Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Medium

This team-of-4 format is the key moderating factor — athletes rotate through movements, creating substantial built-in rest. The 35/25kg loading on push presses and SDHPs is light-moderate, and each 4-minute AMRAP targets a single movement per person. Double-unders and toes-to-bars add skill demand, but the distributed workload prevents significant fatigue accumulation. Most average CrossFitters can handle this as prescribed.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High-rep cycling of toes-to-bars, double-unders, push presses, and SDHPs across multiple AMRAPs creates substantial muscular endurance demands, particularly in grip, shoulders, and core over the full session.
• Speed (7/10): Short 4-minute AMRAPs reward fast transitions and quick cycling. Team format adds urgency to each individual effort, and the mirrored structure of the two AMRAPs demands consistent high-speed output throughout.
• Endurance (6/10): Multiple 4-minute AMRAPs with structured rest periods create repeated cardiovascular spikes. Team format allows brief recovery between efforts, but the cumulative aerobic demand across 36 minutes is significant.
• Power (6/10): Push presses, SDHPs, and double-unders all require explosive hip and shoulder extension. The short AMRAP intervals incentivize fast, powerful cycling rather than grinding through reps slowly.
• Flexibility (4/10): Toes-to-bars require hip flexor and hamstring mobility, while SDHPs demand adequate hip and shoulder range of motion. Moderate flexibility demands across multiple movement patterns throughout the session.
• Strength (3/10): Moderate loads of 35/25 kg are used for push presses and SDHPs, but the AMRAP format prioritizes cycling speed over maximal force production, making this primarily a stamina rather than strength workout.

Movements

• Push Press
• Toes-to-Bar
• Sumo Deadlift High-Pull
• Double-Under

Scaling Options

Weight: Reduce to 20/15 kg for push press and sumo deadlift high-pull for athletes newer to barbell cycling or those who cannot complete 10+ reps unbroken at Rx. Movement substitutions: Replace toes-to-bars with knees-to-elbows, hanging knee raises, or V-ups for athletes lacking the core strength or grip endurance. Replace double-unders with single-unders at 2:1 ratio (e.g., 50 single-unders for 25 double-unders) or penguin jumps for beginners. Volume: Teams can reduce to 3 athletes if space or equipment is limited, adjusting rep targets accordingly. Time: The 4-minute AMRAP format is already well-suited for most levels — no time adjustment needed, but coaches can cap individual movement reps (e.g., max 20 reps per station per round) to keep athletes rotating and moving.

Scaling Explanation

Scale the weight if an athlete cannot perform at least 8-10 unbroken reps of push press or sumo deadlift high-pull at the prescribed load with good mechanics — cycling heavy barbells under fatigue is where technique breaks down and injury risk rises. Scale toes-to-bars if an athlete cannot string together at least 3-5 reps; hanging knee raises preserve the core and hip flexor stimulus without the grip and lat demand. Scale double-unders if misses are taking up more than 20-30% of the station time — the goal is continuous movement, not rope frustration. Prioritize intensity over Rx loads in this workout: the short AMRAPs only deliver the intended stimulus if athletes are actually moving fast. A scaled athlete working at 90% effort gets far more out of this than an Rx athlete grinding through singles and resting between every rep.

Intended Stimulus

This team workout is designed as a series of short, high-intensity sprint efforts — each 4-minute AMRAP demands maximum output before a built-in rest. The palindrome structure (same movements in reverse order in the second half) tests whether athletes can maintain the same intensity after fatigue accumulates. The energy demand is short burst power repeated across multiple efforts, similar to interval training. The primary challenge is a blend of skill (toes-to-bars and double-unders) and conditioning, with the team format adding accountability and pacing pressure. Athletes should feel like they are working at 85-90% effort each AMRAP, not pacing for a long grind.

Coach Insight

With 4-minute AMRAPs, the strategy is simple: go hard but smart. Divide reps evenly across all 4 athletes — one person works at a time or split into pairs depending on equipment availability. For toes-to-bars, break early into sets of 5-8 rather than going to failure; grip fatigue will compound across the workout. Push press at 35/25 kg should be manageable for most athletes — aim for sets of 10+ unbroken early, then drop to 5-8 as fatigue sets in. Double-unders are a rhythm skill — if you trip, reset immediately and don't panic. Sumo deadlift high-pulls should be smooth and continuous; use the hip drive and avoid muscling it with the arms. The 4-minute rest between the two halves is critical — use it to shake out your hands, control your breathing, and mentally reset. The reverse order in the second half means you'll hit toes-to-bars last when grip is most fatigued — plan for smaller sets. Common mistakes: going out too hot in AMRAP 1, letting double-under misses derail momentum, and poor team transitions that waste precious seconds.

Benchmark Notes

Team of four, total reps: two 16-minute halves of 4-minute stations (toes-to-bars, push presses at 35/25 kg, double-unders and sumo deadlift high-pulls) with a 4-minute rest, each athlete rotating through every station. The double-unders are most of the reps. An average athlete scores about 650 (L5 team 2,350-2,700). An elite team scores 4,550+.

Modality Profile

4 movements: Toes-to-Bar (G) and Double-Under (G) are gymnastics; Push Press (W) and Sumo Deadlift High-Pull (W) are weightlifting. 2G + 2W = 50% Gymnastics, 50% Weightlifting, 0% Monostructural.

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