follow. We saw a lot of the Power Snatch Cycling with heavy loads to build some strength, and speed work to move under fatigue. We saw Accessory lifts to complement our NCFIT Oly cycle which included Pulls and Split Jerk work. We also worked on our capacity with the Bar Muscle Up and how to push under fatigue and heavy breathing.
For the month of May we are going to still be seeing a lot of these focuses. Like we mentioned in last month's focus, we need to stay strapped in on our 3 Bs! It can definitely be tough to push through progressions for multiple weeks at a time, but the consistency is what always wins at the end. We will see a Split Jerk 1RM prep for the 1RM Clean and Jerk. We are going to continue full steam ahead with the Bar Muscle Up and Power Snatches. We are going to test a 1RM Power Snatch and will see this Quarters Test of Power Plus Amanda. The increasing efforts are going to continue on the C2 Bike – stay locked in. We are almost at that time for our retest there. May is going to be all about Mental Fortitude to stay on the grind!
MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS
(1x/week) Bike Engine Building
(1x/week) Bar Muscle Up Skill
(1x/week) Power Snatch Cycling
Power Plus Amanda
1RM Split Jerk
FLEX
APR-MAYJUN | PHASE 2 | Aesthetic Peak
This FLEX Aesthetic Peak Phase is built for muscle growth, strength, and body composition through a strategic blend of high-volume hypertrophy and progressive strength training.
This 12-week cycle is split into two 6-week micro-cycles, alternating between hypertrophy-focused volume training and strength-focused intensity work. The goal is simple: build muscle, increase strength, and develop a lean, defined physique with the least amount of wasted effort.
Phase Structure
Micro-Cycle 1: Hypertrophy & Volume (Weeks 1–6)
The first six weeks prioritize muscle growth through high-volume tri-sets. Each muscle group is hit from multiple angles in quick succession, maximizing time under tension and metabolic stress—two key drivers of hypertrophy.
Tri-Sets: Three exercises per muscle group, executed back-to-back for maximum stimulus
Focused Functional Strength: Prioritizing lower body, upper push, upper pull, shoulders, and hinge-based training
Bodybuilding Emphasis: A mix of pure hypertrophy work and light conditioning to complement strength days
Expect an adjustment period as this type of training creates significant muscular fatigue and soreness.
Micro-Cycle 2: Strength & Intensity (Weeks 7–12)
The second half of the phase shifts focus to progressive overload and absolute strength, driving heavier loading while maintaining hypertrophy gains.
Progressive Strength Work: 5x5, 6x4, and 8x3 rep progressions to systematically increase load
Key Lifts: Strength emphasis on the Front Squat, Bench Press, and Weighted Pull-Up
Metabolic Conditioning: Anaerobic intervals are integrated into bodybuilding sessions for a taste of conditioning to keep the engine fine-tuned.
This volume-to-intensity approach ensures you build both muscle and strength efficiently.
FLEX Weekly Training Breakdown
Micro-Cycle 1: Hypertrophy & Tri-Sets (Weeks 1-6)
Functional Strength:
Lower Body Tri-Set
Upper Body Push Tri-Set
Upper Body Pull Tri-Set
Shoulders & Arms
Hinge & Glutes
Bodybuilding Focus: Alternating Week A / Week B Structure
Week A: Pure bodybuilding bias
Week B: Conditioning bias
Training Split:
Day 1: Chest & Triceps
Day 2: Hinge & Glutes
Day 3: Back & Biceps
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Shoulders & Arms
Day 6: Lower Body
Day 7: Rest
Micro-Cycle 2: Strength Progression (Weeks 7-12)
Functional Strength:
Bench Press Day
Weighted Pull-Up Day
Front Squat Day
Vertical Press Day
Hinge Pattern Day
Bodybuilding Focus:
Week A: Drop Set Bias
Week B: “10-25” Set Bias
Training Split:
Day 1: Chest & Triceps
Day 2: Hinge & Glutes
Day 3: Back & Biceps
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Shoulders & Arms
Day 6: Lower Body
Day 7: Rest
Final Weeks: 3RM Testing & Strength Refinement
As the cycle peaks, intensity increases, leading to a final week of testing to lock in your Back Squat, Bench Press, and Weighted Pull-Up 3RMs.
Progression Breakdown (Final Three Weeks):
Two weeks of 8x3 to drive maximal strength
3RM testing in the final week
Deload volume to recover and transition into the next phase
Training Split (Alternating Week A/B Focus):
Week A: Drop Set Bias
Week B: “10-25” Set Bias
Training Split:
Day 1: Push/Pull
Day 2: Hinge & Glutes + Conditioning
Day 3: Shoulders & Arms
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Push/Pull
Day 6: Lower Body + Conditioning
Day 7: Rest
What to Expect From This Phase
Aesthetic Growth – Develop muscle size and definition
Strength Progression – Build toward heavy 3RMs in key lifts
Metabolic Conditioning – Maintain leanness and athleticism while growing
Hybrid Strength & Aesthetic Approach – Optimize both performance and physique
