Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Medium

While 1-minute AMRAP burpees are legitimately challenging and will spike heart rate significantly, the generous 2-3 minute rest periods allow near-complete recovery between efforts. Total work time is only 3:40 spread over 10-12 minutes. The favorable work-to-rest ratios (1:2 and 1:3) prevent cumulative fatigue buildup that would elevate difficulty. No external load or complex skills required. Average CrossFitters can complete as prescribed, though they'll be breathing hard during each work interval.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Speed (8/10): AMRAP format with short work periods demands maximum speed burpee cycling. Athletes must move explosively and transition quickly to maximize reps in limited time windows.
• Endurance (7/10): Multiple high-intensity intervals elevate heart rate significantly. Rest periods provide recovery but the repeated efforts across five total sets create substantial cardiovascular demand.
• Stamina (6/10): Accumulated volume of burpees across five sets taxes muscular endurance in shoulders, core, and legs, though rest periods allow partial recovery between efforts.
• Power (6/10): Fast burpee cycling requires explosive hip extension for the jump and rapid transitions. The short time domains, especially the 20-second sprints, emphasize power output.
• Flexibility (3/10): Burpees demand moderate hip and shoulder range of motion through the full movement cycle, more than basic positions but not extreme mobility requirements.
• Strength (2/10): Pure bodyweight movement with no external loading. Requires basic relative strength but this is not a strength-focused stimulus.

Movements

• Burpee

Scaling Options

Step-back burpees (step feet back instead of jumping) or elevated burpees with hands on 12-20 inch box. Remove the push-up for squat thrusts if chest-to-deck contact is limiting speed. Reduce time domains to 45 seconds with 2-minute rest and 15 seconds with 1-minute rest. For significant scaling, consider 3 rounds of 30 seconds AMRAP with 90 seconds rest.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if you cannot maintain continuous movement throughout each interval or if movement quality breaks down significantly. The goal is to sustain high intensity for the prescribed time windows - if you're stopping frequently or moving extremely slowly, scale the movement difficulty rather than the time. Athletes should feel severely breathless but able to continue moving. If you cannot perform 10+ burpees in the 1-minute sets with good form, choose a scaled variation. Maintain the interval structure to preserve the intended cardiovascular stimulus.

Intended Stimulus

High-intensity interval conditioning targeting the glycolytic energy system for the 1-minute sets and phosphagen system for the 20-second sprints. Total work time is 4 minutes with built-in rest periods. Tests ability to maintain consistent power output across repeated efforts while managing severe cardiovascular and muscular fatigue. The descending time domains (1 min to 20 sec) create progressive intensity escalation.

Coach Insight

Pace the three 1-minute sets strategically - aim for consistency rather than starting too hot. Target a sustainable rhythm of 15-20 burpees per minute that you can repeat all three rounds. Use the 2-minute rest to recover your breathing completely. On the 20-second sprints, go all-out with no pacing - these are max effort. Focus on efficient burpee technique: jump feet close to hands on the way up, achieve full hip and knee extension at the top, land softly on the way down. Avoid bouncing your chest - maintain tension through the push-up. Track your reps for each set to monitor pacing effectiveness. Most athletes fade on rounds 2 and 3 if they go too aggressive on round 1.

Benchmark Notes

Primary limiters are cardiovascular capacity, burpee efficiency, and lactate tolerance across repeated high-intensity intervals. L1 athletes (35 reps) pace around 10-12 burpees per minute with significant drop-off, struggling with the chest-to-deck standard and recovery. L5 athletes (70 reps) maintain 18-20 burpees/min on the 1-minute sets with minimal drop-off due to adequate rest, hitting 8-9 reps on the 20-second sprints. L10 elites (110 reps) sustain 26-28 burpees/min with excellent mechanics and recovery efficiency, attacking the 20-second sets at 13-14 reps each. The 2-minute rest windows allow partial but not full recovery, so smooth transitions and breathing control separate the levels.

Modality Profile

Burpee is a bodyweight movement combining a push-up, squat, and jump, making it purely Gymnastics modality.