Workout Description
200m rope climb (40x 5 m ascends)
Every minute on the minute do:
3 burpee box jumps
Why This Workout Is Very Hard
The combination of high-volume rope climbs (40 ascents) with forced-pace burpee box jumps creates a brutal test. The EMOM burpees prevent full recovery for rope climbs, leading to severe grip fatigue. The 200m total climbing volume is massive, and maintaining technique under accumulating fatigue becomes extremely challenging. Most athletes will need significant breaks between climbs, extending workout duration to 25-35 minutes.
Benchmark Times for Everest
- Elite: <16:00
- Advanced: 18:00-20:00
- Intermediate: 22:00-24:00
- Beginner: >40:00
Training Focus
This workout develops the following fitness attributes:
- Stamina (9/10): High volume of rope climbs taxes grip and upper body muscular endurance severely, while EMOM burpee box jumps maintain constant leg fatigue.
- Endurance (8/10): Continuous rope climbing for 200m combined with EMOM burpee box jumps creates significant cardiovascular demand over an extended period, testing aerobic capacity.
- Power (7/10): Box jumps require explosive hip extension, while burpees demand quick transitions. Rope climbs need power for efficient ascents.
- Strength (6/10): Rope climbs require significant pulling strength and core control. Repeated climbs test strength-endurance more than max strength.
- Speed (6/10): EMOM format forces quick burpee box jump cycles, while efficient rope climb transitions become crucial under fatigue.
- Flexibility (5/10): Rope climbs demand shoulder mobility and hip flexion, while burpee box jumps require decent hip and ankle range of motion.
Movements
- Rope Climb
- Burpee Box Jump
Scaling Options
Reduce total climbs to 20-30. Sub rope pulls from ground or inverted rows if needed. Lower box height to 12-16". Option to do burpee step-ups instead of jumps. Can extend EMOM to every 90 seconds for more recovery. Alternative: 2 burpee box jumps EMOM or perform burpees every 2 minutes.
Scaling Explanation
Scale if unable to perform 5+ consecutive rope climbs, lacking confident descent technique, or limited by grip endurance. Maintaining safe climbing technique is paramount - fatigue increases fall risk. Target completion time 30-45 minutes. Scale volume if unable to maintain 2+ climbs per minute average or if burpee box jumps take >25 seconds consistently.
Intended Stimulus
Long-duration oxidative workout (30-45 min) with regular anaerobic bursts. Primary focus is upper body pulling endurance and grip stamina, combined with regular power output demands. Tests mental fortitude and pacing discipline while managing accumulating fatigue.
Coach Insight
Break rope climbs into sets of 4-5 with brief rest to preserve grip. Maintain consistent pace - aim for 2-3 climbs per minute early. For EMOM burpees, be efficient but not rushed - use 20-25 seconds per round leaving recovery time. Keep box height moderate (20-24") to maintain quick transitions. Watch grip fatigue at 25+ climbs - may need longer rest periods.
Benchmark Notes
Breaking down 40 rope climbs with burpee box jumps EMOM:
1. Base rope climb time: 15-20s per 5m climb (includes descent)
2. Burpee box jump triplet: ~12s for elite, leaving 48s recovery
3. Fatigue progression:
- First 10 climbs: 15-18s each (fresh)
- Climbs 11-20: 18-22s (moderate fatigue)
- Climbs 21-30: 22-25s (significant fatigue)
- Climbs 31-40: 25-30s (severe fatigue)
Comparing to Helen (3 rounds of running + KB swings + pull-ups) as closest anchor:
- Helen L10 is 7:30-8:30
- This workout is ~2x volume with more technical movement
- Expect elite times around 16:00 (960s)
EMOM structure provides forced rest but burpee box jumps maintain elevated heart rate. Technical nature of rope climbs requires more recovery as fatigue builds.
Final targets:
Male L10: 16:00 (960s)
Male L5: 24:00 (1440s)
Male L1: 40:00 (2400s)
Female L10: 18:00 (1080s)
Female L5: 27:00 (1620s)
Female L1: 45:00 (2700s)
Modality Profile
Both Rope Climb and Burpee Box Jump are gymnastics (bodyweight) movements. Rope Climb is a classic bodyweight skill, and Burpee Box Jump combines two gymnastics movements (burpee and box jump). With both movements in the gymnastics category, this workout is 100% G.
