Why “Finals Week?”

Written by John Main

Hear the words “finals week,” and a lot of us can still feel that end-of-semester rush of stress and caffeine-forced awake-ness. Here, Finals Week opportunities occur at the end of every cycle, and while there might be a little overlap with those institutional showdowns of the same name — the sense of approaching challenges and a desire to perform well — our version is a lot more fun and, on balance, and just a tad more important to your health and wellness.

Every Finals Week, we check our progress with the current training block’s daily focuses. Mondays and Wednesdays showcase the main strength lift, Tuesdays contain a single exercise performed for reps in a fixed timeframe to test muscle and positional endurance (5′ Densities), Thursdays are Benchmark Workouts that highlight different formats and energy systems, and Fridays concentrate on one movement performed for max reps in one set (Pro Days).

It’s all laid out for you in order to provide the following three main benefits:

Sense of Achievement – Standardized workouts like these aren’t the end-all means to define our success in the gym, but are valuable tools that contribute to the effectiveness and sense of accomplishment within training. Each is designed to measure performance across time, and provide a tangible map of our fitness journey. We can track our results and see firsthand how our strength, endurance and overall capabilities have evolved, and that big-picture view then enables us to set realistic and attainable goals for the future.

Community & Camaraderie – Finals Week serves as a universal language within our community, too, cultivating a sense of camaraderie and shared experience. Each of us arrived at Performance360 from a wide range of backgrounds and experience, and with a common ground for comparison, we can better connect with and support each other, regardless of where we are on our individual paths.

Vary the Stress Stimulus – Finally, Finals Week is great motivation, encouraging us to embrace adversity, push beyond our comfort zones, and consistently strive for personal bests. It brings us head-on to our physical and mental barriers, fostering grit and self-discipline. The achievement of milestones and the continuous pursuit of improved weight, reps or times, instill a sense of pride and determination that extends beyond the gym walls, into other aspects of our lives. This mentality of perseverance can lead to increased confidence, upgraded problem-solving skills, and an enhanced approach to overcoming life’s obstacles, the value of which can’t be overstated.

Various days may be harder or easier for you depending on your experience level, and as a new member you may be working your way up towards full participation across the week. The idea is for our members to aim for two or three days that appeal to their goals, abilities, and comfort level and apply a “less is more”, targeted approach towards their development in this week – rather than a shotgun.

Its workouts are designed to incorporate a range of functional movements that reflect real-life activities, enhancing overall athleticism and promoting balanced fitness. By regularly participating, we can fine-tune our form, pacing and strategy, which in turn contributes to optimizing our physical development. And because they repeat within a year, Finals Week workouts allow us to experiment with different approaches, too — learning from our experiences, and ultimately gaining a deeper understanding of our body and what it can do!

In the Performance360 ecosystem, Finals Week plays a pivotal role, with significance that extends beyond the realm of fitness metrics, not only as a vital mechanism for measuring progress, but to foster community, refine technique and nurture a resilient mindset — empowering and expanding our pursuit of holistic fitness and personal growth.