Programs / Conditioning
Mixed-Modal Conditioning
A six-week, four-day CrossFit-style plan that rotates strength, mixed work, and skill practice. Original sessions — not a copy of anyone else’s daily programming.
- Length
- 6 weeks
- Days / week
- 4
- Session time
- 50–70 min
- Level
- Intermediate
Who it's for
Athletes who already have a consistent squat, hinge, press, and a basic burpee, and who want mixed-modal training without going to the well every day. If you are new to barbells, start with Beginner Strength first.
Goal
Improve strength alongside mixed work capacity, practice a few gymnastics-style skills at a sustainable pace, and learn to leave a little in the tank.
Equipment
- Barbell and bumper plates or dumbbells
- Kettlebell
- A box or bench
- A pull-up bar or rings (bands for assistance)
- A rower, bike, ski erg, or a place to run
- Jump rope optional
Warm-up
- 3 minutes easy row, bike, or jump rope
- 10 PVC or empty-bar pass-throughs, 8 air squats, 6 inchworms, 6 hip hinges
- Two light ramp sets of the day’s strength lift
- On mixed days, a short rehearsal of each movement at an easy pace
Cooldown
- 3 minutes very easy movement
- Hip flexor, calf, and lat stretch, 30 seconds each
- Optional: 1 minute easy hang from a bar if the shoulders feel good
Weeks 1–3: Strength plus sustainable mixed work
Weeks 1–3
Strength work is simple and moderate. Mixed pieces are capped in time so they cannot turn into a death march. Choose loads you could still move well at the end of the piece.
Day 1 — Lower strength and a short mixed piece
50–65 min
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back squat or goblet squat | 4 | 6 | RPE 7 | 2–3 min | |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 | 6 | RPE 7 | 2 min | |
| Mixed piece: 10-minute AMRAP | 1 | 8 dumbbell or goblet squats, 8 push-ups, 12 kettlebell or dumbbell swings, then 30 seconds easy bike or a 100 m jog | Sustainable, RPE 7 | — | Count rounds, but do not sprint the first three minutes. |
Day 2 — Mixed priority
45–60 min
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skill practice: jumping pull-up, ring row, or strict pull-up practice | 4 | 3–6 easy reps | Technique | 60 sec | Stop before form fades. This is practice, not a test. |
| Main piece: 4 rounds for quality, not a race | 4 | 200 m run or 250 m row, 10 box step-ups or box jumps (step down), 10 hanging knee raises or sit-ups, 10 dumbbell push presses | RPE 7 | 1–2 min between rounds | Step down from the box. No rebounding if your calves or Achilles feel tight. |
| Easy cooldown row or walk | 1 | 5 min | RPE 2–3 | — |
Day 3 — Upper strength and skill
45–60 min
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overhead press or push press | 4 | 6 | RPE 7 | 2 min | |
| Pendlay row, dumbbell row, or ring row | 4 | 6 | RPE 7 | 2 min | |
| Skill: 8 minutes of easy alternating practice — 3 light cleans or dumbbell cleans, then 3 tall jerks or push presses, walk, repeat | 1 | 8 min | Technique, RPE 5–6 | — | Empty bar or light dumbbells. |
| Optional core: dead bug or hollow hold | 3 | 20–30 sec | — | 45 sec |
Day 4 — Longer mixed piece
35–45 min including warmup leftovers
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-minute clock | 1 | 1 minute easy row or bike, 10 lunges each side (bodyweight or light dumbbells), 8 burpee step-backs, 6 pull-ups or ring rows, then rest the remainder of each 5-minute window and start again (4 total windows) | RPE 6–7 | Rest inside each 5-minute window | You should be able to talk in short phrases at the end of minute four. |
Weeks 4–6: Slightly denser work, same standards
Weeks 4–6
Strength stays at RPE 7, with a slightly lower rep range. Mixed pieces get a little denser, not sloppier. Week 6 cuts one strength set and one minute or one round from each mixed piece.
Day 1 — Lower strength and a short mixed piece
55–70 min
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back squat or goblet squat | 5 | 5 | RPE 7 | 2–3 min | Four sets in week 6. |
| Romanian deadlift or kettlebell swing practice, heavy and strict | 3 | 8 | RPE 7 | 2 min | |
| Mixed piece: 12-minute AMRAP | 1 | 10 kettlebell or dumbbell deadlifts, 8 box step-ups or step-downs, 6 hang clean and push presses (light), 200 m easy jog or 15 calorie bike | RPE 7 | — | Light on the clean and push press so the bar or bells stay tidy. |
Day 2 — Mixed priority
45–60 min
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skill: 6–8 easy muscle-up progressions, jump-to-support, or strict pulling | 5 | 2–4 | Technique | 60 sec | Only the progression you already own. |
| Main piece: 5 rounds for quality (4 in week 6) | 5 | 15/12 calorie row or 200 m run, 12 wall-front or goblet squats, 9 burpees or up-downs | RPE 7–8 | 90–120 sec | If burpees fade, switch to up-downs and keep moving well. |
Day 3 — Upper strength and skill
45–60 min
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Push press or strict press | 5 | 5 | RPE 7 | 2 min | |
| Pull-up variation or row | 4 | 6 | RPE 7 | 90 sec | |
| Skill: 10 minutes easy clean or snatch technique with a light bar or dumbbells | 1 | 10 min | RPE 5–6 | — | Singles or easy doubles only. |
Day 4 — Longer mixed piece
40–50 min
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24-minute clock in 6-minute windows (4 windows; 3 in week 6) | 1 | Each window: 20 jump-ropes or 40 high knees, 10 push-ups, 10 dumbbell rows each side, 10 sit-to-stands, then rest the remainder | RPE 6–7 | Rest inside the window | Leave at least 90 seconds of rest in the first two windows. |
Scaling
Every mixed piece should be adjustable. Swap pull-ups for ring rows or banded pull-ups, running for a rower or bike, barbell cycling for dumbbells, and burpees for step-back burpees or up-downs. Cut volume (rounds, time, or load) before you cut range of motion into a painful position. Strength lifts stay at RPE 7 or below.
Notes
These workouts are original to Punchcard Fitness. They are not official CrossFit programming and they do not use anyone else’s named workouts. A good weekly shape is Strength + short mixed, Mixed priority, Strength + skill, then a longer mixed piece, with at least one full rest day. Do not add extra ‘for time’ work on rest days.
These programs are general educational guides, not personalized coaching or medical advice. Consult a qualified physician before starting a new training plan, especially if you have an injury, a medical condition, or you are returning from time off. Learn the movements first, scale the load and volume to your current ability, and stop any exercise that causes sharp or unusual pain. When a lift or skill is new — particularly Olympic weightlifting, sprinting, or contact-sport work — consider in-person coaching. You are responsible for how you use this information.
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