Week 4 - Dark Wolf Foundation Protocol Phase 0

DAY 22 Monday

Upper Body Strength

Warm-up

6-8 Half Kneeling Landmine Press (each arm) @ 2111 tempo
10 Side Plank Clamshells (each side)
10 Single Arm Dumbbell Powell Raise (each arm)
Rest 60 seconds

Main Work

A1) Bench Press (glute bridge position)

30X0 TEMPO

6-8 reps × 1 set, 4-6 reps × 2 sets
RPE 7-8 (glutes elevated on bench, increased difficulty)
Rest 45 seconds, then to A2

A2) Barbell Prone Row

21X1 TEMPO

6-8 reps × 1 set, 4-6 reps × 2 sets
RPE 7-8 (chest on bench)
Rest 90 seconds, return to A1

B1) Dumbbell Box Step-ups (DBs at sides)

10-12 alternating reps × 3 sets (20 inch box)
RPE 7 (moderate weight)
Rest 30 seconds, then to B2

B2) False Grip Ring Rows

2011 TEMPO

6-10 reps × 3 sets
RPE 7-8 (false grip makes this significantly harder)
Rest 30 seconds, return to B1

B3) Weighted Plank

45-60 seconds unbroken (plate on back) × 3 sets
RPE 7-8
Rest 60 seconds

Conditioning

C) 3 rounds NOT for time:

60 seconds Wall Sit
AMRAP Sit-ups in 30 seconds
10 Alternating Dumbbell Muscle Snatch
Rest as needed

Target RPE 7

Cool-down

2-3 minutes easy bike
Pec minor stretch - 90 seconds each side
Lat stretch - 90 seconds each side

DAY 23 Tuesday

MAF Run

DURATION 30-60 minutes

Choose duration based on your schedule and recovery status. 30 minutes minimum, 60 minutes maximum.

Protocol

Heart Rate: At or below (180 - your age)
Breathing: Nasal only - if you need to mouth breathe, slow down
Pace: Conversational - you should be able to hold full conversation
RPE: 3-4 out of 10 (easy to moderate)
Terrain: Flat to rolling preferred
Surface: Consistent (road, track, or smooth trail)

◆ Focus Points

This is RECOVERY running - not fitness testing
Track your pace at MAF HR - this will improve over weeks
If HR spikes above MAF, walk until it drops back down
Weather affects HR - adjust pace accordingly (heat raises HR)
This builds aerobic base without interfering with lifting recovery

Post-Run

5-10 minutes easy walking cooldown
Light stretching (calves, hip flexors, quads)
Hydrate and fuel appropriately
Log: Distance, time, average HR, average pace, how you felt

DAY 24 Wednesday

Squat Strength + Midline

Warm-up

30 seconds Glute Bridge Hold
2 Wall Walks
10 Back Extensions
Rest 60 seconds

Main Work

A) Back Squat

32X1 TEMPO

3 reps × 4 sets
RPE 8 (build from last week)
Rest 2-3 minutes

B1) Bulgarian Split Squat (KB front rack)

20X1 TEMPO

4-6 reps each leg × 3 sets
RPE 7-8 (kettlebell increases difficulty)
Rest 60 seconds, then to B2

B2) Strict Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups

21X1 TEMPO

4-6 reps × 3 sets
RPE 8
Rest 60 seconds, return to B1

C1) Dumbbell Cross Body Romanian Deadlift

3111 TEMPO

6-8 reps each arm × 3 sets
RPE 7 (diagonal pattern, challenging balance)
Rest 60 seconds, then to C2

C2) Dual Seated Arnold Press

3111 TEMPO

6-8 reps × 3 sets
RPE 7
Rest 60 seconds, return to C1

Conditioning

D) 10-minute continuous grind:

30 meter Heavy Farmers Carry
30 seconds Ring Plank (externally rotate arms)
5 Dumbbell Renegade Rows (heavy)
10 Weighted Sit-ups
30 meter Dual Kettlebell Overhead Carry (moderate weight)

Target RPE 7

Cool-down

3 minutes easy bike
Quad stretch - 90 seconds each leg
Seated forward fold - 2 minutes

DAY 25 Thursday

MAF Run

DURATION 30-60 minutes

Choose duration based on your schedule and recovery status. 30 minutes minimum, 60 minutes maximum.

Protocol

Heart Rate: At or below (180 - your age)
Breathing: Nasal only - if you need to mouth breathe, slow down
Pace: Conversational - you should be able to hold full conversation
RPE: 3-4 out of 10 (easy to moderate)
Terrain: Flat to rolling preferred
Surface: Consistent (road, track, or smooth trail)

◆ Focus Points

This is RECOVERY running - not fitness testing
Track your pace at MAF HR - this will improve over weeks
If HR spikes above MAF, walk until it drops back down
Weather affects HR - adjust pace accordingly (heat raises HR)
This builds aerobic base without interfering with lifting recovery

Post-Run

5-10 minutes easy walking cooldown
Light stretching (calves, hip flexors, quads)
Hydrate and fuel appropriately
Log: Distance, time, average HR, average pace, how you felt

DAY 26 Friday

Olympic Lifting + CrossFit WOD

Warm-up

6 Empty Bar Hang Muscle Snatches
6 Empty Bar Overhead Squats
20 Hollow Body Rocks

Main Work

A) Hang Muscle Snatch

5 reps × 5 sets (focus on upper back engagement)
RPE 6-7 (technical work, not maximal)
Rest as needed

B) Push Press

31X1 TEMPO

4 reps × 4 sets
RPE 7-8 (heavier than previous weeks)
Rest 2 minutes

Conditioning

C) For Time:

21-15-9:
Calories Assault Bike
Dumbbell Thrusters (50/35 lbs)
Toes-to-Bar

Target RPE 8-9 - push the pace
Time cap: 12 minutes

Cool-down

3 minutes easy walk
Overhead stretch - 90 seconds each arm
Spinal twist - 90 seconds each side
Child's pose - 2 minutes

DAY 27 Saturday

Long Run

DURATION 75-100 minutes

ZONE TARGET Zone 2 with Zone 3 pickups

Run first 60-85 min at Zone 2 (MAF or below). Final 10-15 minutes, build to Zone 3 (comfortably hard, sustainable).

Protocol

Start easy - first 10-15 minutes should feel very comfortable
Settle into steady Zone 2 pace (at or below MAF HR)
Focus on consistent effort, not pace
Walk hills if needed to keep HR in zone
Fuel: Bring water/nutrition for runs over 75 minutes

Post-Run

10-15 minutes walking cooldown
Extended stretching routine (15-20 minutes)
Refuel within 30 minutes (carbs + protein)
Hydrate aggressively for next 2-3 hours
Log: Distance, time, average HR, nutrition used, how you felt

DAY 28 Sunday

Full Rest

Complete rest day. No training. No optional work.

Recovery Activities (Optional)

Light stretching or mobility (10-15 minutes max)
Easy walking (20-30 minutes, purely recreational)
Foam rolling or massage
Meal prep for the week ahead
Review training logs and plan next week

Focus Areas

Sleep: Prioritize 8-9 hours tonight
Nutrition: Focus on whole foods, adequate protein
Hydration: Drink plenty of water throughout day
Mental recovery: Spend time with family, hobbies, relaxation
Reflection: Assess the week - what went well, what needs adjustment

Week 4 Complete

Week 4 complete. Development Phase underway. Volume is increasing - recovery is critical.