Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

This workout combines two brutal elements: ~12 minutes of weighted vest box step-ups (accumulated leg fatigue), then 33 minutes of AMRAP with 275/185lb deadlifts, 400m runs, and push-ups — all while wearing a vest. The deadlifts are heavy (roughly 70-75% of average 1RM), the vest compounds every movement, and the run-deadlift-pushup combo creates overlapping fatigue across legs, back, and pressing muscles with no built-in rest.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (9/10): High-rep box step-ups for 12+ minutes, followed by repeated rounds of deadlifts and push-ups under a weighted vest demands exceptional muscular endurance across legs, posterior chain, and upper body.
• Endurance (8/10): The 33-minute AMRAP with repeated 400m runs and a weighted vest creates sustained cardiovascular demand. Continuous cycling between running and lifting under load taxes aerobic capacity significantly throughout.
• Strength (7/10): Heavy deadlifts at 275/185 lbs under a weighted vest represent significant loading. While not maximal effort, these loads require genuine strength output when fatigued mid-AMRAP.
• Speed (5/10): Pacing the 400m runs and managing transitions between movements matters for AMRAP score. However, the heavy loads and vest limit true speed cycling, favoring steady sustainable output.
• Flexibility (3/10): Moderate hip hinge mechanics for deadlifts and box step-ups require basic posterior chain flexibility. Push-ups demand standard shoulder mobility. No extreme range of motion is required.
• Power (2/10): Movements are deliberate and grinding rather than explosive. Deadlifts at these loads under fatigue become strength-endurance efforts. Box step-ups and push-ups are controlled, not ballistic.

Movements

• Push-Up
• Deadlift
• Run
• Box Step-Up

Scaling Options

VEST: Remove the vest entirely for newer athletes or those with cardiovascular limitations. A lighter vest (10 lb women / 14 lb men) is a solid intermediate option. DEADLIFTS: Scale to 60-70% of Rx — approximately 155-165 lb for women and 185-225 lb for men. The load should feel heavy but allow sets of 3-5 with short rest. Sub Romanian deadlifts or trap bar deadlifts if lower back is a concern. PUSH-UPS: Scale to knee push-ups or elevate hands on a box to maintain full range of motion and reduce load. Avoid banded push-ups as they don't replicate the vest stimulus well. RUN: Sub 500m row or 1,000m bike erg if running is not possible. Reduce to 200m if the 400m run causes the round time to exceed 5-6 minutes. BOX STEP-UPS: Reduce box height to 16 or 14 inches. Remove the vest for the step-up portion if needed. REP SCHEME: Keep 9 deadlifts and 22 push-ups as written — the odd numbers are intentional and part of the workout's character (a nod to specific dates or events). Avoid reducing reps unless absolutely necessary.

Scaling Explanation

Scale the deadlift weight if you cannot perform at least 3 reps with a neutral spine and controlled descent while wearing the vest — a rounded back under fatigue is a serious injury risk in a 33-minute AMRAP. Scale the vest if your heart rate is so elevated during the runs that you cannot recover enough to maintain movement quality on the deadlifts. Remove the vest entirely for athletes newer than 1 year of consistent CrossFit training. The goal is to complete 3+ full rounds in the AMRAP — if you're finishing fewer than 2 rounds, the load or volume is too high. Prioritize technique over intensity on the deadlifts every single round. The push-ups should be challenging but never cause you to collapse — scale to knees before you start doing wormy, broken reps. This workout rewards patience and consistency; athletes who go conservative in rounds 1-2 will pass those who redlined early by round 4.

Intended Stimulus

This is a two-part grind workout with a long time domain — expect 45+ minutes of total work. The box step-up opener (12:23) is a weighted aerobic primer designed to pre-fatigue the legs and elevate heart rate before the main AMRAP. The 33-minute AMRAP is a sustained, moderate-to-high effort combining heavy pulling, full-body conditioning, and upper-body pressing — all while wearing a vest. The vest adds constant load that taxes the cardiovascular system and makes every movement harder. Primary challenges are mental toughness, pacing discipline, and managing cumulative fatigue across a long effort. This is not a sprint — it's a test of your aerobic engine and ability to keep moving when everything feels heavy.

Coach Insight

STEP-UPS (0:00-12:23): Set a sustainable, rhythmic pace from the start — this is not a sprint. Alternate legs each rep or every set to distribute fatigue. Keep your torso upright and drive through the heel of the working leg. Avoid leaning excessively forward, which will torch your lower back before the deadlifts even start. Aim for a consistent cadence rather than going hard early and fading. AMRAP STRATEGY (15:00-48:00): The deadlifts at 275/185 lb with a vest are the limiting factor — treat them with respect. Break them early: consider 5-4 or 3-3-3 from the start rather than going unbroken and blowing up your back. Keep a neutral spine, brace hard, and reset each rep if needed. The 400m run is your recovery — use it to breathe and shake out your hands, but don't walk unless absolutely necessary. Push-ups with the vest are deceptively hard; break them into 2-3 sets (e.g., 12-10 or 8-8-6) before you hit failure. COMMON MISTAKES: Going unbroken on deadlifts early and destroying your posterior chain, sprinting the first run and dying on subsequent rounds, and doing push-ups to failure which tanks your ability to lock out in later rounds. AIM for 3-5 full rounds in the AMRAP depending on fitness level.

Benchmark Notes

Max box step-ups for 12:23, rest until 15:00, then a 33-minute AMRAP of 9 deadlifts at 275/185 lb, a 400 m run and 22 push-ups, all in a vest. The ladder grades the AMRAP rounds; log the step-up count in notes. L5 (5-6 rounds) takes about 5:15 a round; L10 (11.5+) about 2:40.

Modality Profile

4 movements: Push-Up (G), Run (M), Box Step-Up (W - weighted/loaded step-up with external load implied, but if bodyweight could be G), Deadlift (W). Box Step-Up is classified as W when loaded, but as a bodyweight movement it would be G. Treating it as G here: Push-Up=G, Box Step-Up=G, Run=M, Deadlift=W gives G:50, M:25, W:25. However, Box Step-Up with no qualifier is often treated as a weighted/functional movement. Classifying: Push-Up=G (1), Run=M (1), Box Step-Up=G (1), Deadlift=W (1) = G:50, M:25, W:25. Rounding: G:50, M:25, W:25.

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