Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Extremely Hard

This workout is brutally progressive in three ways simultaneously: increasing load (95→135→185 lb), decreasing reps (21-15-9 → 15-10-5 → 9-6-3), and continuous burpee interference throughout. The 185/135 lb clean-and-jerks in the final section are near-maximal for average athletes, performed after 90+ reps of prior work. Cumulative fatigue from burpees compounds barbell cycling demands across all three sections, making this elite-level territory.

Benchmark Times for Gerard Dewan

• Elite: <11:00
• Advanced: 12:30-14:15
• Intermediate: 16:30-19:30
• Beginner: >41:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): Total volume across all three sections is substantial, combining grip-intensive clean-and-jerks with full-body burpees. Muscular endurance of the posterior chain, shoulders, and grip are repeatedly taxed under increasing loads.
• Power (8/10): Clean-and-jerks are inherently explosive movements requiring rapid triple extension and overhead drive. Even at lighter loads in early rounds, the movement demands powerful hip and leg drive to cycle efficiently under fatigue.
• Endurance (7/10): The descending rep scheme with burpees and barbell cycling creates sustained cardiovascular demand across multiple rounds. The for-time format pushes athletes to maintain elevated heart rate throughout the entire workout.
• Strength (7/10): The final 9-6-3 section at 185/135 lb demands significant strength output, especially as fatigue accumulates. Athletes must produce near-maximal force on clean-and-jerks while already metabolically compromised from earlier rounds.
• Speed (6/10): For-time format incentivizes fast transitions and efficient barbell cycling, especially in the lighter 21-15-9 section. Athletes must balance cycling speed against the increasing loads in later sections to avoid burnout.
• Flexibility (5/10): Clean-and-jerks require adequate hip, shoulder, and thoracic mobility for proper receiving positions. Burpees demand basic hip flexor and shoulder flexibility, making overall mobility demands moderate but meaningful.

Movements

• Burpee
• Clean and Jerk

Scaling Options

Weight reductions: Scale Phase 1 to 75/55 lb, Phase 2 to 95/65 lb, and Phase 3 to 135/95 lb. For athletes newer to Olympic lifting, consider 65/45, 75/55, and 95/65 lb respectively. Movement substitutions: Replace clean-and-jerks with power clean + push press if the jerk is not yet trained. Sub dumbbell hang clean-and-jerks (35/20 lb, 50/35 lb, 70/50 lb) for athletes without barbell proficiency. Replace burpees with burpee step-overs or no-push-up burpees for athletes with shoulder or wrist limitations. Volume modifications: Reduce to 15-10-5 / 9-6-3 / 6-4-2 rep scheme for athletes who are newer or have limited time. Alternatively, complete only the first two phases (21-15-9 and 15-10-5) as a standalone workout.

Scaling Explanation

Scale the weight if you cannot perform at least 5 unbroken clean-and-jerks at the prescribed load when fresh — under fatigue, singles will be the norm, but the load must be technically manageable. Scale the final phase (185/135) aggressively; a weight you cannot clean-and-jerk safely when fatigued is a significant injury risk. Prioritize technique over load at all times — a sloppy jerk with a heavy bar on a tired athlete is where shoulders and backs get hurt. The target completion time is 20-30 minutes for intermediate athletes and 15-22 minutes for advanced athletes. If you anticipate going beyond 35 minutes, reduce volume or weight to preserve the intended stimulus of a hard sustained effort rather than a survival grind. Athletes newer to Olympic lifting should always prioritize movement quality and scale to loads where they can maintain consistent mechanics throughout.

Intended Stimulus

This is a moderate-to-long time domain grinder lasting 20-35 minutes for most athletes. The ascending weight structure creates a unique stimulus — you start with conditioning-focused cycling at lighter loads, then transition into a true strength-endurance challenge as the weights climb. The primary challenge is threefold: managing fatigue across three distinct loading phases, maintaining clean-and-jerk technique under accumulated fatigue, and the mental grind of knowing heavier work is always coming. Energy demand is a sustained hard effort — not a sprint, but never comfortable. Expect your lungs to drive the early rounds and your strength to become the limiting factor in the final 9-6-3.

Coach Insight

Treat this as three separate workouts within one. Phase 1 (21-15-9 at 95/65): Move efficiently and cycle the bar — touch-and-go or quick singles. Keep burpees steady and controlled, not blazing fast. Resist the urge to sprint here; you have two heavier phases ahead. Phase 2 (15-10-5 at 135/95): This is where most athletes blow up. Shift to deliberate singles on the clean-and-jerks with a consistent reset. Breathe at the top of each rep. Break burpees into manageable chunks if needed. Phase 3 (9-6-3 at 185/135): This is a strength test under fatigue. Treat every clean-and-jerk like a heavy single — full setup, tight core, aggressive drive. Don't rush the jerk; a missed rep here is costly. Key technique cues: keep the bar close on the pull, use your hips aggressively, and lock out the jerk fully before lowering. On burpees, step up if needed in later rounds to preserve energy for the barbell. Common mistakes: going too fast in Phase 1 and dying in Phase 2, rushing the jerk under fatigue, and sloppy footwork on the clean receiving position when tired.

Benchmark Notes

Clean-and-jerks climbing from 95 to 185 lb (21-15-9, then 15-10-5, then 9-6-3) with matching burpees: 93 lifts and 93 burpees. The 185-lb sets are near an average athlete's max. L5 (19:30-23 min) takes the heavy lifts as singles. L10 (under 11 min) cycles the light sets and singles the heavy ones quickly.

Modality Profile

Two movements: Burpee (Gymnastics - bodyweight movement) and Clean and Jerk (Weightlifting - barbell movement with external load). 1 G + 1 W = 50/50 split.

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