At Dark Horse Athlete, our approach to training starts with understanding where each athlete currently stands. When new athletes join our team, we conduct an in-depth assessment to determine their starting point. By categorizing athletes as Beginners, Novices, Advanced, or Elite, we set a foundation for realistic, customized programming. This classification is invaluable for both coaches and athletes alike: it provides a clear picture of an athlete’s current abilities, highlights key areas for improvement, and sets realistic expectations for progress.
Whether you’re just beginning your journey or looking to fine-tune your skills at an advanced level, understanding your classification helps focus on what matters most at each stage. If you’re committed to long-term development, having a structured approach ensures steady growth and reduces the risk of burnout or injury. In this guide, we’ll dive into the unique needs and goals for each athlete classification, showing you how we approach training progression here at Dark Horse Athlete.
Athlete Classifications Explained:
Beginner Athletes
Experience: Less than 6 months of consistent, structured training.
Key Goals: Establishing movement patterns, building foundational strength, and introducing aerobic capacity.
Training Focus: High focus on technique and motor control through basic movements, linear progression, and introductory conditioning. Recovery is enhanced with low-intensity aerobic work.
Training Approach: Beginners require simple, structured programs that prioritize skill acquisition and motor control. The emphasis is on performing basic, compound movements with consistent technique, low-to-moderate intensity, and gradual increases in load. Conditioning is low intensity, aiming to improve general cardiovascular health without overstressing the body. Beginner sessions typically use Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) to gauge effort, as beginners may not yet understand percentages of one-rep max (1RM).
Sample Training Days for Beginners
Strength Day
Goal: Develop movement efficiency and foundational strength through compound exercises.
Warm-Up:
3 sets of:
1 min Assault Bike (easy pace)
50’ Bear Crawl
10 Walking Lunges (bodyweight)
20-sec Side Plank (each side)
Main Workout:
A1. Goblet Squat @ 4011 tempo, 3x10 reps (moderate load), RPE 6
Rest: 1 min between sets
A2. Ring Row @ 3011 tempo, 3x10 reps (controlled), RPE 7
Rest: 1 min between sets
B1. Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift @ 3010, 3x8 reps each leg, RPE 5-6
Rest: 30 sec between legs, 1 min between exercises
B2. Push-Ups, AMRAP with perfect form (approx. 10-15 reps for most beginners), RPE 6-7
Rest: 1 min between sets
C. Side Plank, 3x30-45 sec per side
Rest: 30 sec between sides
Conditioning Day
Goal: Aerobic development, focusing on steady-state, low-intensity cardio to improve endurance and recovery.
Workout: 20-30 min LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State)
Intensity: Easy to moderate; aim for RPE 5 (comfortable, sustainable)
Examples: Assault bike,Concept 2 Row Erg, outdoor cycling, or jogging at a conversational or slightly above pace.
Novice Athletes
Experience: 6 months to 2 years of regular training, typically 3-5 times per week.
Key Goals: Enhancing technique, addressing muscle imbalances, and introducing complex training variables.
Training Focus: This phase emphasizes refining movement patterns and introducing undulating periodization, targeting different rep ranges to address various fitness qualities (strength, hypertrophy, and muscular endurance).
Training Approach: Novices can handle more volume and a wider variety of exercises. Their programming incorporates basic compound lifts with additional accessory work to address weak points and develop balanced strength. Conditioning becomes more varied, with longer Zone 2 aerobic work and interval-based training to build anaerobic capacity.
Sample Training Days for Novices
Strength Day
Goal: Continue building foundational strength, address weak points, and introduce progressive overload with undulating periodization.
Warm-Up:
5 min row at easy pace
Dynamic stretching focusing on hips and shoulders
Mobility drills for squat and lunge patterns
Main Workout:
A1. Back Squat @ 3010 tempo, 4x8 reps (moderate load)
Intensity: RPE 7-8
Rest: 2 min between sets
B1. Romanian Deadlift @ 3010 tempo, 3x10 reps (light to moderate load)
Intensity: RPE 6-7
Rest: 90 sec between sets
C1. Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press @ 3011 tempo, 3x10 reps (moderate load)
Rest: 20-30 before C2 sec
C2. Chin-Ups, 3xAMRAP with perfect form
Intensity: Aim for RPE 8
Rest: 90 sec before C1
Conditioning Day
Goal: Improve aerobic capacity and introduce interval-based conditioning. At this phase we can also insert very basic mixed modal training.
Workout A:
5-7 rounds
3 min @Zone 2 effort
2 min @Zone 3 Effort
Workout B:
30-35 minute run
*Every 5th minute
1 minute AMRAP Burpees @moderate effort (Insert any body weight movement here)
Advanced Athletes
Experience: 2-5 years of consistent training, usually 4-6 days per week.
Key Goals: Specialized programming, advanced periodization, and energy system training.
Training Focus: Advanced athletes are ready for more sophisticated programming with specific phases for strength, power, and hypertrophy. They work on refining technique with complex lift variations and benefit from targeted energy system training like lactate threshold and VO2 max work, depending on their sport.
Training Approach: Advanced athletes often use periodized training blocks focused on either hypertrophy, strength, or power. They work on sport-specific energy system development, combining HIIT, fartlek runs, and lactate threshold training to improve endurance and recovery between high-intensity sessions. Recovery protocols are also prioritized.
Sample Training Days for Advanced Athletes
Strength Day
Goal: Develop maximal strength and refine technique in complex lifts.
Warm-Up:
10 min dynamic warm-up including mobility drills for hips and shoulders
Activation exercises, e.g., banded glute bridges, shoulder taps, and tempo push-ups
Main Workout:
A1. Trap Bar Deadlift, 5x3 reps @ 85% 1RM, rest 3 min
Intensity: RPE 8.5 (heavy load, explosive)
B1. Front Squat with pause @ 3011 tempo, 4x5 reps (moderate load)
Rest: 2 min between sets
C1. Single-Arm Dumbbell Press @ 3010 tempo, 3x8 per arm (heavy)
Intensity: RPE 8
Rest: 90 sec between sets
D1. Weighted Pull-Ups @ 30X0 tempo, 3x5 (heavy)
Rest: 2 min between sets
Conditioning Day
Goal: Mixed modal conditioning to improve lactate threshold and anaerobic capacity. One note I would like to make is that at Dark Horse Athlete, Zone 1-2 conditioning is still conducted in all phases of training and at all classiification levels. I don't care what anyone says EVERYONE, regardless of sport should be doing zone 1-2 work.
Workout:
5 rounds
30-sec Assault bike @RPE 8 (Insert any mono-structural method here)
-Into-
5 Dumbbell thrusters
6 D-Ball Over shoulder
Rest: 2 min between rounds
Elite Athletes
Experience: 5+ years,Often a competition or event focus, sometimes competing at national or international levels.
Key Goals: Individualized programs with an emphasis on peaking, recovery, and competition readiness.
Training Focus: Elite athletes require highly specific and individualized programs that address their sport’s unique demands. Training phases are meticulously planned, with a strong emphasis on competition-specific peaking, tapering, and advanced recovery protocols. Injury prevention through mobility and prehabilitation exercises is also a key focus.
Training Approach: Programming for elite athletes is nuanced and includes specific strategies to optimize their peak performance timing. Elite training cycles often include planned deloads, heavy tapering, and active recovery days between intense sessions. Their conditioning is focused on high-intensity intervals or circuits that mimic competition settings.
Sample Training Days for Elite Athletes
Strength Day
Goal: Absolute strength development and peaking for competition lifts.
Warm-Up:
15 min dynamic stretching and movement prep
Power drills, e.g., box jumps, banded squats
Main Workout:
A1. Power Clean, 6x2 reps @ 70-80% 1RM, rest 3 min
Intensity: RPE 7-8
B1. Back Squat 50% + accommodating resistance (bands/chains) 8x3 reps, every 60 seconds
C1. Barbell Good Mornings @ 3111 tempo, 3x8 reps (moderate load)
Intensity: RPE 7
Rest: 2 min between sets
D1. Turkish Get-Ups, 3x5 per side with moderate weight
Rest: 1 min between sides
Conditioning Day
Goal: Sport-specific conditioning to build anaerobic threshold and maximize recovery.
Workout: Interval sprints and mixed-modality circuits
5 rounds
20-sec max effort sprints, 40-sec rest
-Rest 5 Minutes-
15-min EMOM: 3 Power Snatches + 5 Burpees
Min 1: 45 second mono-structural method of choice
Min 2: 30-45 seconds weighted implament of choice (we prefer odd objects)
Min 3: 30-45 seconds body weight movement of choice
Important Considerations for Athlete Classification
When assessing athletes for training phases, it’s essential to understand that classification in strength and conditioning isn’t the same as classification based solely on sports skill or competitive level. At Dark Horse Athlete, we focus on strength and conditioning experience as the most reliable metric for long-term development. Here are two key points to keep in mind when applying this classification framework to your own training:
1. Skill Level in Sport vs. Strength and Conditioning Classification
An athlete may be considered advanced or even elite within their sport, but this doesn’t necessarily equate to an advanced or elite level in strength and conditioning. This distinction is particularly relevant in sports with lower physical demands on strength or skill in the weight room. For instance, a skilled jiu-jitsu practitioner may have high sport-specific skills but still be at a novice or even beginner level in terms of strength and conditioning.
For long-term development and injury prevention, it’s best to assess where you stand specifically in strength and conditioning, rather than only considering your sport level. This approach allows athletes to focus on building the physical base that will support and enhance their sport skills. By accurately identifying your classification in strength and conditioning, you’ll be better positioned to make targeted gains in both performance and resilience.
2. Influences on Classification: Genetics, Training Intent, and Coaching Quality
Several factors can influence where an athlete falls within these classifications, including genetics, the primary intent of their training, and the quality of coaching they’ve received. Just because an individual has followed a structured program for five or more years and competes occasionally doesn’t automatically place them at the elite level in strength and conditioning.
For example, an athlete who participates in local jiu-jitsu tournaments and has trained consistently with a strength and conditioning coach may have experience but may not have achieved the physical benchmarks, commitment, or focus necessary to be classified as elite. Training with an elite-level approach requires a high level of physical preparation, often involving advanced recovery protocols and carefully periodized programming. For most recreational athletes, following an elite program without the appropriate physical foundation or coaching guidance can lead to plateauing, frustration, or even injury.
At Dark Horse Athlete, we use this classification system as a starting guideline. It’s designed to help athletes gain insight into where they currently stand and set realistic goals for progression. This system serves as an initial assessment tool, helping us determine where an athlete should start and how best to track their progress. It’s also a useful framework for recreational athletes aiming to make their training more structured and focused.
Ultimately, remember that your classification isn’t fixed—it’s simply a roadmap to guide you. As you gain experience and progress through each phase, you can adjust your training to reflect your evolving capabilities, staying on track toward your goals and enhancing your long-term athletic development.
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