July 2026 TEAM Training Programming - El Diablo 6x6, 6/0/X/0

Eccentric Strength Training, Tempo Lifting, and Building a Stronger Foundation
If you've been following our TEAM Training programming at KING Strength, you've probably noticed that every month has a purpose. We don't randomly change exercises, throw workouts together, or chase trends. Every training block is designed to build upon the previous one, helping our members develop strength, muscle, conditioning, athleticism, and long-term resilience in a systematic way.

At KING Strength, our training philosophy follows a repeating cycle of Accumulation, Intensification, and Realization. Each phase serves a different purpose, and each phase helps create long-term progress without burnout, plateaus, or excessive wear and tear on the body.

April's Functional Hypertrophy block served as an accumulation phase focused on building muscle, improving movement quality, and increasing work capacity.

May's 5/3/1 Strength block intensified training through heavier loading and progressive strength development in the squat, bench press, and deadlift.

June's Verkhoshansky Power block shifted our focus toward speed-strength, athleticism, jumps, throws, dynamic effort work, and force production. The goal wasn't simply to get stronger. The goal was to learn how to express strength more quickly and efficiently.

Now it's time to begin the process again.

Welcome to July.
Welcome to EL DIABLO.

Why July Is an Accumulation Block
After spending an entire month moving explosively, we're intentionally slowing things down.

One of the biggest misconceptions in fitness is that progress comes from constantly increasing intensity. In reality, progress often comes from strategically backing off the gas pedal, reinforcing fundamentals, and accumulating high-quality work that prepares the body for future progress.

That's exactly what July is designed to accomplish.
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EL DIABLO is our Q3 accumulation block. The focus is not on testing strength. The focus is not on setting personal records. The focus is not on moving the heaviest weights possible.

The focus is on developing better positions, improving movement quality, increasing muscle mass, strengthening connective tissues, and building a foundation that allows us to train harder and smarter in the months ahead.
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This is where we build.
This is where we reinforce.
This is where we accumulate.

Understanding the KING Strength Training Model
One of the most common questions we get is:
"Why do the workouts change every month?"
The answer is simple.

Different training methods develop different physical qualities. If we only trained one way all year long, progress would eventually slow down, motivation would drop, and the risk of overuse injuries would increase.

That's why our TEAM Training model cycles through three phases throughout the year:

Accumulation
Think of accumulation as building the foundation.

During an accumulation block, the goal is to accumulate a large amount of quality work. Training volume is generally higher, intensity is moderate, and the focus is on developing the qualities that support future performance.

Accumulation blocks are designed to improve:

• Muscle mass
• Work capacity
• Movement quality
• Technical proficiency
• Tendon and connective tissue resilience
• General fitness

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The goal is not to see how much weight you can lift.
The goal is to build the physical and technical foundation that allows you to lift more weight later.

July's EL DIABLO block is an example of an accumulation phase.

Intensification
Once the foundation has been built, we shift into an intensification phase.

Training volume begins to decrease while intensity increases. This is where we focus on applying the qualities developed during accumulation and converting them into greater strength and force production.

Intensification blocks focus on:

• Heavier loading
• Strength development
• Force production
• Neural adaptations
• Confidence under heavier weights

This is where members often see noticeable improvements in the amount of weight they're able to lift.

May's 5/3/1 Strength block is a great example of an intensification phase.

Realization
Realization is where we express what we've built.

After spending weeks or months developing muscle, improving movement quality, and increasing strength, realization blocks allow us to demonstrate those improvements through athletic performance, power production, conditioning, testing, and competition.

Realization blocks emphasize:

• Speed
• Power
• Athleticism
• Conditioning
• Performance
• Assessment

This is where training becomes more dynamic and where members often feel the most athletic.

June's Verkhoshansky Power block and our Q2 KING Combine are examples of realization training.

Why We Cycle Through These Phases
Most fitness programs only focus on one thing.
Some only focus on strength.
Some only focus on conditioning.
Some only focus on muscle building.

At KING Strength, we want our members to be strong, capable, athletic, resilient, and healthy for the long term.

By cycling through accumulation, intensification, and realization phases throughout the year, we're able to continually make progress while keeping training fresh, purposeful, and sustainable.
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Each phase prepares you for the next.
Each month has a purpose.
And each quarter tells a bigger story.

What Is Eccentric Strength Training?
The defining feature of EL DIABLO is eccentric strength training.

Every exercise contains multiple phases. Using a squat as an example, lowering into the squat is known as the eccentric phase, while standing back up is known as the concentric phase. Most people spend very little time paying attention to the eccentric portion of a lift. In many gyms, lifters drop into the bottom position as quickly as possible before focusing all of their effort on standing back up.

In July, we're doing the opposite.

Throughout the month, our primary lifts will use a 6-second eccentric tempo. That means every squat, bench press, floor press, front squat, and deadlift will require a slow, controlled descent before explosively reversing the movement.
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It sounds simple.
It is not.

A weight that normally feels comfortable suddenly becomes much more demanding when you're forced to control it for six full seconds on every repetition.

The Science Behind Tempo Training and Time Under Tension
Eccentric training has been widely studied within strength and conditioning, sports performance, physical therapy, and rehabilitation settings because of its ability to create meaningful adaptation without requiring maximal loading.

One of the primary reasons eccentric training is effective is because it increases time under tension. Time under tension refers to the amount of time a muscle is actively working during a set. By slowing down the lowering phase of a movement, we increase the total amount of work being performed by the muscles, connective tissues, and nervous system.

Research has shown that eccentric-focused training can improve strength development, increase muscle growth, improve tendon health, enhance movement quality, and increase overall resilience. Eccentric contractions are capable of producing greater force than concentric contractions, creating a powerful stimulus for adaptation.

For adults, this matters.

Most adults don't lose independence because they stop exercising. They lose independence because they lose strength, balance, mobility, coordination, stability, and the ability to control their body under load. Eccentric training helps improve all of those qualities simultaneously.
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This is one reason why eccentric strength training is commonly utilized in athletic performance programs, injury prevention protocols, and rehabilitation settings.

Why We're Using Eccentrics Right Now
The timing of EL DIABLO is intentional.

June's Verkhoshansky Power block taught us how to produce force quickly. July's eccentric strength block teaches us how to absorb force and control force. Both qualities are important.

Athletic performance is not just about generating power. It is also about controlling movement, maintaining position, and resisting unwanted motion.

If June was about being explosive, July is about being disciplined.
If June was about speed, July is about control.
If June was about expressing strength, July is about building it.
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These qualities work together and create a more complete athlete, whether you're a competitive athlete, a busy parent, a healthcare professional, or someone simply trying to stay healthy and active.

What You'll See During EL DIABLO
Throughout July, our TEAM Training schedule will continue to revolve around our primary barbell lifts.

Mondays will focus on the Back Squat. Tuesdays will feature the Floor Press. Wednesdays will center around the Bench Press. Thursdays will emphasize the Front Squat. Fridays will be built around the Deadlift.

Each workout will still include mobility work, power development, strength training, hypertrophy-focused accessories, conditioning, and recovery work. While the primary lifts will move slower, athleticism is not disappearing from the program. Members will continue to perform jumps, throws, carries, explosive movements, and conditioning throughout the month.

Our goal is to remain strong, athletic, and resilient simultaneously.

What Should Members Expect?
The best way to describe EL DIABLO is simple:
The weights may be lighter.
The workouts won't feel easier.

Expect increased muscle tension.
Expect longer sets.
Expect your legs shaking halfway through a set of squats.
​Expect your chest and triceps burning during floor presses.
Expect to become much more aware of your positioning, breathing, and technique.
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Many members will discover that exercises they've performed hundreds of times suddenly feel completely different.

That's the point.
The goal of EL DIABLO isn't to make the workouts miserable.
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The goal is to improve your ability to control movement, maintain tension, and own every position throughout a lift.

Stronger for the Long Run
At KING Strength, we're not just trying to help people survive a workout.
We're trying to help people build a stronger body for life.
We're helping parents keep up with their kids. We're helping professionals stay active despite long hours at a desk. We're helping adults maintain strength, confidence, and independence as they age.

That's why we care about movement quality.
That's why we care about tendon health.
That's why we care about strength that lasts.

EL DIABLO may not produce the biggest numbers on the bar this month.
But it may be one of the most valuable training blocks of the year.

Slow down.
Stay tight.
Embrace the burn.
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Welcome to EL DIABLO.

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