Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

The high-volume burpees (120 total) create significant cardiovascular fatigue that compounds throughout each round. The kettlebell swings and box jumps maintain this intensity while adding posterior chain demands. Pull-ups become increasingly challenging under accumulated fatigue. The 1-mile cash-out run extends the suffering when athletes are already depleted. Most will take 25-35 minutes with few rest opportunities.

Benchmark Times for Alexander Lopez

• Elite: <9:00
• Advanced: 10:00-11:00
• Intermediate: 12:00-13:00
• Beginner: >22:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Endurance (8/10): High-volume burpees combined with a mile run creates significant cardiovascular demand. Three rounds plus cash-out ensures sustained elevated heart rate throughout.
• Stamina (7/10): Multiple rounds of high-rep bodyweight movements and KB swings test muscular endurance, particularly in shoulders, legs, and core.
• Speed (7/10): Quick transitions between movements and fast cycling of burpees and KB swings are crucial for good times.
• Power (6/10): Box jumps and KB swings are explosive movements, while burpees require repeated power output from ground to standing.
• Flexibility (4/10): Burpees and box jumps require decent hip mobility, while KB swings demand adequate shoulder range of motion.
• Strength (3/10): Moderate KB weight and bodyweight movements require basic strength, but max force production isn't the limiting factor.

Movements

• Burpee
• Kettlebell Swing
• Box Jump
• Pull-Up
• Run

Scaling Options

Reduce burpees to 25-30 per round. Scale kettlebell to 35/26 lbs or substitute Russian swings. Lower box height to 20/16 inches or step-ups. For pull-ups: ring rows, banded pull-ups, or jumping pull-ups. Reduce run to 800m if needed. Consider 2 rounds instead of 3 for beginners. Target time cap of 30 minutes.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if unable to maintain consistent movement standards past round 1, especially on burpees and pull-ups. Signs to scale: breaking burpees into sets of 5 or fewer, significant rest between movements, compromised kettlebell swing form, or inability to do 3+ strict pull-ups when fresh. Priority is maintaining intensity while moving safely - better to reduce volume and keep working than to rest excessively. Scaled versions should take 20-25 minutes with steady movement.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-length glycolytic workout (15-25 minutes) with oxidative finish. Primary focus is on sustained power output and mental toughness. The high-volume burpees create significant metabolic stress, while the kettlebell swings and box jumps test posterior chain endurance. Pull-ups add upper body pulling element before the aerobic cash-out run.

Coach Insight

Break burpees into sets of 10-15 from the start - don't go unbroken early. Quick but controlled kettlebell swings focusing on hip drive. Step down from box jumps when fatigued to maintain safety. Consider breaking pull-ups into sets of 3-5 to avoid grip failure. Transition quickly between movements but take 10-15 seconds to reset breathing when needed. The run should be at a steady, sustainable pace - this isn't a sprint finish.

Benchmark Notes

This workout is most similar to Helen (3 rounds of running + KB swings + pull-ups) but with burpees and box jumps added. Analysis: Per Round (fresh state): - 40 Burpees @ 3.5s = 140s - 30 KB Swings @ 2s = 60s - 20 Box Jumps @ 2s = 40s - 10 Pull-ups @ 1.5s = 15s Base round = 255s plus transitions (~15s) = 270s Fatigue multipliers: Round 1: 270s Round 2: 270s × 1.15 = 311s Round 3: 270s × 1.25 = 338s Subtotal: 919s Cash out mile run: - Fresh mile = 420s (L5 benchmark) - After high-volume workout: +20% = 504s Total for L5 (median): ~780s (13:00) Comparing to Helen anchor (L5 = 630-690s male / 690-750s female): This workout has significantly more volume per round (100 reps vs 33) plus a full mile run versus 400m runs. The ~15% longer benchmark times are justified by the additional work. Recap: Male L10: 540s (9:00) Male L5: 780s (13:00) Male L1: 1320s (22:00) Female L10: 660s (11:00) Female L5: 900s (15:00) Female L1: 1440s (24:00)

Modality Profile

Of the 5 movements: Burpee (G), Box Jump (G), Pull-Up (G) are gymnastics; Run (M) is monostructural; Kettlebell Swing (W) is weightlifting. 3/5 movements are G (60%), 1/5 is M (20%), 1/5 is W (20%). Rounded to clean numbers: 40/20/40 split.