Introducing PRVN Programming and the Medusa Cycle

WELCOME TO MEDUSA

We are 10 weeks out from Murph on Memorial Day, and everything we do between now and May 25th is building towards that.

This isn't just about surviving Murph. It's about showing up with 10 weeks of intentional preparation behind you and executing at a level that reflects real growth. Here's how we get there.

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WHAT THIS CYCLE IS BUILT ON

Strength that transfers.

Every time we squat, deadlift, or press, we're pairing it with an explosive movement — jumps, throws, or sprints. This contrast training sharpens your nervous system, builds power, and makes the barbell feel lighter than the number says it should be.

We're also shifting away from strict percentage work and giving you more ownership of your loading through RPE guidance, essentially a 1–10 effort scale. A "heavy 8/10" means you're working hard, not grinding. This is intentional. Your body doesn't feel identical every day, and this approach lets you train optimally on any given session.

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Gymnastics from the ground up.

The first four weeks will feel slower and more controlled than you're used to — holds, slow eccentrics, static strength work. Trust it. We're building the tendons and tissues that need to handle 100 pull-ups in May. The slow work early is what makes the fast work possible later.

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Conditioning with a purpose.

Volume on push-ups, pull-ups, and air squats builds progressively throughout this cycle. We're not just getting fit — we're specifically training the movements Murph demands. By Memorial Day, those movements will feel familiar in a way they haven't before.

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THE GYMNASTICS ARC

Weeks 1–4: Strict & Slow. Chin over bar holds, slow pull-up eccentrics, front lever work, and handstand holds. These sessions will feel different from your usual gymnastics training — that's the point. We're targeting the connective tissue that protects your shoulders and elbows under high volume. Your kipping pull-ups will be better in May because of the work you put in here.

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Weeks 5–7: Volume Builds & Tightening Up Kipping Mechanics. Volume on push-ups, air squats, and pull-up work increases. Dedicated kipping pull-up sessions replace the strict-focused work. This is where conditioning starts to feel unmistakably like Murph preparation.

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Weeks 8–10: Kipping, Loading Peak & Taper. Dedicated specific Murph Prep priming workouts. Volume loading peak in Weeks 8, then we pull back in Weeks 9-10 so you arrive at Murph recovered, sharp, and ready.

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THE BENCHMARKS

Four tests are built into this cycle. Each one serves a specific purpose beyond just getting a score.

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DOC OCK — Week 5

5 Sets x 2:00 AMRAP
15 Toes-to-Bars
Max Clean-and-Jerks (ascending load per round: 135/95 → 155/105 → 185/125 → 205/135 → 225/155)
Rest 2:00 between sets

This is a PRVN benchmark with history behind it. It tests your ability to cycle toes-to-bar efficiently and then produce power on the barbell while fatigued — with the bar getting heavier every single round. Don't burn your grip on the toes-to-bar. Break early, stay smooth, and protect your hands for the clean-and-jerks. Your Round 1 approach sets the tone for everything that follows.

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INGRID — Week 6

10 Rounds for Time:
3 Snatches (135/95)
3 Bar Over Burpees

Ten rounds means rhythm is everything. Find a pace in Round 1 that you can sustain through Round 10. The snatches should never feel maximal — think smooth and efficient, not explosive and grinding. Use the burpees as a controlled reset and a chance to get your breathing back before the next snatch set.

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RUNNING BARBARA — Week 7 ‍

5 Sets for Time:
20 Pull-Ups
30 Push-Ups
400m Run
50 Air Squats
Rest 2:00 between sets

This is your Murph dress rehearsal. Every movement in Murph shows up here. Pay close attention to what breaks down first and when — that information is your strategy for Memorial Day. If your push-ups collapse in Round 3, you know exactly what to address and how to partition on May 25th. Come in with a plan and test it across all five sets.

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MURPH — May 25 (Memorial Day)
1 Mile Run
100 Pull-Ups
200 Push-Ups
300 Air Squats
1 Mile Run

Ten weeks of work. This is why we held the bar slowly in Week 1. This is why we pushed volume when it was uncomfortable in Weeks 5–6. Arrive with a plan, pace the first mile honestly, honor the day, and execute.

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WEEK-BY-WEEK OVERVIEW

Week 1 — March 16 | Meeting the Work The cycle's structure comes online. Contrast strength pairings begin, and gymnastics sessions deliberately slow down. Come in curious, leave your ego at the door on the holds and eccentrics, and start learning the RPE system.

Week 2 — March 23 | Finding Your Baseline Hold durations get longer, sets accumulate, and front lever and handstand work begin. The contrast strength pairings start to feel more natural. Stay conservative on loading — the long game matters here.

Week 3 — March 30 | Volume Tester The centerpiece of this week is a 40-minute muscular endurance EMOM — a real test of where your fitness sits right now. Keep the strict gymnastics sessions honest. The conditioning volume this week is intentional and will back off next week.

Week 4 — April 6 | Transition Last week of specific isometric-focused gymnastics. Check in with yourself against Week 1 — your holds and eccentrics should be measurably better. Kipping position awareness begins with hollow and arch drills. The shift toward Phase 2 starts here.

Week 5 — April 13 | Doc Ock The benchmark testing phase opens with Doc Ock. Volume on bodyweight movements picks up and kipping position work begins in skill sessions. On Doc Ock day, go in with a toes-to-bar strategy and stick to it regardless of how fresh you feel at the start.

Week 6 — April 20 | Ingrid + Peak Volume This is the highest volume week of the cycle. Push-ups, air squats, and pull-up accessory work all hit their peak here. You may feel beaten up by Friday. Good — that's the design. Ingrid tests your snatch cycling and pacing. Find a rhythm and hold it.

Week 7 — April 27 | Running Barbara Strength volume moderates to keep your system fresh for Barbara. Use this benchmark as a genuine dress rehearsal for Murph — test your partition strategy, note your weak link, and leave with a clear plan for May 25th.

Week 8 — May 4 | Kipping + Loading Peak Dedicated kipping pull-up sessions replace the strict work. Strength loading peaks — go after your back squat and deadlift numbers. Conditioning sharpens up in quality while total volume continues to ease off.

Week 9 — May 11 | Sharpening Sessions get shorter and crisper. Any remaining 1RM targets get hit. Finalize your Murph strategy — partition, pace, vest, partner — and commit to it by the end of the week.

Week 10 — May 18 | Ramp Down Less is more. Light sessions, movement quality, and full recovery. Sleep well, eat well, hydrate. The fitness is already built. All you can do now is protect it and show up on May 25th ready to go.

Memorial Day — May 25 | MURPH Arrive ready. Run the first mile smart. Breathe through the work. Count carefully. Leave everything on the second mile.

The rest of that week is a transition.

The next chapter starts June 1st.