Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

A fast, descending couplet with heavy thrusters (135/95 lb) and advanced-skill double-unders drives intensity. Total volume is moderate (30 heavy thrusters, 150 double-unders), but barbell loading and skill demand keep the heart rate high. Most athletes finish between 6–10 minutes, making this a short, punchy effort that challenges power, timing, and composure under fatigue.

Benchmark Times for Dutch vs. Speal

• Elite: <5:00
• Advanced: 5:30-6:30
• Intermediate: 7:30-8:00
• Beginner: >12:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Speed (8/10): Success hinges on fast cycling, tight transitions, and minimal breaks, especially as rep counts drop and urgency rises.
• Power (7/10): Explosive hip drive for thrusters and quick, elastic rebounds in double-unders reward powerful, crisp reps and efficient force transfer.
• Stamina (6/10): Thirty heavy thrusters and 150 double-unders require sustained output and manage fatigue, especially in the shoulders, legs, and forearms.
• Strength (5/10): The 135/95 lb thruster is substantial for many athletes, demanding solid leg drive and overhead strength without reaching true max-effort territory.
• Endurance (4/10): Short time domain and couplet structure offer aerobic demand, but intensity and loading push it toward anaerobic power rather than long, steady endurance.
• Flexibility (4/10): Front rack and overhead positions require decent shoulder, wrist, and ankle mobility, but not extreme ranges if movement quality is good.

Scaling Options

Scale to: 115/75 or 95/65 lb thrusters • 75-60-45-30-15 single-unders or 35-28-21-14-7 double-unders • Thrusters from front squat + push press if needed

Scaling Explanation

These options preserve the fast couplet feel by maintaining similar rep patterns and time domain while adjusting load and skill to minimize long breaks.

Intended Stimulus

Fast and intense. Push for large, near-unbroken thruster sets with quick transitions and steady, efficient double-unders. Breathing will spike, shoulders and legs will burn, and composure matters. The descending rep scheme should encourage acceleration—finish faster than you started. If you’re forced into long rests, the load or skill needs scaling.

Coach Insight

Pace the first 10 thrusters and 50 double-unders just below redline, then build speed as reps drop. Most important: Commit to your thruster break plan and stick to it—barbell down fewer times than you want. Common mistakes: Opening too hot, sloppy front rack causing press-outs, and big double-under misses. Breathe at the top of the thruster and keep rope turns relaxed.

Benchmark Notes

Times range from finishing near a 12-minute cap for newer athletes (L1) to sub-5 minutes for elites (L9). Aim for smooth double-unders and controlled, minimal-break thruster sets. Use the levels to choose an appropriate scale that keeps you moving and preserves the intended sprint-like feel.

Modality Profile

This couplet blends weightlifting (thrusters) and monostructural work (double-unders). Time is split slightly toward barbell cycling due to setup, bracing, and breaks, with rope work still occupying a significant chunk of total effort. There is no gymnastics component.

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