Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

This workout packs 410 total reps across five bodyweight movements with moderate skill variance and a long, grinding time domain. The randomized card order spikes heart rate and creates local muscle fatigue, especially in push-ups and box jumps. Expect 30–45+ minutes for most athletes, demanding steady pacing, high stamina, and mental resilience more than top-end strength or skill.

Benchmark Times for Deck of Death

• Elite: <24:00
• Advanced: 27:00-30:00
• Intermediate: 33:00-37:00
• Beginner: >70:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (9/10): Very high volume across push-ups, squats, and sit-ups taxes muscular endurance and repeatability under fatigue.
• Endurance (7/10): Sustained, steady-state effort for 30–45 minutes challenges aerobic capacity and heart-rate control, especially with repeated box jumps and burpees.
• Speed (5/10): Moderate cycling speed and quick transitions help, but randomness limits full sprinting; steady turnover is key.
• Power (4/10): Box jumps and burpees involve repeat explosive efforts, though pacing keeps output submaximal.
• Strength (2/10): No external loading; strength demands are minimal beyond moving your bodyweight to standard.
• Flexibility (2/10): Requires standard ROM—hip crease below knee, full lockout on push-ups, and safe landing mechanics—but no extreme positions.

Scaling Options

Scale to: Half deck (remove face cards and jokers) • 20/16 in box or step-ups + elevated push-ups • Joker = 10 burpees and 30–40 min time cap

Scaling Explanation

These options reduce total volume, lower eccentric impact and pressing demand, and cap duration so athletes keep moving with proper mechanics and the intended steady grind.

Intended Stimulus

A long, grindy, steady effort. Athletes should move continuously, breathe through the work, and avoid redlining early. Expect localized fatigue in pressing and hips, plus a high heart rate from box jumps and burpees. Keep transitions short, break sets before failure, and chip away without long rests.

Coach Insight

Pace the push-ups early—small, consistent sets beat big, failing ones. Keep transitions under 5 seconds and keep moving. The one tip: Never go to failure on push-ups. Stop 2–3 reps shy and keep the clock moving. Avoid sloppy box jump landings, letting sit-ups become a rest break, and skipping standards when tired.

Benchmark Notes

Use your total time to complete the full 54-card deck as prescribed. Beginners may exceed an hour, while advanced athletes can finish near 24–30 minutes. Hit full ROM standards on every rep. Stop the clock only when all cards are done.

Modality Profile

Most of the work is bodyweight gymnastics: push-ups, sit-ups, air squats, and burpees (about 77% of reps). Box jumps account for the remaining volume and behave like monostructural cyclical work (about 23%). There is no external loading.

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These WODs similar to Deck of Death share comparable training demands, time domains, and movement patterns.