Centaur

A 10-Week PUSH Block Built for Power and Engine

We almost named this cycle “Liger” because it’s bred for its skills in magic and strength training—but we knew we could never live up to Napoleon Dynamite’s art or legacy. So we went with Centaur instead: a beast built from two halves—horse and human, power and grace, strength and speed. The OG hybrid athlete.

If you caught our last blog, we broke down a WOD Science study comparing classic CrossFit training to a hybrid-style approach that alternates between strength-biased weeks and conditioning-focused weeks. Spoiler: both groups made progress—but the hybrid crew came out ahead, especially in strength and power gains.

Let’s be clear: classic CrossFit still works. The study showed improvement across all tests. It’s just that the hybrid format helped people get stronger faster, while maintaining (or even improving) their engine. That’s why CENTAUR, our new 10-week training cycle, leans into that structure.

And no—you’re not suddenly going to show up and find a week full of toe touches instead of toes-to-bar, or bosu ball curl-and-presses instead of clean and jerks. This is still CrossFit. It’s just smarter, more focused, and purpose-built to make you stronger and better conditioned—with less burnout and more intent behind every training day.

The Setup: Alternating Focus Weeks

Every week won’t feel the same—and that’s the whole point. Instead of trying to hit every modality every day and ending up kinda tired in every direction, we’re splitting the weeks so you can really focus:

• Even Weeks (2, 4, 6, 8): Strength Bias. This is where we load up. Expect squats, deads, Oly lifts, strict gymnastics, and accessory work—all built to increase force production, improve movement quality, and build real capacity under load.

  Most lifts will be done with percentages, and when relevant, we’ll pair them with an RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) or RIR (Reps in Reserve) scale. If you don’t have a current 1RM, don’t worry—you’ll still have guidance. And if your last PR is over 6 months old, chances are it’s no longer your real 1RM. Use a training max (TM)—typically around 90% of your lifetime best.

  Load the bar with intent. Don’t guess. Don’t just match your buddy. And please, for the love of Barbell Baby Jesus, break out of the “I only use 45s and 25s” mindset. The math is there for a reason. If you're not following the numbers, you're not following the program.

• Odd Weeks (3, 5, 7, 9): Conditioning Focus. These weeks are built to challenge and expand your engine. Expect longer metcons, intervals, pacing work, and barbell cycling at lighter to moderate loads. You’ll still lift, just without the same CNS demand—and in a way that tests your ability to breathe, move, and recover under fatigue.

  We’ll also mix in higher-volume gymnastics—think pull-ups, toes-to-bar, handstand push-ups, and muscle-ups—paired with conditioning efforts. The goal here isn’t just to sweat. It’s to target different aerobic and anaerobic energy systems throughout the week so your engine isn’t just big—it’s adaptable.

  The intention is to sharpen efficiency, build resilience, and practice strategic pacing under fatigue. The days won’t feel like repeats of each other, and they’ll absolutely still feel like CrossFit—just with a heavier bias toward lungs, heart rate, and movement flow.

Weeks 1 and 10 are your test and retest weeks to track real progress.

Thursdays Are a Little Different

Across the whole cycle, Thursdays will act as our lower RPE / Zone 2-style days. That doesn’t mean easy or optional. It means longer durations, intentional pacing, and a chance to fine-tune your aerobic system and technique without smashing your CNS.

If Thursday is one of your only gym days, go ahead and push. But if you’re training 4–5 days a week, this is your golden hour to train smart, build capacity, and show up for your community—without getting buried.

The Five Centaur Tests

These are based on the same five benchmarks from the WOD Science study, with a few PUSH-specific adjustments to match what we’ve been building toward. Three are straight from the source because they hit exactly what we care about. Others got a little remix to better fit how we train, what we prioritize, and what feels most relevant to our crew.

These five benchmarks will be tested in Week 1 and again in Week 10, giving you data, not just vibes:

1. 1RM Clean and Jerk. A classic test of explosive strength and coordination.

2. Acid Bath For time:

   • 500m Ski

   • 500m Row

   • 1000m BikeErg

   • 6:00 cap (men) / 7:00 (women). It’s over fast, but not before it chews on your lungs a little.

3. Max Reps Back Squat @ Bodyweight. Leg endurance meets heart rate panic. Pure fun.

4. CrossFit Benchmark “Jackie”. Row 1000m, 50 thrusters (45/35), 30 pull-ups. Old school. Still awful.

5. CrossFit Total. 1RM Back Squat, Strict Press, Deadlift. You vs. gravity.

Why This Works

The hybrid format—alternating strength and conditioning weeks—was shown to lead to:

• Bigger strength and power gains

• Equal or better conditioning progress

• Lower risk of burnout

• Higher training intent and consistency

If every day was Classic CrossFit’s mix of strength and metcons, it’d feel like shotgun fire—wide and all over. Instead, this cycle sharpens the focus, training like a fitness sniper with clear targets and progress.

How to Approach It

• Don’t skip the strength weeks. Just because you’re not in a 15-minute AMRAP puddle doesn’t mean you’re not working. These weeks are where you actually build strength, refine technique, and get more out of your lifts than just "lifting heavy for time."

• Don’t coast the conditioning weeks. This isn’t a week of crunches and machine-only monotony. You’ll still be touching the barbell—just with intensity over load. Oly cycling, pacing strategy, and movement efficiency all live here.

• Use Thursdays wisely. It’s not a rest day—it’s a thinking day. A pacing day. A “still get fitter without frying my soul” day. For regulars, it’s your chance to stay sharp without getting smoked. For drop-ins or once-a-weekers, go ahead and send it.

• Track it all. The tests are bookends, but every week is a checkpoint. If you’re not tracking (even loosely), you’re just guessing.

• Recover like you mean it. Water. Food. Sleep. Walks. Chill. Training hard without recovering hard is just surviving. We’re here to thrive.

Lifting, Breathing, Galloping into Greatness

Strong and fast. Graceful and powerful. Smart and savage. That’s the aim. We’re using a hybrid structure, but don’t get it twisted—CrossFit athletes have always been hybrid athletes. We run, lift, jump, climb, breathe fire, buy too many shoes, and recover just in time to do it again.

This block just gives it more structure, more clarity, and more potential. It’s built to create athletes who do CrossFit—not athletes who constantly feel like CrossFit is doing them.

Wait, what? Exactly.

Stay Dope.