Beyond Rehab: Integrating Performance and Physical Therapy in CrossFit w/ Kyle Habdo
What Happens When a PT Becomes a Performance Coach? Episode 8 of the Stimulus Matters Podcast features special guest Kyle Habdo, a physical therapist ...
Cycle Dates: Weeks of Nov 10, 2025 – Dec 29, 2025
The Ultimus Cycle launches Monday, November 10th, across all our online programs. Scroll down to see exactly what this upcoming cycle entails for TTT Compete, TTT 60, and TTT Affiliate.
NEW MEMBERS WHO JOIN BEFORE NOV 17TH…
Use code “WELCOME25” at checkout to save 25% off your first month! Or 25% off your paid-in-full 3, 6, or 12 month memberships.
Click here to view a Sample Week
Below are the main tests you’ll work to improve.
Over five weeks, snatch waves progressively ramp up to a new personal max, followed by high-volume thruster sets designed to boost barbell endurance even under heavy fatigue. The session wraps up with single-leg strength work to promote structural balance while enhancing key movements like lunges, step-ups, and split squats.
Strength Bias Path & Elite Path: Alternates between adding hip thrusts and RDLs in A weeks and snatch pulls with sled work in B weeks for added posterior chain and pulling strength.
Bench press speed work develops bar velocity and explosive power off the chest, complemented by pull-ups emphasizing eccentric overload for superior strength and control, alongside dedicated grip endurance training to sustain performance under prolonged stress.
Strength Bias Path & Elite Path: Adds horizontal pulling and accessory work for arms and shoulders to support pressing endurance.
This heavier strength-focused day incorporates Wendler-style deadlift progressions for self-regulated intensity and volume, paired with a progressive back squat build culminating in a 1RM test near the cycle’s end.
Strength Bias Path & Elite Path: Adds sandbag, KB, and DB grunt work with some midline strength endurance finishers.
Clean & jerk progressions alternate between heavy singles for maximal strength and lower-percentage sets prioritizing bar speed and technique refinement, followed by dynamic front or overhead squats to cap off the squat cycle with explosive power.
Strength Bias Path & Elite Path: Adds clean/snatch pulls and posterior accessory work for hamstring, glute, and calf strength.
Contrast benching paired with heavy pull-ups builds explosive pressing power and vertical pulling strength.
Strength Bias Path & Elite Path: Adds push-up and legless rope climb density work pair with KB cycling and core gymnastics for grip, coordination, and stamina.
Throughout the week, athletes advance through upper-body push/pull pairings, burpee and rowing intervals, and squat and wall-ball density efforts, all geared toward acing classic CrossFit benchmarks like the Quarterfinal 24.3 retest.
Skill work focuses on handstand variations, rope climbs, and muscle-ups, with conditioning incorporating progressive barbell and dumbbell cycling. Elite/RX+ athletes benefit from “overflow” sessions to guarantee comprehensive coverage of movements and intensities, priming them for peak readiness in in-person competitions and quarterfinals.
Below are the main tests you’ll work to improve.
Mondays kick off the week with classic CrossFit push/pull pairings crafted to enhance skill endurance and fatigue resistance. Throughout the cycle, athletes cycle through variations of handstand push-ups, toes-to-bar, rope climbs, and muscle-ups, focusing on both strict strength and kipping efficiency. The objective is to cultivate density in pressing and pulling patterns, gearing up for a Quarterfinal 24.3 retest by building the ability to sustain large, repeatable sets even under heavy fatigue.
This cycle’s benchmark zeroes in on burpee speed, aerobic power on the rower, and raw mental grit. It’s a burpee/row “beep test” that serves as the cycle’s cornerstone, testing pacing discipline and mental toughness amid escalating volume week by week. Athletes can anticipate progressive burpee density and rowing fatigue engineered to sharpen threshold consistency and closing speed, while honing the crucial skill of staying composed under pressure—pushed beyond pacing comfort zones and navigating the anxiety of tightening time windows, a must-have for qualifier-style events.
Midweek sessions emphasize barbell and dumbbell cycling efficiency, seamlessly integrated with high-volume squatting and wall-ball density efforts. Athletes can anticipate sharpened proficiency in cycling light to moderate barbells under fatigue, alongside amplified endurance and stamina for conquering larger sets of wall balls.
Today is dedicated to our Movement & Mobility Path, allowing for recovery, tissue prep, and positional improvements that support the rest of the training week. In addition, if you want some zone 2 structure machine work, check out the extra credit option on those days. We suggest the movement work first, over the extra capacity work for most.
Fridays bring a blend of intervals with consistent inclusion of handstand walks and handstand push-up variations. Sessions balance skill exposure with an increase in density of handstand walking, challenging your ability to execute while heart rate and fatigue rise.
Today remains the cornerstone of the week with our TTT Throwdowns, a chance to test your fitness amongst your divisions, sharpen your skills of competing, and throw down side by side with the TTT community. This cycle, the Throwdowns are designed to feel more like online qualifier events, giving you regular exposure to the types of tests and formats you’ll see in competition. PLUS, we’ll include extra training pieces tailored for more advanced and competitive athletes, rounding out the week with any movements or time domains missed in your main training.
Built for the intermediate-level athlete. It focuses on building the skills, strength, and structure needed to excel in the CrossFit Open, move into our RX Path, and thrive in local competitions.
Every cycle, we have two pathways for gymnastics skill progressions. The first is the “Got None” pathway. These are pure skill progressions written to help you get your first *insert gymnastics movement here.*
The second pathway is “Got Some.” Here, we develop the skills that you have to help you become more enduring and efficient in them.
What makes this different is that, instead of traditional “scaling”, we suggest you follow this path to start working towards achieving those skills, vs avoiding them or regressing them all the time.
In this cycle, we will continue to focus on building volume tolerance of the gymnastics movements commonly seen tested in the Open and Quarterfinal level of Crossfit. This cycle, we are working on pacing through sets of gymnastics movements when they are paired with “Open-style movements.” (Think.. Thrusters, rowing, burpees.. Oh my!) This type of training will set up athletes to be able to perform these gymnastics movements within metcons and CrossFit-style intervals in the next training cycle as we lead into the season!
Athletes who do not have one of the gymnastics skills will have the “Got None” progressions to help them build to their first rep.
The strength work and CrossFit work will mirror the main path with some modifications to allow us to prioritize the gymnastics strength and skill training.
This path is centered around maximizing performance for the CrossFit Age Group Semifinals, with thoughtful programming that balances intensity, recovery, and competitive readiness.
The Masters Path follows the same structure as the main Compete Path, with targeted adjustments to meet the demands of Masters competition and an added emphasis on movement quality and longevity.
This cycle includes snatch & split jerk positional primers before heavy Olympic lifting sessions, and cuff strength & support before overhead days. Strength progressions will include multiple options such as Lower % deadlift & Hip Thrust options for the heavy DL & back squat cycle ensuring athletes can stay healthy and sharp across the week. Also included are and front squat or pulling options for the Clean & Jerk work on Friday depending on your limitations in the C/J.
NEW MEMBERS WHO JOIN BEFORE NOV 17TH…
Use code “WELCOME25” at checkout to save 25% off your first month! Or 25% off your paid-in-full 3, 6, or 12 month memberships.
Click here to view a Sample Week
TTT 60 (fomerly TTT Fitness) is built with 4 different “Paths” to provide training options for those who have goals that exist outside of competing in CrossFit. Whether you just enjoy the training style and aren’t looking to compete, or you want to have a more focused approach to an aspect of the sport that you enjoy, we’ve got you covered.
Below we’ll share details for what each of the 4 paths will be doing this cycle.
Each week is structured to build strength & hypertrophy, improve conditioning, and avoid interference between training qualities. It’s perfect for members who want to look good, feel strong, and stay well-rounded without sacrificing recovery or results.
This cycle features an A Week/B Week Split:
A Week
Mon: Bodybuilding – Lower Body Split
Tue: Endurance – “Bebop & Rocksteady” – Burpee/Row Beep Test – Day 1
Wed: Bodybuilding – Full Body Split
Thu: Movement & Mobility
Fri: CrossFit – Oly Lifts + Metcon
Sat: Bodybuilding – Upper Body Split
Sun: Rest
B Week
Mon: Endurance – Running – Repeat Focus
Tue: Bodybuilding – Upper Body Split
Wed: Mixed Machine – Calorie-Based Threshold Progressions
Thu: Movement & Mobility
Fri: Bodybuilding – Lower Body Split
Sat: Endurance – Mixed Machine Zone 2 Progressions
Sun: Rest
This path is perfect for those who want to improve across all areas of fitness—strength, endurance, skill, and conditioning—without specializing in a specific discipline.
This is your all-in-one solution to becoming a fitter, more well-rounded athlete in just one hour a day!
Here is our daily template for this training cycle:
Monday includes a linear progression on Back Squats which we will peak with a 1RM Back Squat at the end of the cycle.
Tuesday will alternate weeks of Split Jerk and Gymnastics Skill work. The gymnastics sessions will lead directly into the conditioning to work on that skill even more under fatigue.
Wednesday rotates between Skill Work on A week and Olympic Lifting variations on B weeks. This will ensure we are hitting both types of training every week within our template.
Thursday will be an optional training day that focuses on various accessory based lifts for the arms, posterior chain, and core to balance out some of the heavy compound lifting we are doing on other days in the cycle.
Friday includes alternating weeks of Snatch or Clean variations (A week) and Split Jerk (B week) to keep frequent touches on the barbell throughout the cycle.
Saturday is an “overflow” strength day with a unilateral strength focus paired with the Throwdown!
The training is organized into 1 full-body lifting day, 2 upper body days, 2 lower body, with some mixed accessory/functional bodybuilding included more frequently as the extra credit or cashout for each session to keep a higher volume of capacity work and lower intensities.
This new split includes:
Mon – Hip Thrust Primer +Front Squat + Hip Add/Abduction
Tue – Push/Pull Upper Body + Biceps/Core
Wed – SL Strength + RDLs/Calves + Delts/Shoulders
Thu – Low Intensity Cardio from TTT Endurance
Fri – Lunge Primer + Heavy Squat + Hip Thrust Volume + Abs
Sat – OH Pressing + Horizontal Pull/Push + Bi’s/Tri’s/Grip
Whether your goal is to dominate the ergs, improve your running or swimming, or add extra conditioning to complement your strength training, this path is designed to help you develop unmatched endurance and capacity. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect each week:
Monday: ““Bebop & Rocksteady” – Burpee/Row Progressions
This cycle benchmark targets burpee speed, aerobic power on the rower, and straight-up mental grit. This burpee/row beep test anchors the cycle, challenging pacing discipline and mental toughness as volume builds week to week.
Expect progressive burpee density and rowing fatigue designed to push threshold consistency and closing speed. Also, the ability to stay cool under pressure when you are pushed outside of your pacing comfort and dealing with the anxiety of shrinking time windows.
Tuesday: Mixed Zone 2
This progression develops aerobic capacity and pacing efficiency through steady Zone 2 mixed-machine work. You’ll rotate continuously between various machines, maintaining smooth, conversational effort across each. Each week slightly increases total duration or segment length, reinforcing aerobic endurance, recovery ability, and sustainable output for longer training sessions.
Wednesday: Mixed Power – Ski, Echo Bike
This progression builds the ability to shift between controlled aerobic pacing and powerful bursts. You’ll start with easy intervals on the SkiErg, Echo Bike, and Running to build some low intensity volume, then move into calorie ladders that challenge power output, recovery, and pacing under fatigue on the Echo Bike Ski Erg. Each session finishes with steady volume on the BikeErg to serve as a lactate flush.
Thursday: Rest or Suggested Bodybuilding Session
Even in an endurance-biased program, incorporating at least one day of strength work each week is essential for long-term performance and resilience. Strength training supports joint integrity, improves posture and running mechanics, and helps maintain muscle mass—especially when overall training volume is high. It also plays a key role in injury prevention by addressing imbalances that can develop from repetitive endurance work. Never Skip Leg Day!
Friday: “Bebop & Rocksteady” Day 2 – Row Focus
This is Day 2 of our Burpee/Row Beep Test progressions. This progression refines rowing technique and aerobic consistency through controlled pacing and progressive intervals. You’ll begin with a low-rate row to smooth out the force curve and reinforce efficiency, followed by short technical intervals to dial in power in your leg drive. We’ll progress 500m repeats at a sustainable “beep test” pace, building aerobic volume and endurance while maintaining clean, efficient strokes throughout.
Saturday: 10k Run Build
This Saturday session develops aerobic endurance and speed control through progressive running intervals. You’ll start with steady Zone 2 running prep that includes short 20-second bursts to raise heart rate and prepare the legs, then transition into 400m repeats at 5K effort with jog/recovery walk to build threshold pacing and consistency. The session finishes with a hard 200m kick to simulate a race finish, followed by an easy cooldown jog for lactate flush and technique refinement. Volume adjustments are listed as needed.
MINIMAL EQUIPMENT PATH is made to be accessible no matter where you are or how much you have to work with. Whether you have nothing or a set of dumbbells, we will get it working!
MOVEMENT AND MOBILITY PATH is focused on increasing range of motion and addressing mobility restrictions that may be limiting your movement quality, or increasing your risk of injury. This path is intended to be ran in conjunction with one of the main 4 paths, as working on your movement is always a good thing.
NEW MEMBERS WHO JOIN BEFORE NOV 17TH…
Use code “WELCOME25” at checkout to save 25% off your first month! Or 25% off your paid-in-full 3, 6, or 12 month memberships.
Click here to view a Sample Week of TTT Affiliate Programming
Week 1
11/10/25 – Hero Benchmark Chad 1000X for Veterans Day in US (Weekday Option) + Cycle Benchmark “Super Bario Bros.”
Week 2
11/17/25 – Back squat progressions settle back in on Mondays + Row/Overhead Squat Intervals on Wednesday
Week 3
11/24/25 – Back squat week 3 + “Fran” on Wednesday + Thanksgiving Partner Option on Thursday for US Holiday
Week 4
12/1/25 – Back squat week 4 + Bring a Friend Week! Partner options are included each day of the week.
Week 5
12/8/25 – Back squat week 5 + “DT” on Tuesda
Week 6
12/15/25 – Winter Is Coming Classic Workouts! Each workout included Monday-Friday.
Week 7
12/22/25 – Back off on back squat + Holiday Week – 12 Day of Xmas Workout + At Home options included
Week 8
12/29/25 – Back squat “2nd chance” max + Cycle Benchmark “Super Bario Bros.” retest
| What strength blocks will there be? How often will it be done, and what will be the big overarching goal? |
| The Ultimus Cycle will continue to build towards the competitive season by transitioning us to a more varied format on strength. We will still be hitting some linear progressions on a Back Squat 1RM and Split Jerk 1RM to focus on weaknesses and make sure everyone’s strength base is at its peak going into the new year, but the majority of strength elements will be mixed and varied. This will provide a good balance in the program and ensure that all the lifts are hit throughout the cycle. Another focus of the Ultimus Cycle is skill work. There will be skill work on both strength lifts and gymnastics nearly every week, paired with our Coaching Cues Resources to make sure that all the coaches are going into their classes confident that they can help all your members progress. *Note – in week 1 the template for Monday and Tuesday are flipped to account for the CHAD1000x Challenge on Veteran’s Day Mondays will stay static this cycle with Back Squats. This will give us the opportunity to run a true linear progression to really maximize strength gains.. Tuesday alternates between an A week of Split Jerks and a B week adds varied Skill Sessions to get touches on some more advanced skills like CTB, Muscle ups, and Handstand Walking. Wednesday includes Skill Work on the A weeks and Olympic Lifting on B weeks in varied formats. Thursdays are focused on various accessory based lifts for the arms, posterior chain, and core to balance out some of the heavy compound lifting we are doing on other days in the cycle. Friday will alternate between Olympic Lifts for A week and Split Jerk training for B week to get our regular touches on the barbell. Saturday is an overflow strength day mainly focused on unilateral strength for the upper and lower body. For those implementing the Fitness Path Options, we are still going to be doing the same Back Squat progression to build on the 3RM we did last cycle to a 1RM this cycle. Some key changes for the rest of the week include Tuesdays alternating between Push Press (A week) and Strict Gymnastics Strength (B week), Wednesdays focusing on Strict Gymnastics in A week and Clean Variations in B week, and Friday alternating between Clean Variations (A week) and Push Press progression (B week). Each of these changes is made to ensure that members have the option to perform a simpler variation of the movement found in class without overloading any specific patterns. |
| What will conditioning/metcons look like? Time domains, tests/retests? |
| As last cycle served as a bridge to competitive training, the Ultimus Cycle is the beginning of that training as we finish out the calendar year and start to look ahead to the season starting next spring. You will notice more For Time, AMRAP, and Chipper style workouts, and slightly fewer intervals this cycle to get people prepared for what is to come. The cycle test this winter is “Super Bario Bros.” which is a chipper with progressive skill on both the barbell and gymnastics movements. This is a classic style that is often used in CrossFit competition and one we wanted to emulate after coming off of a slightly more unconventional tester. This one will require some high intensity effort and a confidence in all the skills to really maximize your score. We will also be getting involved in the Winter is Coming Classic as a way for members to give a strong effort right before the holidays to earn that down time before the new year! We have created some variations of the workouts specifically for the TTT Affiliate Community, but for those that want to get on the leaderboard the TTT Compete versions of the workout will be provided as well. Rather than following a daily split for the conditioning template, we will be rotating which workouts fall on each day throughout the cycle. These days will shift throughout the week depending on the strength and time available in class. Monday – Leg Endurance metcons to build a tolerance for some higher volumes of squatting and lunging. Tuesday – Simple Conditioning Intervals – with a higher work:rest ratio to increase intensity and teach pacing. Wednesday – Gymnastics + Barbell Combos – As a way to prepare for our cycle test. These will vary in skill level and time domain depending on the week. Thursday – Long Endurance metcons and intervals – To get a touch on time domains of 15+ minutes and keep the engine strong! Friday – Skill based metcons – Opportunities for members to work on their skills under fatigue and in a metcon format. These skills might include HSW, HSPU, Pull ups, TTB, or Muscle ups! Saturday – Partner Throwdowns – Variations on our TTT Throwdown to be done with a partner – tough workouts to finish out the week. Sunday – Zone 2 Training – A lower intensity day in the week to get your fix on long endurance work. These sessions will include mixed machines over a long duration. |
| Will there be skill progressions? What will be the main goals for different skill levels? Time frame, how often, tests? |
| This cycle’s Extra Credit will give opportunities for those members looking to maximize their potential in the competitive season to start dialing in some work on their weaknesses. There will be skill based, endurance, and strength based progressions that also pair with some of our other programs to keep the whole community involved together. Monday will have Handstand drills for both static HS holds and HS Walking to allow members to train more inverted skills. Tuesday will include our TTT Compete Conditioning Test “Bebop & Rocksteady” – The Burpee/Row Beep Test. This is a great way to get some extra endurance training in a CrossFit style! Wednesday overlaps with the TTT Compete program by adding strength accessories for the Olympic lifts and Strongman elements such as sandbag and heavy carries. Thursdays will continue utilizing the Movement & Mobility Path, written by on-site PT and coach Kyle Habdo. These sessions will rotate between Shoulder/Spine focused, Squat/Lower Body focused, and Front Rack Mobility. Friday includes a blend of a lower & upper bodybuilding split to round out the strength work in the week. Perfect for members who want a little extra time spent on joint care and targeting some extra muscle mass. Saturday will have focus on GHD tolerance under some fatigue by pairing with the ski erg to add some extra interference with compounding movement patterns. |
Designed for gyms with a more competitive training environment (with fitness-based options, see below) this path includes high-skill gymnastics progressions, Olympic lifting, and met-cons tailored for those aiming to perform well in the CrossFit Open at an amateur level. Expect workouts with machines, barbell cycling, gymnastics, and classic CrossFit-style elements commonly seen in qualifiers and competitions.
It also includes fitness-based options for gyms where high-skill or competitive movements and intensity aren’t the priority. These versions maintain progression and challenge, but are less aggressive in design. All sessions are built to keep in mind gyms with limited space and equipment.
The TTT Axis Path is a balanced training system that blends power and hypertrophy-based strength progressions with high-variety conditioning. Inspired by our individual TTT Blended Path, Axis follows a structured group model that includes hypertrophy training, structural balance, and mixed conditioning—featuring muscle endurance training, aerobic endurance sessions, and classic CrossFit-inspired metcons.
It can be used as a standalone group program or as a flexible resource to cherry-pick sessions based on your gym’s structure and member needs. Built to keep members engaged, progressing, and having fun.
TTT Axis Path
| What will the strength & conditioning focus be? |
| This path reflects the needs of the everyday gym goer. It is a blend of general strength training, bodybuilding, athleticism, and work along the endurance spectrum, as well as some movement-friendly CrossFit workout and Hyrox workouts. Monday the strength component will be a superset of upper body pulling and pushing using variations of dumbbell and barbell benching with a variety of pulling exercises. The remainder of the session will be supportive lower body work, mainly performing unilateral squatting exercises. Tuesday will be our Hyrox focused day where the entire session will be focused on improving different qualities of the race. Wednesday strength component will be a unilateral hinge biased exercise paired with lower body plyometrics. The conditioning on that day will be our touch of CrossFit for the week, you’ll see both couplets and triplets here. Thursday is an endurance biased day with alternating focuses each week. Week A will be a longer endurance workout while Week B will be a shorter power endurance style workout. Friday strength component will be squat focused with a back squat and goblet squat superset for the first half of the cycle, then ending with front squat and back squat superset for the remainder of the cycle. For the remainder of the session, you’ll see supportive upper body building work with bicep, tricep, and delt development. Saturday focus will be on functional strength intervals. You’ll see a variety of different strength styles to keep the training exciting. NOTE – This path will be more focused on GPP than linear progressions, and therefore, you will not see as many test/retests built in each cycle. You can use this path as a standalone path or supportive to the Competitive affiliate path as a way to pick and choose some different styles of training. |
| Strength / Skill: | Metcon: | Fitness | Extra Credit: | TTT Axis Daily Split | |
| MON | Back Squat – Linear Build | Leg Volume Included in Chippers/AMRAPs*Prep for WICC #2 | Same | Handstand Drills – Static & Walking | Bodybuilding Supersets – Upper Pull/Push +”Functional bodybuilding intervals”- Unilateral lower body |
| TUES | A – Split Jerk Tech + Strength B – Gymnastics Skill/strength (TTB/CTB/BMU/HSW) | Simple Conditioning Intervals | A – Push Press 1RM B – Strict Gymnastics | Row/Burpee Beep Test Progressions | Hyrox Style Training Days |
| WEDS | A – Gymnastics Skill/strength (TTB/CTB/BMU/HSW) B – Snatch/Clean Variance | Gymnastics/Barbell Cycling Combos | A – Strict Gymnastics B – Clean Variance | Mixed Strength Work – Sandbags, DB, KB | Supersets -Unilateral Hinging &Plyos+CrossFit Style Conditioning |
| THUR | Hinging, Core, or None | Longer Conditioning | Same | Movement & Mobility Path – Rotation of Squat & Shoulder Focus | A Week – Longer Endurance Intervals B Week – Power Intervals+Midline/Core – Finishers |
| FRI | A – Snatch/Clean Variance B – Split Jerk Tech + Strength | Skill Based Metcons | A – Clean Variance B – Push Press 1RM | Mix of Upper & Lower Bodybuilding | Squat Superset – Week 1-4: Tempo Back Squat + High Rep Goblet Week 5-8: Front Squat + Back Squat Rotation+Upper Bodybuilding- Bi’s, Tri’s, Delt’s |
| SAT | Overflow Day*Unilateral Strength Bias | Partner Throwdown workout! Variations of the TD | Same | GHD Volume Under Fatigue | Fully Body Intervals+Upper Body Vertical Push & Glute Strength |
| SUN | None/Active Recovery | Zone 2 Mixed Machine/ Running Options | Same | None | Zone 2 Mixed Machine/ Running Options |
