Ember Sentinels
POWER
W1 ✓
W2 ✓
→
W3 — Power
Explosive Intent
Notorious FoX — Ember House Functional Path
House Four · Functional Guild
WEEK 3
POWER
INTRO
Two weeks of control and coordination.
Now we test if you can keep it when speed is introduced.
Power = fast AND clean. Not one or the other.
New
Explosive
Skill Movements
4×5
Heavy Strength Sets
Intent
Over Load — Always
New
Sprints
Conditioning Format
Week 3 Objective
Fast.
Controlled.
Both at once.
Controlled.
Both at once.
What People Think
Power = Go Crazy
- Sloppy reps are fine if they're fast
- Control doesn't matter under speed
- More intensity = more power
The Ember Standard
Fast AND Clean
- Intent drives every explosive rep
- Control is not optional at speed
- Reset fully between each effort
This is where people mess up. They hear "power" and think reckless. That's not Ember. Power in this system means producing force quickly while maintaining the same positional standards built over two weeks.
If Week 2 built control under balance challenges — Week 3 tests whether that control holds when speed is added. The answer reveals itself immediately in the KB swing and the box jump.
Primary Objectives
Produce force quickly — through intent, not recklessness
Stay controlled while doing it — form doesn't get a vacation at speed
Reset between every explosive effort — power is not rhythm, it's quality
Connect weeks 1 and 2 — positions learned, coordination built, now expressed
Previous Cues — Still Apply
"
Slow tempo — own every position.
"
Balance before load.
"
If you can't control it — you can't progress it.
Week 3 New Cues
"
Intent over load.
"
Explosive — but controlled.
"
Reset every rep.
"
Fast AND clean — not one or the other.
Week 3 Training Days
Power Meets
Power Meets
Control.
Day 1 — Hip Power
Explosive from the hips —
the foundation of power
the foundation of power
Explosive
KB Swings
4×5
Heavy DL
⚡ Power Skill — Week 3 Day 1
Kettlebell Swings
4 Sets × 12 Reps — Explosive hip drive, rhythmic and controlled
The swing is a hip-hinge movement made explosive. The same hinge pattern learned in Weeks 1 and 2 — now performed with intent and speed. The kettlebell doesn't get lifted with the arms. The hips snap forward, and the bell floats as a result. If you're feeling it in your arms, you're doing it wrong.
How to Do It
- Hinge back like the RDL — hips back, flat back
- Snap the hips forward explosively
- Arms stay relaxed — they follow the hips
- Bell floats to chest/shoulder height
- Hinge back again — repeat rhythmically
Power Cues
- "Snap your hips — don't lift with arms"
- "Think jump without leaving the ground"
- "Bell feels weightless at the top"
- Chest stays tall throughout
- Back stays flat — always
Common Mistakes
- Squatting instead of hinging
- Using arms to lift the bell
- Rounding the lower back
- No hip snap — just swinging arms
Strength — Heavier This Week
Trap Bar Deadlift
↑ First heavier strength exposure in Ember — 4 sets of 5
Total-body force production. The hinge pattern reinforced across two weeks now gets loaded with real weight. This is NOT a max effort — it's strong, clean, and purposeful.
Push through the floor
Chest up throughout
Hips and shoulders rise together
Stand tall — full lockout
This is NOT max weight. Keep it clean and strong — controlled power, not grinding. Form is still the ceiling.
4×5
heavy
Accessory
DB Row
↑ Heavier than previous weeks — still controlled
Upper back pulling strength — heavier this week, still with the same positional control
Pull toward the hip
Pause at the top
Lower slow — eccentric matters
3×8
reps
Core
Plank
↑ Stronger brace, less movement — the core supports the power work
Foundation core stability — the plank now connects directly to the bracing required for the trap bar deadlift and KB swing
Squeeze glutes hard
Brace core — don't just hold
Hips don't sag or pike
3×30
seconds
Day 1 Emphasis
- KB Swing is all hips — if your arms are tired, fix the mechanics
- The trap bar DL is the first real load — strong and clean, not a grind
- Power day means more CNS demand — rest fully between trap bar sets
⚡ Conditioning — Sprint Intervals
Short Bursts of Speed + Recovery
20 sec
Hard effort — controlled, not reckless
60 sec
Easy recovery — bring the heart rate down
Repeat
Continue for 15 minutes total
Sprint hard — but stay controlled, not reckless. Introduce real effort without losing form at the end of the push interval.
Day 2 — Upper Power
Explosive from the upper body —
force produced through the hands
force produced through the hands
Throw
MB Chest
4×8
DB Bench
⚡ Power Skill — Week 3 Day 2
Med Ball Chest Throw
4 Sets × 6 Reps — Explosive upper body force production
The chest throw teaches the body to produce force quickly from the upper body — the same pressing pattern as the bench, but with maximum intent. You can't half-effort a throw. Every rep demands full commitment. The reset between reps is critical — this is not a continuous throwing drill.
How to Do It
- Hold the med ball at chest height
- Brace the core — feet planted
- Explode forward — throw the ball into the wall
- Catch or retrieve it
- Full reset before the next rep
Power Cues
- "Don't push — EXPLODE"
- "Full effort every single throw"
- "Reset before the next rep"
- Full body engagement — not just arms
- Legs initiate the force transfer
Why It Matters
- Teaches fast upper body force
- Builds athletic pressing power
- Can't fake the speed — shows your intent
- Direct carryover to sprint and push performance
Strength
DB Bench Press
↑ Slightly heavier, more controlled and aggressive than Week 2
Upper body pressing strength — the press after the throw. Control down, then press with real intent on the way up.
Control the descent
Press aggressively on the way up
Feet planted throughout
Upper back stays engaged
4×8
reps
Accessory
Pull-Ups or Assisted Pull-Ups
Upper back, grip, and pulling control — pull chest to bar, control the descent
Pull chest toward the bar
Don't swing for momentum
Control the descent fully
Assisted machine or bands if needed — the goal is controlled pulling quality, not just getting over the bar
3×6–8
reps
Core
Dead Bug
↑ Slower and more tension than Week 2 — the standard keeps rising
Core stability under deliberate control — slower and tighter than any previous week
Move slower than Week 2
More tension throughout — don't let the core relax
Lower back absolutely flat to floor
3×12
each side
Day 2 Emphasis
- The throw teaches the body that the pressing pattern can be fast — then the bench grounds it back into control
- Upper power requires core stability — they are not separate
- Reset fully after every throw — quality over quantity
⚡ Conditioning — Assault Bike Intervals
Push Hard → Recover → Repeat
Push
Hard effort — controlled intensity
Recover
Active recovery — bring the breathing down
15 min
Total duration — alternate throughout
Controlled intensity — not all-out. The goal is managing breathing recovery between efforts, not destroying yourself.
Day 3 — Full Body Expression
Power from the ground —
everything integrated
everything integrated
Jump
Box Jumps
3×8
Goblet
⚡ Power Skill — Week 3 Day 3
Box Jumps
4 Sets × 5 Reps — Explosive lower body, controlled landing
Box jumps teach the body to produce maximum lower body force quickly, absorb it on landing, and reset for the next effort. The height is irrelevant. A quiet, controlled landing from a 12-inch box beats a crash landing from 30 inches every time. Start low. Land soft. Build confidence.
How to Do It
- Stand in front of a low box
- Slight dip — hips back, arms swing back
- Explode up — drive arms forward
- Land softly on the box — quiet feet
- Step down — don't jump down
- Full reset before next rep
Power Cues
- "Land quiet — soft feet"
- "Knees track properly on landing"
- "Reset every single rep"
- Height does not matter — landing quality does
- Arms help — use them
Beginner Setup
- Start with the lowest box available
- Focus entirely on landing softly
- Step down — never jump down
- Height only increases when landing is perfect
Start LOW — height does not matter. Confidence and control come before height. A perfect 10-inch jump beats a sloppy 30-inch jump every time.
Strength
Goblet Squat
↑ Stronger and more confident than Week 1 — the pattern is now owned
The foundational squat pattern — now performed with full confidence and strong posture built over three weeks
Full confidence — you own this now
Same form as Week 1 — stronger execution
Drive the floor away on the way up
3×8
reps
Accessory
DB Romanian Deadlift
Clean hinge, controlled tempo — the pattern that built the swing and the trap bar DL foundation
Clean hinge — hips back first
Controlled tempo throughout
Feel the hamstring stretch fully
3×10
reps
Core
Side Plank
↑ 25 seconds — longer hold, more control than Week 2
Lateral core stability — the progression from Week 2's side plank with reach, now back to a stronger static hold
Body in a straight line
Hips don't drop
Stay completely tight
3×25
sec each
Day 3 Emphasis
- Box jump height doesn't matter — landing quality does, every single rep
- The squat should feel easier than Week 1 — three weeks of pattern work shows up here
- Close the week with the RDL — the hinge that started everything
⚡ Conditioning — Mixed Intervals
Rotating Efforts — Row, Bike, Carry
Row
1 effort → transition immediately
Bike
1 effort → transition immediately
Carry
1 effort → short rest → repeat
Adapting under changing demands. The goal is staying controlled and breathing well as the effort type keeps changing. Don't sprint — work with intent.
The Power Standard
Three Rules.
Three Rules.
No Exceptions.
Intent Over Load
The speed of the movement matters more than the weight. A 16kg swing with full hip snap beats a 32kg swing with arms. Intent drives adaptation.
Explosive But Controlled
Fast and clean are not opposites. Every explosive rep must land in a position of control. If control is lost — the rep doesn't count in the Ember system.
Reset Every Rep
Power is not rhythm. Each explosive effort starts from a full reset. Rushing the next rep is the fastest way to form breakdown under fatigue.
You Should Feel This
Signs It's Working
- More effort required — power demands more
- More speed — the patterns are expressing themselves
- More focus required — you can't zone out in a power session
- Muscles activating differently — faster, more total
Warning Signs
Stop If This Happens
- Out of control — reckless is not power
- Sloppy form in the final reps of a set
- Fatigued to the point of losing mechanics
- Racing through reps without resetting
Final Coach Note — Week 3
Strength becomes
usable this week.
Produce fast.
Stay stable.
Control speed.
usable this week.
Produce fast.
Stay stable.
Control speed.
— Ember House Standard
Week 3 is where the Ember system starts to feel like athleticism. The swing, the throw, the jump — these are not exercises. They are expressions of what was built in Weeks 1 and 2.
If the positions weren't learned in Week 1, the swings will be sloppy. If the coordination wasn't built in Week 2, the box jumps will be dangerous. The weeks connect — and Week 3 is where that connection becomes visible.
Week 4 tests everything at once. This week builds the confidence to handle that.