Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

A long chipper mixing gymnastics grip/pressing with moderate odd objects. Volume nears 300 reps with several high-skill elements (ring dips, knees-to-elbows, rope climbs). Most athletes finish in 18–28 minutes, limited by upper-body stamina and grip. Loads aren’t maximal, but constant transitions and varied movements keep the heart rate high. Hard for most; very hard if gymnastics are a weakness.

Benchmark Times for Beast 12

• Elite: <16:00
• Advanced: 18:00-20:00
• Intermediate: 21:00-22:00
• Beginner: >30:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): Nearly 300 reps across many stations require muscular endurance for pressing, pulling, squatting, and midline tasks. Success hinges on holding submaximal sets with brief rests, especially across upper-body gymnastics and wall-ball/swing sequences that accumulate fatigue quickly.
• Endurance (6/10): Sustained work for 16–30 minutes keeps the heart rate elevated, with very short monostructural exposure. Breathing is challenged by continuous movement and transitions rather than long cyclical bouts, demanding aerobic support for repeated submaximal efforts.
• Power (5/10): Explosive hip drive is rewarded in box jumps, wall balls, and kettlebell swings, plus fast rope climb initiations. It’s not a pure power test, but crisp, ballistic reps improve cycle time and reduce energy leakage.
• Speed (4/10): Chipper format limits sprinting, yet fast but sustainable cycle rates and minimal transition time decide outcomes. Smart athletes keep moving with short, consistent sets rather than pausing for long chalk breaks.
• Flexibility (3/10): Full range at shoulders, hips, and ankles: overhead swings, wall balls, and ring dips demand shoulder flexion/extension; squat cleans and lunges need hip/ankle mobility. Not extreme, but mobility restrictions will slow cycling and quality.
• Strength (3/10): No max-effort lifts, but relative strength matters for ring dips, rope climbs, and heavier KB swings. Athletes need enough strength to maintain mechanics and positions under fatigue rather than produce single heavy repetitions.

Scaling Options

Scale to: [Beginner: step-ups (20 in), jumping pull-ups, box/bench dips, hanging knee raises, KB 35/26, DB 20/15, wall ball 14/10, 6–9 rope pulls] • [Intermediate: banded pull-ups/dips, KBS 53/35, DB 30/20, reduce gymnastics reps to 15–20] • [No-rope/no-rings: push-ups for dips, 12 rope pulls or 30 strict ring rows, keep other reps/load manageable]

Scaling Explanation

These options lower skill and load while preserving movement patterns, density, and the chipper’s continuous pace so athletes finish near the intended time without technical failure.

Intended Stimulus

A steady, grinding chipper. You should breathe hard but stay in control, never reaching true failure. Upper body pump and grip will be the limiter, so break before you must. Move smoothly, keep transitions under 10 seconds, and choose conservative sets on pull-ups, dips, and rope climbs to avoid long, costly rests.

Coach Insight

Pace: open with small, repeatable sets on gymnastics; 4–6s on pull-ups/dips is fine. Keep transitions tight and purposeful. The one tip: protect your grip—chalk once, then stick to your plan and shake out between sets. Avoid rebounding box jumps if gassed, risky rope climbs to failure, and big opening sets that blow up your arms.

Benchmark Notes

These times set finish targets from beginner to elite. If you’re beyond 30 minutes, scale difficulty or volume. Aim to keep sets small on pull-ups, dips, and rope climbs to avoid failure. Well-paced athletes who break early and transition quickly will land near L5–L7.

Modality Profile

Gymnastics dominates with numerous bodyweight skills (pulling, pressing, and core). Weightlifting appears in three stations: kettlebell swings, dumbbell hang squat cleans, and wall balls. Only double-unders provide brief monostructural work. Time distribution matches this, with most effort spent on gymnastics under fatigue.

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