The Triage of the Track: How to Intelligently Trim Your Training

By Jak Cornthwaite

We’ve all been there. You open the JST app, see a 90-minute monster involving heavy squats, a complex, and a 20-minute EMOM, but you’ve only got 50 minutes before you need to be at your desk.

Most athletes panic. They either try to do the whole thing at 100mph, sacrificing form and recovery, or they just bin the session entirely. Both are losing moves.

At JST, we use the Big Rocks and River principle to "Triage" a session. If the session is a jar, the Big Rocks are the non-negotiables. The River is the water that fills the gaps.

When time is tight, you drain the river first.

The JST Triage Hierarchy (The Order of the Cut)

When you need to shave time, follow this order. Do not skip to Step 3 until you’ve exhausted Step 1.

1. Drain the River (Save 15+ Mins)

• What it is: Direct accessory work, "Armour" building, and movement mechanic flows.

• The Logic: This is vital for long-term health, but skipping it for one day won't kill your progress.

• The Move: Cut the GHDs, the DB Rows, and the 10-minute foam rolling. Replace with a 3-minute "Hot Start" (Machine/Squats) and get straight to the bar.

2. Clear the Pebbles (Save another 15 Mins)

• What it is: Secondary lifting pieces or technical "Primers."

• The Logic: If the main lift is a Back Squat & Cleans and the secondary is a "Floating Clean Pull," the Squat is the priority for the day.

• The Move: Look for Part B or C in the weightlifting. If it’s not the primary focus of your track, it goes.

3. Condense the Rocks (The High-Density Play)

• What it is: The Main Lift or the Metcon.

• The Logic: You keep the movement, but you increase the density.

• The Move: Instead of 5 sets of 5, do 3 sets of 5 at the top weight. Instead of a 20-minute AMRAP, do 12 minutes at a higher intensity.

  
  

How to Triage Based on Your Bias

Here is how a standard Monday session (Strength + Weightlifting + Metcon) looks when triaged through each track's lens:

JST Athlete (The All-Rounder)

• The Priority: The Metcon (The Engine/Skill mix).

• The Cut: Keep the Metcon as written. Trim the strength waves from 3 waves down to 1 heavy set.

• The 45-Min Version: 5m Warm-up -> 10m Heavy Squat -> 25m Metcon -> Home.

Strength Bias (The Barbell Battery)

• The Priority: The Main Lift (The Big Rock).

• The Cut: Keep the full strength progression. Cut the Metcon entirely or replace it with a 5-minute "Lungs on Fire" sprint.

• The 45-Min Version: 8m Specific Prep -> 30m Heavy Lifting (Squat + Cleans) -> 5m Finish -> Home.

Gymnastic Bias (The Skill Builder)

• The Priority: Technical Density.

• The Cut: Keep the gymnastic EMOM/Skill piece. Cut the heavy barbell work and the long engine intervals.

• The 45-Min Version: 10m Shoulder/Core Prep -> 20m Gymnastic Skill -> 15m Strict Strength/Accessory -> Home.

Engine Bias (The Capacity Builder)

• The Priority: Time under tension/Heart rate.

• The Cut: Keep the full conditioning piece. Cut the strength and weightlifting completely.

• The 45-Min Version: 5m Ramp-up -> 35m Intervals/Threshold Work -> 5m Flush -> Home.

The Golden Rule: ROI Over Ego

If you only have 45 minutes, you cannot afford to "wait for the feeling." You have to be clinical. Think of your body like a race car: if you only have enough fuel for 45 minutes, you don't spend it idling in the pits. You get it on the track and find the redline immediately.

• Hard Caps: Use your watch. If a piece is supposed to take 15 minutes, you stop at 15 minutes.

• No Fluff: The gym is for work. The socialising happens in the Coffee Shop before or the Whatsapp community afterward.

• Choose Your Rock: Before you touch a barbell, ask: "What is the ONE thing I need to get better at today?" Do that thing first.

  
  

Consistency is the goal. 

Just don't do nothing.

Attack the rock. Let the river go.