Workout Description
Why This Workout Is Medium
EMOM 10 with 4 HSPUs provides excellent built-in recovery—roughly 50+ seconds rest between rounds for most athletes. While HSPUs are a skilled movement requiring shoulder strength and body awareness, 4 reps is a manageable volume that allows athletes to maintain quality. The 10-minute window prevents significant fatigue accumulation. Average CrossFitters can complete this as prescribed, though some may need to scale to pike push-ups or reduce reps if shoulder mobility/strength is limited.
Benchmark Times for Head Over Heels
- Elite: <1:38
- Advanced: 1:53-2:15
- Intermediate: 2:45-3:30
- Beginner: >9:00
Training Focus
This workout develops the following fitness attributes:
- Flexibility (7/10): Handstand push-ups require substantial shoulder mobility, thoracic extension, and wrist flexibility. Inverted positioning demands considerable range of motion throughout the movement.
- Strength (6/10): Handstand push-ups demand significant upper body and core strength. The skill requirement and bodyweight resistance create meaningful strength stimulus despite moderate rep volume.
- Stamina (4/10): Four handstand push-ups per minute for ten minutes totals forty reps. Moderate volume with built-in recovery allows sustained output without severe muscular fatigue accumulation.
- Power (3/10): Handstand push-ups involve some explosive drive from the shoulders, but the movement is primarily strength-based. EMOM pacing discourages maximal power output per rep.
- Endurance (2/10): EMOM format with 10-minute duration and brief work intervals provides minimal cardiovascular demand. Ample rest between rounds limits aerobic stimulus and heart rate elevation.
- Speed (2/10): EMOM structure provides ample rest between work intervals. Four reps fit easily within each minute, eliminating time pressure and requiring minimal cycling speed.
Movements
- Handstand Push-Up
Benchmark Notes
HSPU skill and shoulder endurance are the primary limiters. L5 athletes can cycle 4 HSPU unbroken each minute but accumulate fatigue by rounds 7-10, finishing around 4 minutes total. Elite athletes maintain strict unbroken sets throughout with minimal rest.
Modality Profile
Handstand Push-Up is a bodyweight gymnastics movement requiring upper body pressing strength and balance control without external load.
Training Profile
| Attribute | Score | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Endurance | 2/10 | EMOM format with 10-minute duration and brief work intervals provides minimal cardiovascular demand. Ample rest between rounds limits aerobic stimulus and heart rate elevation. |
| Stamina | 4/10 | Four handstand push-ups per minute for ten minutes totals forty reps. Moderate volume with built-in recovery allows sustained output without severe muscular fatigue accumulation. |
| Strength | 6/10 | Handstand push-ups demand significant upper body and core strength. The skill requirement and bodyweight resistance create meaningful strength stimulus despite moderate rep volume. |
| Flexibility | 7/10 | Handstand push-ups require substantial shoulder mobility, thoracic extension, and wrist flexibility. Inverted positioning demands considerable range of motion throughout the movement. |
| Power | 3/10 | Handstand push-ups involve some explosive drive from the shoulders, but the movement is primarily strength-based. EMOM pacing discourages maximal power output per rep. |
| Speed | 2/10 | EMOM structure provides ample rest between work intervals. Four reps fit easily within each minute, eliminating time pressure and requiring minimal cycling speed. |
EMOM 10 4 Hspu
A grindy aerobic engine builder — sustainable pace with clean transitions, not a sprint.
Pace your first round 5–10s slower than feels easy. Break the gymnastics before failure — small sets save big time across rounds.
Reduce the barbell load to maintain unbroken sets on the cleans. Sub jumping pull-ups or banded for HSPU.