Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

High total volume (330 reps) split evenly between burpees and kettlebell work drives systemic fatigue. Thrusters and sumo deadlift high-pulls add breathing-intensive complexity, while repeated burpee segments keep the heart rate elevated. The descending 10–1 ladder tempts big opening sets—athletes who mispace will slow dramatically. Most capable athletes land near 25–35 minutes; many will push close to the cap.

Benchmark Times for Burptacular

• Elite: <22:00
• Advanced: 24:00-26:00
• Intermediate: 28:00-30:00
• Beginner: >38:20

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (9/10): A total of 330 reps heavily taxes muscular endurance in shoulders, quads, glutes, and posterior chain. Success requires managing small sets, consistent pacing, and minimal rest to maintain movement quality under accumulating fatigue.
• Endurance (6/10): Sustained work for 25–40 minutes with continuous movement elevates heart rate the whole time. Without monostructural elements, cardio is driven by mixed-modal effort and breathing control through thrusters, SDHP, and steady burpees.
• Power (4/10): Hip extension powers swings and SDHP and supports thruster efficiency. Still, the long time domain and volume shift the demand from peak explosiveness toward repeatable, submaximal power output.
• Speed (4/10): There are opportunities to cycle quickly, but pacing and breathing control are more important. Quick transitions help, yet sprinting early often leads to extended rest and drop-off later.
• Strength (3/10): A single kettlebell keeps loading moderate. Baseline strength is necessary to cycle safely and maintain positions, but maximal force production is not the primary limiter in this piece.
• Flexibility (2/10): Standard ROM demands—full-depth squats, strong overhead lockout, and sound hinge mechanics. Mobility matters for safety and efficiency, but extreme ranges or advanced positions are not required.

Scaling Options

Scale to: 24/16 kg kettlebell • Reduce ladder to 10-8-6-4-2 (all movements) • Swap SDHP for kettlebell deadlift and use Russian swings

Scaling Explanation

These options appropriately reduce load, volume, and technical demand while preserving the squat-hinge-press pattern and the intended continuous conditioning stimulus.

Intended Stimulus

A steady, gritty grind with controlled breathing. Keep burpees smooth and uniform. Use small, reliable sets for kettlebell thrusters and SDHP, and aim to go unbroken or near-unbroken on swings. The descending ladder should feel progressively more manageable—avoid redlining early so you can keep moving in the middle rounds without long rests.

Coach Insight

Open conservatively on the 10–8 rounds—small sets, quick shakes, and keep moving. Transitions should be short and deliberate. The one tip: make burpees identical from rep one. Smooth pace beats early sprints. Common mistakes: over-gripping the bell, failing thruster reps, and resting too long after big sets. Chip away—consistency wins.

Benchmark Notes

These time targets reflect ability from beginner to elite. Around L5, plan roughly 30 minutes with steady burpees and controlled sets on kettlebell movements. Faster finishes require unbroken swings, crisp transitions, and small, reliable thruster/SDHP sets. Use the cap to keep intensity high without turning the workout into a slog.

Modality Profile

Half the work is bodyweight burpees and half is kettlebell lifting. There’s no monostructural element; conditioning comes from continuous mixed-modal effort. Grip, hips, and breathing become the primary limiters as you alternate between gymnastic burpees and kettlebell movements with minimal downtime.

Similar Workouts to Burptacular

If you enjoy Burptacular, you might also like these similar CrossFit WODs:

• Havana (92% similar) - AMRAP in 25 minutes: 150 Double-Unders 50 Push-Ups 15 Power Cleans (185/125 lb)...
• Caroline (92% similar) - For Time 3-7-11-14-11-7-3 reps of: Deadlifts (225/135 lb) Box Jumps (24/20 in) Calorie Row...
• Feeks (91% similar) - 2-4-6-8-10-12-14-16 Reps For Time 100 meter Shuttle Sprint Dumbbell Clusters (2x65/45 lb)...
• Harper (91% similar) - AMRAP in 23 minutes: 9 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups 15 Power Cleans (135/95 lb) 21 Air Squats 400 meter Run...
• Walk It Out (91% similar) - For Time 25-20-15 Deadlifts (155/105 lb) 50-40-30 Walking Lunges 50 meter Double Kettlebell Farmer's...
• Ollis (91% similar) - AMRAP in 22 minutes 200 meter Run 22 Deadlifts (185/125 lb) 22 Pull-Ups 22 Burpees 22 Russian Kettle...
• Steve Mercado (91% similar) - For Time 40 Pull-Ups 40 Power Snatches (105/75 lb) 40 Knees-to-Elbows 40 Power Cleans (105/75 lb) 40...
• Poke the Bear (91% similar) - AMRAP in 20 minutes Cash In: 100 meter Farmers Carry (85/55 lb) Then AMRAP of: 5 Bear Complexes (13...

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