Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

This workout combines high-skill gymnastics (muscle-ups), heavy barbell cycling (185/135 power cleans), and high-intensity burpees in a demanding EMOM format. The 2-minute window means limited rest (~45 seconds) while fatigue accumulates over 20 minutes. The muscle-ups must be performed fresh every round, but after 10 rounds, shoulder fatigue from cleans and burpees will significantly impact technique and success rate.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High-skill gymnastics combined with moderate-heavy barbell cycling and full-body burpees creates significant local muscular endurance demands.
• Power (8/10): Both muscle-ups and power cleans are explosive movements requiring significant power output throughout all rounds.
• Endurance (7/10): The 20-minute EMOM format with complex movements creates sustained cardiovascular demand, though 2-minute intervals allow some recovery between rounds.
• Flexibility (7/10): Muscle-ups demand significant shoulder mobility and thoracic extension, while power cleans require good front rack position.
• Strength (6/10): Moderately heavy power cleans and strict strength requirements for muscle-ups test both absolute and relative strength.
• Speed (6/10): Quick transitions and efficient movement cycling needed to complete work within 2-minute windows, though not maximum speed.

Movements

• Ring Muscle-Up
• Power Clean
• Burpee

Scaling Options

Muscle Ups: Sub 3-6 chest-to-bar pull-ups + 3-6 ring dips, or 6-9 pull-ups. Power Cleans: Reduce to 135/95 lb or 115/75 lb based on capacity. Target 65-75% of 1RM. Burpees: Maintain rep scheme but step-back if needed. Time Domain: Option to reduce to 16 minutes (8 rounds) for newer athletes. Alternative rep scheme: 2-4-6 to preserve stimulus.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if unable to perform 2 unbroken muscle ups when fresh, if power clean weight exceeds 70% 1RM, or if rounds consistently take over 90 seconds. Priority is maintaining consistent movement through all rounds - technique should not break down significantly in later intervals. Scaled version should allow 45-60 seconds of work with adequate rest. Target effort is 7/10 intensity with ability to maintain loading and movement quality across all rounds.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-intensity interval workout targeting mixed energy systems over 20 minutes. Primary focus is glycolytic with aerobic recovery between sets. Tests ability to maintain complex skill work (muscle ups) and power output (power cleans) under accumulating fatigue. Mental challenge comes from pacing and technique preservation across 10 intervals.

Coach Insight

Use the full 2-minute window strategically - aim to complete each round in 60-75 seconds for sustainable rest. Break muscle ups into singles or 2+1 to maintain quality. Power cleans should be touch-and-go when fresh, transitioning to singles as fatigue builds. Keep burpees controlled but efficient. Common failure points: rushing early rounds, poor clean technique under fatigue, inefficient muscle up transitions. Consider breaking pattern: 2+1 muscle ups, 3+2 cleans, 4+3 burpees.

Benchmark Notes

This is an EMOM-style workout with 10 possible rounds in 20 minutes. Each round requires: - Muscle-ups: 8-10s per rep × 3 = 24-30s - Power Cleans (185/135): 2.5-3s per rep × 5 = 12.5-15s - Burpees: 3-4s per rep × 7 = 21-28s Total work time per round: ~60-75s for elite athletes, leaving 45-60s rest Using Amanda (9-7-5 muscle-ups + heavy snatch) as primary anchor since it's also muscle-up focused: - L10 Amanda is 420-480s for men - This workout has similar total muscle-ups (21 vs 21) but spread across more sets - Power cleans are lighter than Amanda's snatches but higher volume - Burpees add significant metabolic demand Elite athletes (L10) should complete all 10 rounds with some buffer Intermediate (L5) will miss 1-2 rounds due to muscle-up fatigue Novice (L1) will get 5-6 rounds, limited by muscle-ups Final targets: Men: L10: 10+ rounds L5: 9 rounds L1: 6 rounds Women: L10: 9+ rounds L5: 8 rounds L1: 5 rounds

Modality Profile

Ring Muscle-Up and Burpee are both gymnastics movements (2/3), while Power Clean is a weightlifting movement (1/3). Rounded to nearest 10% for clean numbers.