Chelsea is a 30-minute EMOM with all bodyweight movements, so the work density scores moderate and the movement complexity remains low-to-moderate. The long time domain elevates the aerobic and stamina demand, but there’s no external loading or high-skill gymnastics. The challenge is sustaining strict pacing and quality reps under accumulating local fatigue, especially in push-ups and pull-ups.
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This is Kalsu, a notoriously brutal workout. The combination of heavy thrusters (135/95) with forced-pace burpees creates a devastating fatigue cycle. The EMOM format prevents adequate recovery between burpee sets while thrusters must be completed in diminishing windows. Most athletes hit a severe wall around 60-70 reps, turning this into a 30-40 minute grind that tests both strength and mental fortitude.
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While 185/135 is moderate-heavy for singles, performing 9 total reps EMOM with complex Olympic lifts creates compounding challenges. The combination of heavy front-rack position, technical demands of the jerk, and accumulating fatigue with no designated endpoint makes this brutal. Most athletes will struggle to maintain form and intensity beyond 10-15 minutes, with grip and shoulders becoming significant limiting factors.
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This workout's ascending rep scheme with forced progression creates a brutal combination of volume and time pressure. While early minutes are manageable, the exponential increase in reps (10+ reps by minute 10, 20+ by minute 20) quickly becomes unsustainable. The EMOM format prevents adequate recovery as minutes progress, making this a test of both work capacity and mental fortitude that will push even experienced athletes to their limit.
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Assuming a burpee baseline: estimate 12 minutes completed (78 total reps). Work Density = (78 × 0.5) / 12 = 3.25 units/min → 20 points. Movement Complexity: burpee = 60. Time Domain: 12 minutes → 70. Base Score = 0.4×20 + 0.3×60 + 0.3×70 = 47. Modifier for ascending/Death By ×1.2 → 56.4 (“Hard”). Heavier or high‑skill movements would raise difficulty; simpler options lower it.
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The EMOM format with 21 total reps creates significant time pressure - most athletes will need 45-50 seconds per round, leaving minimal rest. The thruster weight is moderate but becomes challenging under fatigue. The movement combination is particularly taxing: thrusters pre-fatigue the pulling muscles needed for pull-ups, while burpees maintain elevated heart rate throughout. Most athletes will fail between 12-20 minutes.
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This workout combines moderate loads with significant volume (100 barbell reps) plus the added stress of 4 burpees EMOM. The barbell movements target similar muscle groups (shoulders/legs), creating cumulative fatigue. The EMOM burpees prevent full recovery and force a sustained pace. Most athletes will take 15-20 minutes, making this a challenging combination of strength-endurance and forced work intervals.
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While the movements are simple bodyweight exercises, the EMOM format creates steady but manageable fatigue over 20 minutes. The 18 total reps per minute should take 30-35 seconds for average athletes, providing ~25 seconds rest between rounds. The movement sequence is logical (burpees → squats → sit-ups) without significant interference effects. Volume is moderate at 360 total reps.
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While thrusters and KB swings are both metabolically demanding, the EMOM format provides crucial built-in rest (~35-40s on odd minutes, ~25-30s on even). The loads are moderate and movements complement rather than compound fatigue. 14 minutes is long enough to be challenging but not overwhelming. Most average CrossFitters can maintain prescribed weights and movement standards throughout.
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The combination of 100 dumbbell thrusters with forced burpees every minute creates a brutal metabolic challenge. While the dumbbells aren't extremely heavy, the volume is significant and the EMOM burpees prevent sustained recovery. Athletes must manage their thruster pace knowing burpees are coming, but going too slow extends total workout time and thus total burpees. This compounding effect makes the workout significantly more challenging than either element alone.
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While the individual elements (DB rows and push-ups) are manageable, the EMOM structure provides built-in rest periods making fatigue manageable. The progressive loading (30/40/45lb) is offset by decreasing reps (15/10/5), maintaining sustainability. The final 3-min AMRAP with lighter weight (30lb) allows for a challenging finish but isn't overwhelming since grip and pushing capacity aren't fully taxed from earlier portions.
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Twenty minutes of alternating work with mandatory bar hangs adds continuous grip fatigue on top of moderate metabolic demand. Athletes complete around 50 thrusters and 50 burpees each while accumulating up to ~10 minutes of intermittent dead hangs. Loads are light-to-moderate and skills basic, but sustained output and grip endurance make it challenging for most.
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