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Hey Reader,
Here's what to expect in today's issue of The Bulletproof Newsletter:
- Bulletproof Training Program: Week 6, Accumulation cycle 2
- How to correctly structure a CrossFit training week
- A barbell-only shoulder workout for strong shoulders
Let's dive in!
This Week's Training
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Day 1 - 4/21/2025
A) High hang P. Snatch. Above knee P. Snatch. Below knee P. Snatch - 2.2.2 reps every 2:30 min x 3 sets
B) 1/4 Front Squat - 3 x 6 @ Mod effort; rest 2-3 minutes - progress load
C) Metcon - MAP 8
12 Min AMRAP @ sustained pacing
10 Thrusters 95/65#
8 Calorie Ski Erg
8 Burpee Box Jumps 24/20"
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Be sure to snap a pic of your training and tag @WillMurtagh_DPT on social!
Deep Dive
How To Structure Your Training Week For Maximal Fitness Gains
If you're training hard every week but feel like you're not getting the results you expect, the problem might be how you're structuring your week.
A well-planned training structure gives your body time to recover, adapt, and come back stronger.
Without that structure, you're likely piling on stress without giving your body a chance to respond to it productively.
CrossFit demands a lot, such as high skill movements, heavy lifting, and intense conditioning sessions, all place unique stress on your body.
That kind of variety and intensity makes it essential that your training week is organized intentionally.
When you plan your sessions with purpose, you can recover better, stay injury-free, and make consistent progress over time.
Why Most CrossFitters Don’t See Maximal Gains
You're probably not alone if you’ve ever felt stuck in your training.
Many CrossFit athletes hit plateaus or struggle with recurring aches and pains.
One of the most common reasons this happens is that you're focusing on training intensity while ignoring how your week is laid out.
When you don’t give enough thought to when you're lifting heavy, pushing your conditioning, or developing skills, you end up stacking similar or competing stressors back-to-back.
That causes your central nervous system to fatigue, your joints to take more load than they can handle, and your recovery to fall behind.
Over time, this leads to more than just stalled progress.
You might start to feel constantly drained, mentally unmotivated, or even develop overuse injuries that sideline you for weeks.
Without a clear structure guiding your training, you're likely doing the right things on the wrong days, and that adds up in a way that holds you back.
Why This is Important
CrossFit asks a lot from your body.
The mix of gymnastics, weightlifting, and conditioning creates constant stress on your nervous system and joints.
When your training week lacks structure, you end up placing similar demands on your body without enough time to recover.
That leaves you vulnerable to a cycle of overtraining and under-recovery.
Without structure, you're putting in the same or more effort but seeing fewer results.
You might think you're pushing your fitness forward, but you're actually setting yourself up for setbacks.
Repeating similar contractions or big nervous system demands like heavy squats, pulling, or pressing, without spacing them out, can lead to issues down the road.
Over time, this frustration and physical wear can lead to time off or make you consider stepping away from CrossFit entirely.
How To Structure Your Week Correctly
To avoid these issues, structure your week using the principles of concurrent training.
This approach balances different types of training like strength, skill, and conditioning across the week so your body can recover between demanding sessions while still progressing in key areas of fitness.
You’re not reducing training volume or avoiding intensity.
You’re applying it with precision.
Timing your highest-effort days around your recovery window allows your nervous system and muscles to respond to the stimulus instead of constantly being overwhelmed by it.
A well-structured week avoids stacking high-CNS or high-impact sessions back-to-back.
For example, if you're lifting heavy one day, follow it with a skill-based or aerobic-focused day that still improves your fitness but gives your nervous system a break.
You should also rotate movement patterns and contraction types throughout the week.
This helps you avoid overloading the same tissues and joints repeatedly.
Alternating between high-skill or high-intensity training and lower-skill, recovery-focused work ensures that each session serves a purpose without compromising the next.
This method promotes adaptation instead of simply accumulating fatigue.
With the right structure, every training day builds toward something more productive.
A Sample Weekly Schedule
A well-structured training week should rotate stress and recovery to keep you progressing without breaking down.
On Monday, you start with a strength focus, combining it with functional bodybuilding to support joint health and a short MetCon to maintain intensity without overloading your system.
This primes your week with a powerful stimulus when you're ideally the most recovered.
Tuesday shifts gears.
You’ll work on skill development, such as gymnastics or Olympic lifting technique, and pair it with aerobic conditioning.
This improves your aerobic system but gives your nervous system and joints a chance to recover.
By Wednesday, you’re ready to push again.
This day emphasizes power and strength, followed by moderate-duration conditioning work.
It’s your mid-week high-output session.
Friday mirrors Monday’s approach: heavy lifts, functional accessories, and a brief MetCon.
​Coming off a rest day, this should be a higher intensity session.
Saturday rounds things out with longer mixed modal or cyclical conditioning to build your aerobic base without taxing the nervous system.
But, can be a tad more intense since a rest day will follow.
Thursday and Sunday are reserved for active recovery or full rest.
This is just one way to skin the cat, but a well-structured week like this balances intensity, movement patterns, and recovery to help you train hard without burning out.
Each day is designed to deliver the right stimulus at the right time, allowing for consistent progress while managing fatigue.
Weekly Schedule:
Mon – Strength + Functional Bodybuilding + Short MetCon
​Tue – Skill + Aerobic Conditioning
​Wed – Power + Strength + Moderate length Aerobic Conditioning
​Fri – Strength + Functional Bodybuilding + Short MetCon
​Sat – Long Mixed Modal or Cyclical Conditioning
​Thur/Sun – Active recovery or full rest
Final Thoughts on Weekly Training Structure
Your weekly structure matters as much as your effort.
While hard work is essential, how you schedule and balance it with recovery can significantly impact your long-term progress.
By strategically planning when and how you train, you ensure your body receives the right stimulus at the right time, leading to more efficient recovery, fewer injuries, and consistent improvements in performance.
This week, take time to audit your current weekly routine.
Look for areas where you may overload certain movement patterns or fail to give your body enough time to recover.
Start training with intention, prioritize structure, and you'll unlock the full potential of your efforts.
Want to apply these steps with an individualized plan designed specifically for your goals, training, and recovery needs?
Then CLICK HERE to book a risk-free consultation to see how I can help.
This Week's Blog Post
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Barbell Shoulder Workout For Bigger & Stronger Shoulders
In this guide, you’ll get a professional barbell shoulder workout using only a barbell, learn how your shoulders work, why balancing your training is essential, and which barbell shoulder exercises are the most effective.
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When you're ready, here's how I can help you
1:1 Pain-Free Performance Program
My flagship 1:1 program is designed to eliminate your joint pain while elevating your CrossFit performance in less than 12 weeks without overhauling your training or missing time in the gym for rehab.
Book your free consultation - (Click Here)
Book A Movement Screen
A 1:1 movement screen to identify the root cause of your aches and pains.
This movement screen is the exact same one performed in my 1:1 Pain-Free Performance Program.
Book a virtual movement screen, and if we decide to work together to fix what we find, your movement screen is 100% free!
If not, you’ll have the answers you need to reach your goals.
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Purchase a Joint Protocol
Start one of my 6-week joint protocols.
These programs are designed to build joint mobility, stability, and resilience so you can feel confident in your ability to handle your training.
They are based on CrossFit's most commonly injured joints (shoulder, lower back, hip, knee, and ankle).
Purchase a Joint Protocol Today! (Click Here)
Talk to you soon, Reader!
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Dr. Will Murtagh, PT, DPT, MS, CSCS, CISSN
Physical Therapist | Remote Fitness Coach
P.S. Click here for a free consultation on how to train pain-free and look and perform better in under 12 weeks.
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