The FVT Iron & Asphalt Challenge is coming this fall—bench, deadlift, 5K run (or any combo).
Do one, do all three, or team up and split it.
You’ll get:
- A full 12-week strength and conditioning plan
- A summer goal to stay focused and consistent
- A shirt, food, prizes—and a legit event to cap it all off
Registration opens May 26, stay tuned!
Now let’s talk lifting.
If you want to hit your strongest bench or deadlift by the fall, stop lifting randomly.
Here’s what a lot of people do:
You show up to the gym, throw some weight on the bar, and try to beat last week. That works for a little while—especially if you’re just getting back into it.
But eventually:
You stall
You feel beat up
The weights stop moving
And you have no idea why
Here’s what to do instead:
Follow a basic strength periodization plan.
That just means:
You’re not maxing every session
You’re progressing with a purpose
You’re building strength and managing recovery
Here’s a rough sketch of how we’ll structure the training—a simple 12-week wave loading progression designed to help you peak on event week.
Weeks 1 to 4 – Volume Phase
4 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps
Approximately 65 to 75 percent of your 1-rep max
Focus on building muscle, refining technique, and accumulating volume
Weeks 5 to 8 – Strength Phase
4 to 6 sets of 3 to 5 reps
Approximately 75 to 85 percent of your 1-rep max
Heavier weights, lower reps, building confidence under the bar
Weeks 9 to 11 – Peak Phase
3 to 5 sets of 1 to 3 reps
Approximately 85 to 95 percent of your 1-rep max
Volume drops, intensity rises, and you sharpen for performance
Week 12 – Deload and Test Week
Lighter technique work early in the week (around 60 percent)
Then go full send on challenge day
Time to test everything you’ve built
This is how we’ll structure the 12-week program to help you build strength and peak for the event. Whether you’re training online or in person, you’ll have a clear roadmap the whole way.
More details soon—be ready.
-Forest and the FVT Team