Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

Fifteen minutes of continuous work across five stations creates high local fatigue, especially in the shoulders and grip. The dumbbell complex and sandbag drag elevate loading demands, while the time domain sits in the classic grinder range. Movement complexity is mixed, but odd objects and strict pressing increase difficulty. Overall output hinges on pacing and sustainable mechanics.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): Repeated upper-body pressing, pulling, and odd-object work demand sustained muscular output. Shoulders, grip, and midline are continuously under tension across multiple minutes and rounds.
• Endurance (6/10): Fifteen straight minutes with minimal rest taxes aerobic capacity. No monostructural element, but steady pacing and breathing control are crucial to avoid redlining and to keep transitions crisp.
• Strength (5/10): Strict presses with 2×50 lb dumbbells and a 100 lb sandbag drag require solid baseline strength, but the workout emphasizes repeatable submax sets over maximal loads.
• Speed (5/10): Work in one-minute windows encourages steady cadence. Quick but composed transitions and consistent rep speed beat sprinting and blowing up early.
• Power (4/10): Some hip drive on high-pulls and strong initial sandbag pulls, but the emphasis stays on controlled, repeatable reps rather than explosive output.
• Flexibility (3/10): Standard ranges: squat depth, shoulder flexion, plank alignment, and crawl positions. Mobility helps positions feel better, but extreme flexibility is not required.

Movements

• Dumbbell Front Squat + Curl + Strict Press Complex
• Resistance Band Row
• Kettlebell Alternating High-Pull
• Medicine Ball Push-Up
• Bear Crawl with Sandbag Drag

Scaling Options

Scale to: 2×35/20 lb DB complex (or single-DB complex) • Lighter band tension or ring row • KB 35/26 lb • Hands-elevated push-up (no med ball) • Sandbag 70/50 lb or crawl without drag

Scaling Explanation

These options preserve movement patterns and station intent while right-sizing strict pressing strength, pulling volume, and odd-object load so athletes maintain quality reps and steady pacing for the full 15 minutes.

Intended Stimulus

A grindy, shoulder-and-grip-intensive AMRAP. Athletes should work at a sustainable cadence from the start, avoiding failure on the dumbbell strict press and keeping transitions tight. Expect heart rate to sit high but manageable while arms and midline burn. Aim for steady, unbroken sets where possible, with small, planned breaks late.

Coach Insight

Pace like a 15-minute EMOM: smooth, even effort each station. Start at 80–85% and hold. The one tip: protect the strict press. Keep midline braced and squeeze glutes—don’t take sets to failure early. Common mistakes: sprinting round one, sloppy sandbag setup, and shallow squats. Count consistently—set floor markers for the bear crawl.

Benchmark Notes

Score is total reps across all five minutes each round, for 3 rounds (15 minutes). Count 1 completed DB complex as 1 rep. Band rows and KB high-pulls are 1 rep each. Push-ups are strict reps. For the bear crawl with sandbag drag, every 5 feet equals 1 rep.

Modality Profile

Four of five stations use external load (dumbbells, kettlebell, band, sandbag), so weightlifting dominates. Push-ups are the only pure gymnastics station. There is no monostructural element; the bear crawl occurs under load via sandbag drag, reinforcing the weightlifting bias.

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