Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

This workout hits multiple limiting factors across three distinct phases. The opening calisthenics fatigue the legs and lungs before 2,000m of running sandwiched around 25 heavy sandbag cleans (a brutal, awkward movement). Then 5 rounds of 225/155lb deadlifts and 10 burpees per round arrive when the athlete is already significantly depleted. Cumulative leg fatigue, grip failure, and cardiovascular demand combine to push this well beyond Hard for the average athlete.

Benchmark Times for Alec

• Elite: <20:30
• Advanced: 23:00-26:00
• Intermediate: 29:30-33:00
• Beginner: >61:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (9/10): Massive volume across burpees, air squats, push-ups, sandbag cleans, deadlifts, and box jumps demands exceptional muscular endurance. Cumulative fatigue across all three sections makes sustained output the primary challenge.
• Endurance (8/10): Two 1,000-meter runs bookending high-rep work create significant cardiovascular demand. The sustained aerobic effort across all three workout sections keeps heart rate elevated throughout the entire session.
• Speed (6/10): For-time format incentivizes fast transitions and efficient cycling through movements. Managing pace across three distinct sections while minimizing rest is critical to a competitive finish time.
• Strength (5/10): Moderate loads with 225-lb deadlifts and 100-lb sandbag cleans require meaningful strength, but high rep counts shift the stimulus toward endurance rather than maximal force production.
• Power (5/10): Box jumps and sandbag cleans demand explosive hip extension, while burpees require repeated power output. However, fatigue from high volume significantly reduces the pure power expression over time.
• Flexibility (3/10): Standard range of motion required for squats, deadlifts, and box jumps. Sandbag cleans demand some hip mobility, but no extreme flexibility positions are required throughout the workout.

Movements

• Push-Up
• Air Squat
• Burpee
• Deadlift
• Run
• Sandbag Clean
• Box Jump

Scaling Options

Sandbag: reduce to 60-70 lbs (women) or 80-85 lbs (men); substitute with a dumbbell or barbell hang clean if no sandbag is available. Deadlifts: reduce to 115-135 lbs (women) or 185-205 lbs (men) — target a load you can move for 8-10 reps unbroken when fresh. Box jumps: reduce to 16-inch (women) or 20-inch (men) box, or substitute step-ups for athletes with knee or Achilles concerns. Run: reduce to 800m per segment for athletes with limited running capacity or substitute 1,000m row or 3-minute bike. Volume: reduce to 4 rounds of the final section (instead of 5) or cut air squats to 20 per round in Act 1. Burpees: reduce to 6 per round in Act 1 and 8 per round in Act 3 if total volume is overwhelming.

Scaling Explanation

Scale this workout if your deadlift 1RM is under 275 lbs (men) or 185 lbs (women) — Rx weight should represent roughly 65-70% of your max, and fatigue will make it feel much heavier. Scale the sandbag if you cannot complete 10 over-the-shoulder cleans unbroken when fresh at Rx weight. Scale the runs if you are not a regular runner or if 2,000m of running will push your total time beyond 60 minutes. The goal is to keep moving throughout — if you are stopping for more than 10-15 seconds at a time repeatedly, the load or volume is too high. Prioritize technique on deadlifts above all else: a rounded lumbar spine under load is a red flag to drop weight immediately. The intended stimulus is sustained effort and mental toughness, not a max-effort strength test — scaling preserves that stimulus and keeps the workout safe.

Intended Stimulus

This is a long-duration grind lasting 35-55 minutes for most athletes. The workout is structured in three distinct phases — a bodyweight opener, a loaded cardio middle section, and a strength-based finisher — designed to test your ability to sustain output across changing demands. The energy system challenge is a long, sustained engine with pockets of higher intensity. The primary challenge is mental and physical durability: can you keep moving when your legs are cooked from squats and runs, and can you maintain deadlift mechanics when fatigued? Expect this to feel like a long chipper that never quite lets you recover.

Coach Insight

Treat this workout in three acts and pace each accordingly. Act 1 (3 rounds of burpees/squats/push-ups): Move at a smooth, controlled pace — do NOT sprint here. These reps are low enough to go unbroken but resist the urge to redline early. Air squats should be rhythmic and consistent; push-ups should stay chest-to-deck with a solid plank. Act 2 (runs + sandbag cleans): The 1,000m runs are your pacing anchors — run at a conversational effort, not a sprint. For sandbag cleans, use your hips aggressively and let the bag travel close to your body. Break the 25 reps into 3 sets (9-8-8 or 10-8-7) before your grip gives out. Avoid setting the bag down mid-rep — control the descent. Act 3 (5 rounds of deadlifts/box jumps/burpees): This is where the workout is won or lost. Deadlifts at Rx weight will feel heavy on fatigued legs — brace hard, hinge at the hips, and do NOT round your lower back. Consider breaking into 2 sets (6-4 or 5-5) from round 1 rather than going unbroken and blowing up. Box jumps: step down every rep to protect your Achilles and save your legs. Burpees: find a slow, sustainable rhythm — do not stop. Common mistakes: going too fast in Act 1, running too hard between sandbag sets, and trying to go unbroken on deadlifts in rounds 4-5 when form breaks down.

Benchmark Notes

Three rounds of burpees, air squats and push-ups, a 1,000 m run, 25 over-the-shoulder sandbag cleans, another 1,000 m run, then five rounds of 10 deadlifts at 225/155 lb, 14 box jumps and 10 burpees. The heavy deadlifts and sandbag cleans are the limiters. L5 (33-37:30 min) runs each 1,000 m in about 5 minutes and breaks the deadlifts into sets of 3-4. L10 (under 20:30) runs near 3:20 per 1,000 m and keeps the deadlifts and box jumps unbroken.

Modality Profile

7 total movements: Gymnastics (4) = Burpee, Air Squat, Push-Up, Box Jump; Monostructural (1) = Run; Weightlifting (2) = Sandbag Clean, Deadlift. Raw: G=57%, M=14%, W=29%. Rounded to nearest values that sum to 100.

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