derbycityfitness

What Are Drop Sets and Why Use Them?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 20:27:15 GMT

A drop set is a training method where you perform a set at one weight, briefly rest, reduce the weight, and continue lifting. Most people know drop sets from bodybuilding, where someone does an exercise to failure, strips weight off the bar, and keeps going until they can barely move.

In our classes, we're using the same basic idea, but for a different purpose. Instead of trying to exhaust a muscle, we're trying to accumulate more high-quality reps, reinforce good technique, and get stronger without letting form deteriorate.

Take today's Front Squat session as an example:

Every 3 minutes for 4 sets

3 Front Squats @ 85%
Rest 15sec
2 Front Squats @ 80%
Rest 15sec
1 Front Squat @ 75%

The three reps at 85% are the main strength work. They're heavy enough that they demand concentration and good positioning. After 15sec, you've recovered just enough to perform two more reps at 80%. Even though you're still fatigued, that slightly lighter weight now feels more manageable because your body has already handled something heavier. Another 15sec later, you finish with a single rep at 75%, which should move quickly and reinforce excellent technique.

Those short rest periods are what make the workout effective. Fifteen seconds isn't enough time to fully recover, but it is enough to reset your breathing, tighten your brace, and prepare for another quality rep. You're never completely fresh, which teaches you to maintain good movement even when you're tired, but you're also never so fatigued that your technique falls apart.

By the end of the workout, you've accumulated 24 quality Front Squats: 12 at 85%, 8 at 80%, and 4 at 75%. That's a significant amount of productive work without asking you to grind through endless heavy sets. The heavier reps build strength, while the lighter reps reinforce the movement pattern and allow you to move the bar with more speed and confidence.

This is one of the biggest differences between strength & conditioning and traditional bodybuilding. Bodybuilding drop sets are designed to maximize muscular fatigue and create a big "burn."

Our goal is different.

We want every rep to look good. We want to practice producing force, maintaining positions, and building strength under "manageable" fatigue. The drop in weight isn't there because you can't lift the heavier load anymore. It's there because the slightly lighter weight lets you continue practicing high-quality movement after the hardest work has already been done.

Over the course of our strength cycle, this approach builds stronger, more technically sound athletes who don't just lift heavier weights... they move those weights better.

You Haven't Lost As Much As You Think

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:40:05 GMT

You Haven't Lost As Much As You Think

A lot of people come back from a vacation, busy season at life, illness, or injury and assume they're starting over.

You're probably not.

A recent study looked at people who strength trained for 10 weeks, took 10 weeks completely off, and then returned to training. As expected, they lost some strength and muscle during the break; but, when they started training again, they regained those adaptations much faster than they built them the first time. By the end of the study, they had essentially caught back up to the group that trained continuously.

You've probably heard the term "muscle memory"? Research proves it's real. But, that doesn't mean time away from the gym has no consequences. Strength, conditioning, and movement quality all decline when we stop training.

What it does mean is that a few missed weeks don't erase years of effort. So, when life gets in the way, don't panic and don't try to make up for lost time.

Just get back to training.

You're much closer to your previous fitness than you think.

Message us if you need help restarting.

The 6-12-25 Shock Method

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:54:39 GMT

The 6-12-25 Shock Method

"The 6-12-25 Shock Method"

A method popularized by strength coach Charles Poliquin combines three rep ranges performed back-to-back:

• 6 reps (heavier load)

• 12 reps (moderate load)

• 25 reps (lighter load)

Each rep range creates a different training stimulus.

We're utilizing this method in our group classes during our Summer programming cycle. The set of 6 emphasizes mechanical tension and force production. In simple terms, it's where a lot of your strength gains come from. The set of 12 increases time under tension and tends to be effective for building muscle size. The set of 25 challenges muscular endurance and your ability to continue producing force as fatigue accumulates.

What's interesting is that this type of training can also reveal weaknesses that traditional straight sets often hide.

If the set of 6 feels disproportionately difficult, absolute strength may be your limiting factor. If the set of 12 is the hardest, you may need more muscle mass or a better ability to sustain tension under load. If the set of 25 completely falls apart, muscular endurance is probably the bigger opportunity.

That's one reason I like methods like this. They're not just training tools. They're diagnostic tools.

Sometimes the most valuable thing a training session tells you isn't how hard you worked. It's what quality needs the most attention next. The better we understand our weaknesses, the more precisely we can improve them.

Nutrition Gets Easier When It's Boring

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 18:34:09 GMT

Nutrition Gets Easier When It's Boring

One thing I've noticed about experienced athletes is that they don't spend much time thinking about what they're going to eat. Not because they don't care, but because they've already made most of those decisions.

Breakfast is usually breakfast. Lunch is usually lunch.

Every food decision requires mental energy, and most people burn through a lot of it before dinner. Experienced athletes tend to remove the negotiation.

Protein shows up at every meal. Carbs are generally placed around training. Fats round things out. Then they repeat that structure often enough that it becomes automatic.

Ironically, the people with the most nutritional freedom are often the ones with the most nutritional structure. When 80-90% of your meals are predictable, the occasional dessert, dinner out, or weekend indulgence doesn't feel like a setback. It's just part of the plan. If you want to get 1% better this year, look at building consistency with your daily & weekly food choices.

Summer High School Special

Fri, 29 May 2026 16:43:03 GMT

SUMMER HIGH SCHOOL SPECIAL

If you've got a High Schooler with no summer plans, send 'em our way for some Strength & Fitness.

Just $99/mo for Unlimited classes.

We'll help them build strength, sweat a little (or a lot), and stay active during their break. We'll put 'em thru our Ramp Up process to learn barbell & gymnastic movements, so they have a good base for the summer and the rest of their athletic endeavors.

Email us to lock in this deal!

How to Recover from Murph

Mon, 25 May 2026 18:26:52 GMT

Murph Recovery

Murph usually creates a different kind of soreness than normal class workouts. Higher volume... more eccentric loading... more total reps than most people are used to accumulating in one session.

The biggest thing afterward is honestly pretty boring... eat enough food and don’t disappear onto the couch for the next 10 hours.

Most people finish Murph under-fueled and dehydrated, even if they don’t realize it. A solid meal later in the day helps a lot more than supplements or recovery gadgets.

You don’t need a perfect “post-workout meal.” Just eat like someone who actually trained hard. Protein matters, and carbs matter too.

Aim for:

*roughly 0.8–1g protein per lb of bodyweight across the day

*carbs higher than normal

*fats moderate

*Not exact macro counting necessarily... just intentional eating.

A 200lb person might land somewhere around:

*180–220g protein

*300–450g carbs

*60–90g fat

This is probably not the day to fear “simple carbs.”

Rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, fruit, cereal, sports drinks... all reasonable after that much output. Again... not because they’re magical. Just because they digest easily and refill glycogen quickly.

Movement later in the day also helps more than people expect. Nothing intense. Just walking around, light biking, easy movement, anything that keeps you from stiffening up completely. The people who try to stay slightly active afterward usually feel better the next morning than the people who immediately shut everything down.

And honestly... don’t feel obligated to destroy yourself with recovery work. You probably don’t need aggressive stretching, painful foam rolling, massage guns, ice baths, or some complicated protocol you saw online.

Mostly you need:

*fluids

*sodium

*food

*some movement

*sleep

The soreness usually peaks the next day or even the day after, especially in the quads and lats. That’s normal.

Light movement and getting back into a routine tends to help more than sitting still waiting to “fully recover.”

Which is annoying advice... but it’s usually true.

Hope this helps!

The Weight Probably Doesn’t Need To Be Heavy... But It Might Need To Be Heavier

Fri, 22 May 2026 16:23:28 GMT

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Fitness trends tend to swing back and forth.

Years ago, people avoided heavy weights because they thought they’d get bulky or injured. Then the pendulum swung the other direction, and now it feels like every fitness podcast is telling people they need to lift as heavy as possible.

The reality is a little less dramatic.

Research is pretty clear that muscle and strength adaptations can happen across a wide range of loads. Heavy weights work. Moderate weights work. Even lighter weights can work... if the effort is high enough and the set is taken close enough to fatigue.

That last part matters.

In a group strength & conditioning setting like ours, most people aren’t training for a one-rep max powerlifting meet. They’re trying to get stronger, build muscle, improve conditioning, and stay athletic while fitting training into a normal life.

That changes how we approach loading.

Some days should absolutely feel heavy and controlled. Other days should move faster, involve more reps, or challenge your ability to repeat effort under fatigue. That blend is important because strength and conditioning influence each other more than people think.

Heavy work builds force production. Lighter repeated work builds muscular endurance and work capacity. Both matter.

Here’s where things get interesting...

Most people naturally stop sets too early when weights are light. The discomfort from higher reps usually shows up before the muscles are truly challenged. On the other hand, moderate or heavier loads tend to make it easier to reach meaningful training intensity in fewer reps.

That doesn’t mean every day should be maximal. It just means the weight should probably be challenging enough that focus, effort, and good movement are required.

The goal isn’t to lift the heaviest weight possible all the time.

The goal is to use the right load for the adaptation we’re after that day... strength, speed, positioning, muscular endurance, pacing, or recovery.

That’s part of why our classes include both a strength piece and a conditioning piece within the same hour. They develop different qualities, and together they tend to build more complete fitness than either one alone.

And in a class setting like ours, it's easier to talk yourself into trying to lift that heavier weight. ��

Respect the Work

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:05:43 GMT

One thing I try to bring to every conversation in the gym is a real respect for everyone's individual effort.

Weights on the bar. Times on the clock. Where someone is right now in their training. All of it deserves context.

A few months back, a drop-in athlete squatted 495lbs for smooth, fast reps... it was a sight to see. And yes, it’s impressive. Everyone noticed. And they should... that kind of strength doesn’t happen by accident. (He was an Olympic shotputter, by the way)

But I try to bring the same sense of respect when someone new loads 95lbs on the bar and works through it with focus and intention. The numbers are different, but the work is not.

And I think that's a cool feature of our little group gym. Something you just don't get in a Planet Fitness.

It’s easy to celebrate the biggest lifts or fastest times because they stand out, but effort looks different for different people. A heavy bar for one person might be light for another, and vice versa.

A newer athlete grinding through their first months of consistency is often working just as hard (mentally and physically) as someone lifting double the weight. They’re learning movements, figuring our their abilities & weaknesses, managing nerves on heavy lifts, figuring out pacing, and showing up without the comfort of experience. That deserves the respect.

There’s also something else that matters: a little healthy competitiveness . Not the kind that puts people down; just the kind that reminds you that you’re part of a group that respects effort.

Some light trash talk.

Some glances at the leaderboard.

Some internal “okay, guess I’m not backing off today.”

When that balance is right, it pushes people forward without crossing into comparison or shame.

If you're attending class consistently, the next thing you need probably isn't motivation. It's an environment where effort is respected, improvement is encouraged, and nobody feels invisible because their numbers are smaller.

We respect the work. We bring the energy. And we have a little fun competing.

That combination makes training stick and makes everyone better over time. Not because anyone is special, but because everyone is trying; and that’s worth something.

If you're looking for a gym that respects the effort, you know where to find us: https://www.derbycityfitclub.com/get-started-at-our-louisville-gym

How to Go from CrossFit Class to Your First Hyrox Comp

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 16:29:26 GMT

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There’s a new kid on the fitness competition block - and you’ve probably heard the name.

Seems to me that some CrossFitters don't like talking about it, but hey - Hyrox owes a debt of gratitude to CrossFit. It's taken the fun elements of the Individual & Team CrossFit Games and made them attainable for all. It looks kinda fun (although maybe a little monotonous, imo).

What is it? It’s a race of functional fitness, the same thing every time: eight 1K runs, each followed by a station of work. Sleds, wallballs, lunges, burpee broad jumps, rowing, skiing... It’s gritty & grindy, and has a lot of the things OG CrossFitters like.

And here’s the good news: If you’re already doing CrossFit, you’re already close to tackling a Hyrox event (just like you are with tackling a Spartan Race or any other specialty endurance event).

How to Be Successful in a Hyrox Event via CrossFit

1. Prioritize Running Volume

Hyrox is over five miles of running. Most of us CrossFitters simply don’t run enough. So, if you want to try out a race, you should integrate weekly runs - both slow/steady and faster intervals. I have a recipe for ya below. Hang tight.

2. Focus on Muscular Endurance Over Max Strength

1-rep max days are important, but make sure you show up for the days with high-rep lunges, lots of wallballs, air squats, burpees, long-distance rowing, really any high-rep days so you can improve your muscular endurance. And, be sure to focus on performing those movements well after you're gassed.

3. Develop a 'Max Sustainable Pace'

Make sure you're working on "consistent pacing" in WODs. Learn to operate in that uncomfortable-but-sustainable Zone 3/4 effort. Zone 3 is a moderate intensity effort where you can still maintain a very brief conversation, while Zone 4 is a hard effort where communication is more difficult and you experience a greater level of fatigue. Basically, don't go Redline and kill yourself every time (but do try to hit that level once a week!).

4. Train for 'Compromised Running'

In Hyrox, you never run fresh. You run right after lifting or lunging or burpee-ing. So, pick the Run option in any WODs to practice running immediately after fatigue-heavy efforts to simulate race conditions.

5. Use the Skier

Yes, there's lot of running and other movements you're familiar with, but many folks never touch the Skier during class. Don't! A Hyrox race has 1k of Skiing, so make sure you pick the Skier once a week to get comfortable with the technique. Ask a Coach about "using gravity" to get the most out of each pull.

How a Regular Class-Going CrossFitter Can Get Ready

In my opinion, you don't need to overhaul your training or quit on your favorite classmates to start training alone. You just need to be intentional with how you supplement.

Here’s how:

1. Add 1-2 Running Sessions/Week

One easy effort (zone 2 - EASY!) and/or one interval day (e.g. 6x400m). Plus, pick the Run option in a WOD once each week.

2. Practice Hyrox-Specific Movements

Add Wallballs, Sleds, Burpee Broad Jumps, and Farmer Carries to your warmups or finishers.

3. Train Compromised Running

Finish a class WOD, then immediately hit a 800m run.

4. Work on Pacing, Not Maxing

When on a machine (Echo bike, rower, ski) learn how to sustain at an uncomfortable pace. Ask a Coach for specific technique feedback, if you need it. The goal is not to die here.

5. Don't Skip the Strength

Hyrox doesn’t mean giving up barbell work. You still want strength. An athlete with a strong Back Squat can perform more Wallballs for longer, just as an athlete with a strong Clean can more easily perform Sled Pulls. Plus, strength is what future-proofs our bodies as we age.

Why CrossFit + a Little Extra = The Best Hyrox Prep

Hyrox is one of the few competitions that sits right in the middle between CrossFit and pure endurance racing. It demands:

*Strength (but not elite)

*Endurance (but not marathons)

*Mental grit (lots of it)

*Movement efficiency

*And a dash of strategy

CrossFit already checks most of these boxes.

You’ve built:

*Total-body coordination

*Power and explosiveness

*Experience under fatigue

*The grit to stay in it when it hurts

Now, just layer in some specific running and pacing work, and you’re becoming a well-rounded, resilient Hyrox participant. One who can lift, run, push, carry, breathe, and repeat.

That makes you pretty dangerous. ��

Why Progress Should Feel Hard

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 17:17:57 GMT

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You’ve been training long enough to know that EASY workouts don’t change you.

But there’s a difference between something being hard and something being productive and knowing that difference is the secret to your progress.

In sports psychology, there’s a concept called "desirable difficulty". It means that learning or adaptation happens best when the challenge is hard enough to push you, but not so overwhelming that you break down or burn out.

That sweet spot of being uncomfortable but achievable is what we want.

Why “Hard” Is Good for You

When we face something physically or mentally demanding in the gym, our nervous system and our muscles are forced to adapt. That’s how we get stronger, faster, or more skilled.

But, it might feel messy in the process. Our lifts might slow down. Our positions might feel a little wobbly. Our confidence might dip.

That doesn’t mean it’s not working. It means our body is reorganizing itself under pressure. In strength training, that’s called progressive overload. In motor learning, it’s called adaptive stress. Put more simply, it's growth.

The Science of Struggle

Tempo squats, strict work, lifting under fatigue, barbell complexes, gymnastic complexes… those are all examples of “desirable difficulty” built into our programming.

It’s not there to make you suffer; it’s there to make your nervous system work harder and remember better. The struggle creates skill retention and deeper strength.

How to Use It

*Don’t chase comfort. A workout that humbles you is feedback, not failure.

*Embrace the learning curve. When something feels awkward (like new barbell positions or tweaked technique) that’s your brain wiring a new pattern.

*Recover like it matters. Difficulty without recovery is just fatigue. Sleep, eat, and hydrate like your progress depends on it. Hint: it does.

*Training isn’t supposed to feel easy. It’s supposed to feel earned.

Desirable difficulty is where strength, skill, and confidence collide. It’s where you start realizing that the work you once avoided is exactly what builds the version of yourself you’ve been chasing.

So, when class feels uncomfortable, when the bar feels heavy, when the workout looks intimidating... good. The work is working.

If you notice a moment in class where you want to pull back, try stepping into it, instead.

Strength Is a Skill (Even After 5+ Years)

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 01:13:43 GMT

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If you’ve been lifting, squatting, pressing, and grinding for years, it’s easy to feel like you’ve already “learned” how to train. You know what weights feel right. You know what movements you struggle with and modifications you use. You can look at the app or TVs and predict exactly how the WOD will feel by round two.

You’re experienced. You’ve earned that.

But here’s the thing... you’re not done learning.

Early on, your gains came fast. You added weight every week, learned new skills every month, and the line on the graph went straight up.

Now? Not so much.

At this stage, progress hides in the margins. The half-degree of bar path, the extra half-second of tension, the subtle rhythm of breathing while also trying to brace. You’re not building new muscle so much as you’re refining the communication between your brain and body.

That’s why veterans who keep improving are usually the ones who’ve fallen back in love with the craft.

You’re Getting Smarter

The experienced athletes who keep progressing aren’t the ones who train the hardest. They’re the ones who train the most intentionally.

They move slower when it matters. They move fast when they can. They listen to coaching cues like they’re brand new. They treat a 70% lift with the same focus as a max attempt.

It’s not about intensity anymore. It’s about precision.

After 5+ years years of training, you’re now protecting potential; not just chasing it.

You know your body, you know your limits, and you’re learning how to stretch them intelligently. But, you still focus on the fundamentals daily: foot position, grip, breathing, bracing, rhythm. Strength is something you practice every day you're at the gym.

The Takeaway

If you’ve been around long enough to stop asking, “What’s next?”. Well, this is it.

The next level isn’t necessarily about more weight or more volume. It’s about more awareness, more precision, and more respect for the skill of strength.

So this week, when you pick up a barbell, treat it like an instrument that you’ve been playing for years but still haven’t fully mastered.

That’s what makes this fitness game so addicting... there’s always another level, and it’s almost always found in the details.

derbycityfitness

What Are *Drop Sets* and Why Use Them?

You Haven't Lost As Much As You Think

You Haven't Lost As Much As You Think

The 6-12-25 Shock Method

The 6-12-25 Shock Method

Nutrition Gets Easier When It's Boring

Nutrition Gets Easier When It's Boring

Summer High School Special

SUMMER HIGH SCHOOL SPECIAL

How to Recover from Murph

Murph Recovery

The Weight Probably Doesn’t Need To Be Heavy... But It Might Need To Be Heavier

This is a subtitle for your new post

Respect the Work

How to Go from CrossFit Class to Your First Hyrox Comp

This is a subtitle for your new post

Why Progress Should Feel Hard

This is a subtitle for your new post

Strength Is a Skill (Even After 5+ Years)

This is a subtitle for your new post

What Are Drop Sets and Why Use Them?