Workout Description

13-11-9-7-5 Reps for Time Muscle-Ups Squat Snatches (135/95 lb) Time cap: 13 minutes for males, 15 minutes for females

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

Large volume of elite-skill gymnastics paired with heavy, technical squat snatches under a tight cap creates a highly demanding workout. Success hinges on ring muscle-up capacity, stable barbell technique under fatigue, and smart pacing. Many intermediates will time-cap unless scaled; advanced athletes will still find it challenging to maintain consistent sets.

Benchmark Times for Amanda .45

  • Elite: <8:00
  • Advanced: 9:00-10:00
  • Intermediate: 10:30-11:00
  • Beginner: >13:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

  • Power (8/10): Explosive hip extension drives both the ring transition and the snatch. Efficient, powerful reps reduce time under tension and help maintain quality through the descending rep scheme.
  • Stamina (7/10): Ninety total reps across two demanding movements tax local muscular endurance of grip, pulling, and overhead squat positions. Athletes must manage sets and rest to avoid failure and excessive chalk breaks.
  • Strength (6/10): Heavy squat snatches at 135/95 require solid absolute strength, especially when legs and shoulders are pre-fatigued by muscle-ups. Strength reserve supports consistent singles without failed lifts.
  • Flexibility (6/10): Deep receiving positions and stable overhead squat mechanics demand good shoulder, thoracic, and ankle mobility. Limited range of motion increases misses and slows rep cadence under fatigue.
  • Speed (5/10): It’s not an all-out sprint. Athletes cycle in controlled singles on the snatch and short, repeatable sets on muscle-ups, limiting pure speed while emphasizing steady transitions.
  • Endurance (4/10): No monostructural element; the effort lasts about 8–13 minutes. Breathing matters, but the limiter is not pure cardio—it’s the ability to keep moving through high-skill reps without long breaks.

Scaling Options

Scale to: Ring Row + Low Ring Transition Practice • Chest-to-Bar Pull-Up or Jumping Bar Muscle-Up • Squat Snatch 115/75 (or 95/65) or Power Snatch if mobility limits

Scaling Explanation

These options preserve the pulling/transition stimulus of muscle-ups and the fast, technical barbell pattern while adjusting skill and load so you can keep moving and finish near the intended time domain.

Intended Stimulus

A deliberate, technical grind with spikes of intensity. Aim for small, consistent muscle-up sets, then composed singles or quick doubles on snatches. Transitions should be calm but efficient. You should feel challenged by skill and fatigue, yet able to keep moving without blow-ups or long rest periods.

Coach Insight

Pace the 13 and 11—avoid big opening sets. Quick 2–4 rep MU sets, then immediate barbell singles with short breaths. Build momentum as reps descend. The one tip: never miss a snatch—controlled singles beat failed attempts. Common mistakes: opening too big on MU, sloppy footwork on lifts, and excessive chalk/rest between movements.

Benchmark Notes

Times represent typical finish ranges from beginner to elite when performed as prescribed. If you consistently miss the muscle-ups or fail snatch reps, choose an appropriate scaling to keep moving. Advanced athletes should aim to hold small, repeatable sets and minimize rest to beat the cap comfortably.

Modality Profile

A balanced gymnastics-and-weightlifting couplet: ring muscle-ups (gymnastics) and squat snatches (weightlifting). No monostructural component, so intensity comes from complex skill execution and barbell cycling rather than steady-state cardio.

Similar Workouts to Amanda .45

If you enjoy Amanda .45, you might also like these similar CrossFit WODs:

  • Dueling Elizabeth (90% similar) - 21-15-9 Reps For Time Cleans (155/105 lb) Muscle-Ups...
  • Open 23.3 (90% similar) - For time with progressive time caps (max 12:00): At 0:00 (6:00 cap): 5 Wall Walks 50 Double-Unders 1...
  • Power Plus Amanda (90% similar) - For time: 11-9-7-5 reps of: Power Snatch (135/95 lb) Bar Muscle-Up Time cap: 15 minutes...
  • Open 11.4 (90% similar) - AMRAP in 10 minutes: 60 Bar-Facing Burpees 30 Overhead Squats (120/90 lb) 10 Ring Muscle-Ups...
  • Franzilla (90% similar) - For Time 21 Thrusters (95/65 lb) 21 Pull-Ups 15 Thrusters (115/75 lb) 15 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups 9 Thr...
  • Sam (90% similar) - For Time 23 Burpee Pull-Ups 36 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb) 42 Toes-to-Bars 24 Handstand Push-Ups 12 C...
  • AGOQ 19.3 (90% similar) - For Time 5 Rounds of: 4 Muscle-Ups 13 Shoulder-to-Overheads (135/95 lb) Then, 5 Rounds of: 4 Muscle...
  • The Standard (90% similar) - For Time 30 Clean-and-Jerks (135/95 lb) 30 Muscle-Ups 30 Snatches (135/95 lb) Time Cap: 12 minutes...

These WODs similar to Amanda .45 share comparable training demands, time domains, and movement patterns.

Training Profile

AttributeScoreExplanation
Endurance4/10No monostructural element; the effort lasts about 8–13 minutes. Breathing matters, but the limiter is not pure cardio—it’s the ability to keep moving through high-skill reps without long breaks.
Stamina7/10Ninety total reps across two demanding movements tax local muscular endurance of grip, pulling, and overhead squat positions. Athletes must manage sets and rest to avoid failure and excessive chalk breaks.
Strength6/10Heavy squat snatches at 135/95 require solid absolute strength, especially when legs and shoulders are pre-fatigued by muscle-ups. Strength reserve supports consistent singles without failed lifts.
Flexibility6/10Deep receiving positions and stable overhead squat mechanics demand good shoulder, thoracic, and ankle mobility. Limited range of motion increases misses and slows rep cadence under fatigue.
Power8/10Explosive hip extension drives both the ring transition and the snatch. Efficient, powerful reps reduce time under tension and help maintain quality through the descending rep scheme.
Speed5/10It’s not an all-out sprint. Athletes cycle in controlled singles on the snatch and short, repeatable sets on muscle-ups, limiting pure speed while emphasizing steady transitions.

13-11-9-7-5 Reps for Time Muscle-Ups Squat Snatches (135/95 lb) Time cap: 13 minutes for males, 15 minutes for females

Difficulty:
Very Hard
Modality:
G
W
Stimulus:

A deliberate, technical grind with spikes of intensity. Aim for small, consistent muscle-up sets, then composed singles or quick doubles on snatches. Transitions should be calm but efficient. You should feel challenged by skill and fatigue, yet able to keep moving without blow-ups or long rest periods.

Insight:

Pace the 13 and 11—avoid big opening sets. Quick 2–4 rep MU sets, then immediate barbell singles with short breaths. Build momentum as reps descend. The one tip: never miss a snatch—controlled singles beat failed attempts. Common mistakes: opening too big on MU, sloppy footwork on lifts, and excessive chalk/rest between movements.

Scaling:

Scale to: Ring Row + Low Ring Transition Practice • Chest-to-Bar Pull-Up or Jumping Bar Muscle-Up • Squat Snatch 115/75 (or 95/65) or Power Snatch if mobility limits

Time Distribution:
9:30Elite
11:15Target
12:00Time Cap
Your Scores:

Training Profile

Performance Levels

L1
L2
L3
L4
L5
L6
L7
L8
L9
L10

Times represent typical finish ranges from beginner to elite when performed as prescribed. If you consistently miss the muscle-ups or fail snatch reps, choose an appropriate scaling to keep moving. Advanced athletes should aim to hold small, repeatable sets and minimize rest to beat the cap comfortably.