METCON

i'm ready

Program Details

METCON is our functional fitness program that blends together classic strength-building and metabolic conditioning (quick, challenging, functional fitness circuits). This program is excellent for group fitness and cross-training lovers who want a better blend of actual lifting with hard and fast fitness workouts. This program is also for the athlete that wants non-running cardio built directly into their fitness program.

I'm ready
Perfect for the Person Who
  • Has at least 6+ months of lifting experience with a barbell.
  • Wants a strength training program to pair with their functional fitness classes.
  • Wants to get stronger, gain muscle, and develop metabolic capacity in their workout.
  • Wants a functional fitness style program, without needing to train in a functional fitness gym.
Weekly Split
  • 3 lifts + 3 metcons per week w/ an optional 4th conditioning day.
  • Full body, upper body, full body.
  • ~60 mins.
Monthly Progression
  • New workouts every 4-5 weeks.
  • Testing every 3 block to quantify gains.
Run or Cardio Pairing
  • Cardio is pre-programmed into METCON.
  • It pairs best with very low-mileage running programs such as BB 5-15 miles/week.
THE FUNCTIONAL FITNESS HYBRID PROGRAM

Learn about

METCON

METCON is our functional fitness style training program that perfectly splits every training session into lifting and metabolic conditioning. Helping you get stronger, improving skills in gymnastics or lifting, and pairing each lift with a functional fitness cardio workout that compliments the program of each block and day. METCON includes more intentional metcon workout programming than our on-demand library for those looking to make specific functional fitness progress.

A peek inside
our app

No barbell? No problem

SWAP ANY EXERCISE

Inside the TLM app, you can swap out any move for an alternative suggested by our team, or you can reference our entire exercise library. This makes TLM adaptable to any gym or at-home setup, and makes it easy to keep up with when you're on the go - giving you the freedom to train based on your preference.

Hate back squats but love leg presses? Swap it! Don’t have a barbell but have dumbbells? Substitute it out! Do you prefer to use the trap bar instead of a regular deadlift? We got you. Only have access to a Smith machine? Not a problem.

Inside TLM, we keep the equipment minimal and make sure everyone has the sub or swap they want or need inside the app. So you can keep training YOUR way.

Find your program
No more guesswork

INSTRUCTIONS & DETAILS IN EVERY LIFT

Inside the TLM app, we want you to feel confident going into the gym, and we aim to remove the guesswork for you. You'll know what exercise you are doing, how to do it, how long to rest, and how heavy to lift each week.

In every workout, you will have instructions, RPE or RIR, rest periods, a demo video with text description on how to perform the lift, and/or instructions on making your lift friendly for those training at home or with just dumbbells.

Find your program
How much did I lift?

EXERCISE HISTORY

See the exercise history for any lift you have completed. No more having to remember what you lifted the week before - with one tap you can see your progress and history over time in that lift. That way, when you head into the gym and think, ‘what weight did I end with last week?’, you know exactly where to start.

This includes indicating what was a warm-up set weight, your main set weight, what RPE you ranked it, and how many reps you did, including an estimate of your 1 rep max and total weekly volume for each week recorded in your exercise history.

Find your program
Learn as you go

RESOURCE LIBRARY

All TLM run and lifting plans come with access to our resource library which includes a collection of 50+ lifting and running specific resources. No more guessing how to pick the right weight, how to actually use RPE or RIR, or combining lifting and running or cardio.

Our resource library offers resources on how to return from training after being sick, our general injury or pain management tips, all the way to video breakdowns of the most frustrating lifts!

Find your program
No barbell? No problem

SWAP ANY EXERCISE

Inside the TLM app, you can swap out any move for an alternative suggested by our team, or you can reference our entire exercise library. This makes TLM adaptable to any gym or at-home setup, and makes it easy to keep up with when you're on the go - giving you the freedom to train based on your preference.

Hate back squats but love leg presses? Swap it! Don’t have a barbell but have dumbbells? Substitute it out! Do you prefer to use the trap bar instead of a regular deadlift? We got you. Only have access to a Smith machine? Not a problem.

Inside TLM, we keep the equipment minimal and make sure everyone has the sub or swap they want or need inside the app. So you can keep training YOUR way.

Find your program
No more guesswork

INSTRUCTIONS & DETAILS IN EVERY LIFT

Inside the TLM app, we want you to feel confident going into the gym, and we aim to remove the guesswork for you. You'll know what exercise you are doing, how to do it, how long to rest, and how heavy to lift each week.

In every workout, you will have instructions, RPE or RIR, rest periods, a demo video with text description on how to perform the lift, and/or instructions on making your lift friendly for those training at home or with just dumbbells.

Find your program
How much did I lift?

EXERCISE HISTORY

See the exercise history for any lift you have completed. No more having to remember what you lifted the week before - with one tap you can see your progress and history over time in that lift. That way, when you head into the gym and think, ‘what weight did I end with last week?’, you know exactly where to start.

This includes indicating what was a warm-up set weight, your main set weight, what RPE you ranked it, and how many reps you did, including an estimate of your 1 rep max and total weekly volume for each week recorded in your exercise history.

Find your program
Learn as you go

RESOURCE LIBRARY

All TLM run and lifting plans come with access to our resource library which includes a collection of 50+ lifting and running specific resources. No more guessing how to pick the right weight, how to actually use RPE or RIR, or combining lifting and running or cardio.

Our resource library offers resources on how to return from training after being sick, our general injury or pain management tips, all the way to video breakdowns of the most frustrating lifts!

Find your program

METCON

FAQs

When should I do Metcon vs. Perform or Build and use the on-demand cardio library?
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If you want a progressive lifting program that is complemented with specific progressive functional fitness workouts and skill-based training, all in just 60-75 minutes, you should choose METCON. 

If you want a lifting program and the ability to pick an add-on non-progressive cardio option randomly and have more time to train, you can pick BUILD or PERFORM.

Worried you’ll pick the wrong plan? You can switch at any time in the app! Or a coach can help you inside the app to make sure you are in the right spot.

What lift-and-run or cardio programs pair well together with this plan?
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METCON includes metabolic conditioning workouts ‘metcons’ 3-4x/week within the program. When doing this program, you do not need to add any other cardio to it.

If you want to add a running plan to METCON we recommend our lower-volume running plans:

  • Beginner runner
  • 5k or 10k Beginner
  • 10-15 mile/16-24 km per week base build program
  • SUMMIT hiking program.
What kind of movements are programmed in TLM?
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TLM utilizes a mix of classic strength movements, powerlifting barbell compounds, power training, and muscle-building accessories. We program with minimal equipment, so all workouts are friendly to almost any gym space or at-home training. We use a mix of barbell, dumbbell/kettlebell, banded or cable, or bodyweight-based training.

Please note within every TLM workout; you can swap any main compound for a machine or non-barbell variation based on your preference or equipment.

You will see main lifts and movement patterns such as

  • Bench
  • Squat
  • Deadlift
  • Overhead press
  • Row

Other movement patterns you will see in TLM:

  • Split Squats, Lunges, Cossack Squats, Step Up variations, or similar
  • Single Arm Shoulder Press, Incline DB Chest Press, Lateral/Front/Rear Shoulder
  • Raises, or other Shoulder or Chest Pressing variations
  • Single Arm DB Row, Cable or Banded Rows, Lat Pull Downs, Inverted Row Rowing Variations 
  • RDLs, Nordic Curls, Hamstring Curls, or other Hamstring Accessories Variations
  • Pull Ups, Push Ups, Chin Ups, Dips
  • Upper and Lower Body Plyometrics
  • Fast Bar or Weighted Speed-Strength Movements (Skipping, Hopping, Jumping, Exploding Variations)
  • Dumbbell Based Olympic-style or Power Movements like DB Snatch, DB Clean, DB Push Press, DB Jumps

You will ONLY see barbell-based Olympic-style lifting in later blocks of METCON on the optional 4th day, so it is not required. There is no other Olympic lifting in any TLM program.

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Comparing Our Lifting Programs

Description
Can I pair this with running?
Is this for beginners?
Can I make this program DB-friendly?
Minimum lifting experience recommended
Is this a good strength program for runners?
Has cardio built into it
Can be done while race training
Cardio it pairs with
BEGIN
0-3 MO
Run plan or on demand cardio
PERFORM
6 MO
Run plan or on demand cardio
BUILD
Lower volume
12 MO
<20 MPW RUN PLAN OR ON DEMAND CARDIO
METCON
Lower volume
6 MO
<15 MPW RUN PLAN OR ON DEMAND CARDIO
LIFESTYLE
3-6 MO
RUN PLAN OR ON DEMAND CARDIO

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PERFORM
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  • Wants a program designed to help them use lifting to get stronger, gain muscle, and improve their squat, deadlift, bench, and pressing movements - while also focusing on endurance training or running goals.
Learn More