When I first started Bolder Athlete, I’ll be honest—I didn’t have it all figured out. I thought I did, but programming for masters is a different animal.
Historically, I followed other “masters” programs. The problem? Most of them were just scaled-down versions of younger, elite programs. Volume piled on top of volume. Intensity everywhere. It never lined up with my competition season or qualifiers, and I always felt like I was either peaking at the wrong time or completely wrecked.
It’s taken me a couple of years of trial, error, and refinement to get this right. But over time, I’ve found the groove—both for myself and for the athletes inside Bolder.
Here’s what that actually looks like:
The Intensity Spectrum
Not every day is meant to be a grind. Training runs across an intensity spectrum—a mix of light, moderate, and hard sessions that add up to balanced progress without frying our central nervous systems.
Here’s how we define it:
🟦 Blue – Light HR / Easy Pace: Very easy effort to maintain aerobic fitness.
🟩 Green – Zone 2 HR / Light Pace: Comfortable pace for cardiovascular endurance.
🟨 Yellow – Zone 3 HR / Moderate Pace: Sustainable effort to boost aerobic capacity.
🟧 Orange – Zone 3–4 HR / 80–90% Effort: Hard pace to build stamina and threshold.
🟥 Red – Zone 4–5 HR / Max Effort: All-out intensity for peak power and speed.
Every week blends these levels. That’s what keeps us training hard and recovering well enough to do it again tomorrow.
Machines for Capacity
Our second sessions lean heavily on machines—bike, ski, row, runner. They let us push conditioning safely and consistently. No joint stress, no bottlenecks from skill, just pure capacity building. Whether someone does these sessions early or late, their bodies are not beat up - yet their capacity increases.
If you’ve ever been wrecked by too much barbell cycling in a second session, you know why this matters.
Reinforcement, Not Randomness
Accessories in second sessions aren’t random. They’re reinforcement work, always tied back to the main session.
Squat day → split squats, RDLs, core stability.
Pulling day → rows, grip, unilateral strength.
Pressing day → shoulder health and stability work.
Instead of competing with the main training, these movements support it.
Built-In Deloads
Most athletes only deload when they’re exhausted or hurt. We don’t wait for that. We program deloads on purpose—for the body, for the central nervous system, and for the mind.
These weeks keep training sustainable and progress consistent.
I didn’t land on this system the day I launched Bolder. It’s been a process of constantly refining, learning, and improving. But today, this rhythm—intensity spectrum, machine work, reinforcement, and programmed deloads—has become the backbone of what makes Bolder different.
Not because I set out to reinvent programming, but because I kept tripping over what didn’t work until I found what does.
Stay Bold,
Jason Grubb6x CrossFit Games Masters Champion
P.S. This newsletter is supported by Thirdzy—my go-to for sleep and recovery. Their PM Recovery Collagen makes it a whole lot easier to hit reset after long training days.👉 Grab it here with code JASONZZZ for 15% off
🎥 Recent Videos:
Masters in Motion Podcast
Bolder Athlete Podcast
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