HWPO AFFILIATE: everything you need to know before joining

Choosing the right programming for your AFFILIATE gym is a big decision, and we hear you! From how training is structured to the support available from coaches, it's natural to have questions. Below, we have answered some of the most common questions we receive from affiliate owners and coaches to help you understand what makes an HWPO AFFILIATE different.

How do you structure training throughout the year?

Training cycles:

We use Training Cycles that lead up towards the Open. Our goal is to provide training that is purposeful and will get anyone who wants to compete in the World Wide Open ready for it, no matter their goals. It’s also a practical way for us to set up our training cycles in an organized way so we are able to develop our 10 general physical skills over the course of the year.

Our goal is to make training FUN, CHALLENGING and BALANCED. We use training cycles to give members goals, but we keep them short and very specific so members know exactly what they’ll be doing and when, and they’re not overwhelmed by huge time commitments. The cycles generally last between 4 and 7 weeks, and they always include 1-2 transition weeks between cycles for members to shake off the intense focus and return to more GPP.

The training cycles are structured in a way that leads us to the Open. We start with Slow Strength, then move to Power, then to Power Endurance, and finally to the Fitness phase, which shifts the focus to metabolic conditioning.

Every single training cycle is preceded by an outline that we send out ahead of time for gyms to fully grasp the cycles, what to expect and what the schedule will be. Our goal is to give you enough information that you feel like you wrote the program yourself, making your classes authentic. Click here to see an example of this outline.

How do you structure the week of training?

DURING A TRAINING CYCLE:

• Monday to Friday will be the days that will directly support the training cycle goals. This means we won’t put a back squat progression on a Saturday or Sunday when we’re in a back squat training phase.
• There will be 3-4 training sessions per week that are dedicated to the current training phase.
• Saturdays, we give gyms the option to do an individual-based workout or a TEAM workout.
• Sundays vary from cycle to cycle; sometimes we add supporting training to the training phase, or other times we keep training more recovery-based and lower-impact.

DURING A TRANSITION PHASE:

• We aim for 1 dynamic lift, 1 squat, 1 upper-body strength movement (gymnastics or weightlifting), and 1-2 metcon-only days.
• We allow ourselves much variety in these phases, touch base on benchmark workouts and often will do lower impact, lower intensity metcons.

How do you support affiliates?

PROGRAMMING PARTNERS:

We work with 6 partners that help us distribute the programming (Wodify, Push Press, BTWB, SugarWod, StreamFit, Wodboard & Fitbox) in addition to our own app.

CIRCLE:

• All members also have access to a third-party app called CIRCLE. This app is our own private space where we share all the programming in document formats, along with TONS of other resources, such as training cycle outlines, the cycle calendar, monthly member calls, and direct access to Michele and Frankie for any questions!
• Watch this video and learn more about CIRCLE

DIRECT MESSAGES:

As mentioned, in the CIRCLE App, you can communicate with all our members, including head coach Michele Letendre.

COACHING RESOURCES:

• The coaching notes in the daily programming offer coaches a lot of information on the classes they’ll be providing.
• We provide video links whenever needed.
• We also have video drill overviews when we provide more complex drills that require more explanation.

Programming

Do you program a lot of GHD sit-ups?
No, we do not. We want to offer a program that is inclusive and builds members up for longevity, knowing the intense impact of the GHD sit-up & the fact that many gyms will only have 1 or 2, the GHD sit-up is something we do not include in the programming.

Do you program higher-skill movements?
Yes, we do. We don’t shy away from the higher skills, but we don’t use them every single week. Our goal is to keep members motivated in their training, including those who can do higher skills. We will ALWAYS offer scaling options and modifications that will suit most members’ goals.

Do you program team workouts?
Every Saturday, we program 2 workouts: one individual and one team. You can choose whichever one you want; we strongly recommend the team option!

Still have questions? If you’re already a member, get in touch with Michele and Frankie in CIRCLE, if not, you can reach out to our Help Desk. We'd be happy to help.