Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

Donny is a heavy barbell-and-burpee couplet with 180 total reps and 90 deadlifts at 225/155 lb. It blends posterior-chain stamina with high heart rate from burpees. Most athletes will work 12–20 minutes, with grip and back fatigue limiting speed. The repeated 9s in the center punish pacing errors, making consistent sets and smart breaks essential.

Benchmark Times for Donny

• Elite: <11:30
• Advanced: 13:00-14:00
• Intermediate: 15:00-16:00
• Beginner: >25:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High total reps at meaningful load require repeated submaximal efforts, taxing grip, posterior chain, and general muscular endurance throughout the longer rep scheme.
• Endurance (6/10): Sustained heart rate from continuous burpees and limited rest between deadlift sets creates an aerobic demand across 12–20 minutes without being pure cardio.
• Strength (6/10): Deadlifts at 225/155 lb are heavy enough to challenge midline and posterior-chain strength, especially in later rounds as fatigue accumulates.
• Speed (5/10): Quick cycle time on burpees and efficient barbell touch-and-go matter, but pacing and short, planned breaks are more decisive than pure sprint speed.
• Power (4/10): Explosiveness is useful for strong, crisp deadlift reps and pop off the floor in burpees, but sustained output matters more than peak power.
• Flexibility (2/10): Basic hinge and floor-to-stand ranges of motion; mobility demands are modest and mainly require safe spinal positions and adequate hip and ankle flexion.

Scaling Options

Scale to: Deadlift 185/125 or 155/105 • Reduce reps to 15-12-9-9-12-15 • Burpees → up-downs or burpees to a target

Scaling Explanation

These options keep the hinge-and-burpee stimulus while adjusting load and volume so you can move steadily, preserve form, and finish near the intended time domain.

Intended Stimulus

A steady grind that feels fast but controlled. The barbell should allow small, repeatable sets with short rests, never devolving into singles early. Burpees stay smooth and unbroken with consistent breathing. Athletes should finish feeling gassed but mechanically sound, with posterior-chain fatigue and elevated heart rate throughout.

Coach Insight

Pace the early 21s—open with manageable deadlift sets and settle into a sustainable burpee rhythm. One tip: choose a deadlift break strategy (e.g., 7-7-7 or 6-5-5-5) and honor it; don’t chase early big sets. Avoid rounding your back under fatigue, and don’t explode the first burpee set—you’ll pay for it in the middle 9s.

Benchmark Notes

These times reflect a broad range from beginner to elite. Finishing near 16 minutes indicates solid pacing with manageable deadlift sets and steady burpees. Faster athletes hold bigger deadlift sets and minimize rest between movements. If you’re far from these targets, scale load or volume to maintain intensity and form.

Modality Profile

This is a pure couplet of bodyweight and weightlifting. Burpees dominate time-on-task for most athletes, so gymnastics slightly edges the split. The heavy deadlifts still command significant volume and grip/hinge demand. No monostructural elements are present, but the burpees provide a strong cardio component.

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