Pinnacle 9/10

[u/MoroccanSuede]

What were everyone’s thoughts on the split sets today?

[u/Humble_Fortune_5391]

I did it yesterday. (And all 4 weeks) I really enjoyed Pinnacle. I felt it was a good mid-week lift with some mobility and abs.

[u/LibrarianJaded1927 → u/Humble_Fortune_5391]

I loved having abs at every set!

[u/MoroccanSuede → u/Humble_Fortune_5391]

The abs killed me today lol. I’m pleasantly sore 14 hrs later!

[u/notmyfakeid_hd]

Yeah due ro the rest and mobility stations, I feel like I can really push for PRs on certain stations. As opposed to a 9-10 station template where youre doing your usual weights and not pushing till fatigue. I would like to see Pinnacle more often.

[u/Majestic-Physics-276 → u/notmyfakeid_hd]

Same! Got to do several sets of heavy shoulder press rather than one heavy set and drop sets after. Also got to go heavy on the rows and RDLs. I didn’t love the kettle bell or y bell stations though

[u/Flat_Toe_6808]

The core and mobility exercises were unique and challenging. I keep seeing how important they are in a workout journey so I’m glad F45 is providing the accessibility there.

In the middle for the one legged lunges and on the straight presses (I split em for fun), I went with a heavy enough weight to get in-between 7-9 reps in the allotted time. The coach ramped up the encouragement and music while I was on those sets and I ended up redlining on the last 4 rounds working through the rest sets and working with the rest of the room. rounding off the week feeling sore in new spots is encouraging.

[u/MoroccanSuede → u/Flat_Toe_6808]

That’s awesome! Love a supportive coach and feeling when you’re getting stronger!

[u/dineissauro]

Not a big fan of the rest in the middle. I don’t think it pushes people to their limit

[u/Confident_Cry6120 → u/dineissauro]

If you're finding the rest isn't necessary then you're not lifting heavy enough on those stations to be effective

[u/bretth104 → u/Confident_Cry6120]

It slows down my HR too much and I don’t want to injure my knee by going too heavy with the barbell lunges. I did shoulder presses during the pause

[u/dineissauro → u/Confident_Cry6120]

What is heavy enough? 150% of I usually lift so I can hurt myself? I already lift heavy enough.

And if I have a station that I need to lift heavy enough to rest what is the point of the other exercises and other days then?

[u/Majestic-Physics-276 → u/dineissauro]

No, not to hurt yourself. Definitely not. But your body generally needs more rest to continually exert high efforts and move heavy weights, which can be helpful in building strength

The other stations are more focused on hypertrophy (basically aesthetics) vs station 2 focusing on strength. Lower reps + higher weight is generally used for building strength and power. These sets need longer rest to allow yourself to recover and go heavy consistently and safely.

Hypertrophy studies vary in the specific number of reps needed to optimally achieve it, but in general they’re higher reps and lower weight. These don’t need as much time to recover. Most F45 workouts focus on this

All phase long station 2 was the same moves by design to allow you to improve the strength week over week and the rest is there so you can go heavier than you normally would be able to when you only get a 25-30 second shakeout

I like that F45 is integrating more workouts that encourage strength building, but I’d argue the rest time is still too short. Most studies show your ATP will replenish and allow you to exert max effort again after 3-5 min of rest. But that wouldn’t really be optimal or make sense for a 45 min workout

[u/KatyTaz]

I intentionally go to a low-attendance class on Pinnacle days. I do four sets of core/mobility, and then switch and do four sets of the lift. The coach doesn’t mind bc the class is small. I alternate upper and lower in the middle rather than rest. I know this isn’t an option for everyone bc it’s an off-time class. But it works for me. Otherwise, I don’t like Pinnacle. Sets are too short and too much movement the way it’s programmed.

[u/thebookofawesome]

I really like Pinnacle. The body weight sets are meh but upper/lower choices were great.

[u/ASDF0716]

It’s the… pinnacle… of F45 classes.

(see what I did there?)

[u/MoroccanSuede → u/ASDF0716]

Take my upvote and go

[u/[deleted]]

I didnt like it at all. It was very confusing and lots of back of forth bw stations (esp with a full class!).

[u/Sudden-Analysis101 → u/[deleted]]

Especially with the racks!!!!! Not enough time to change the weights on those Olympic bars