Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

The combination of heavy back squats (225/155) with box jumps in an ascending rep scheme creates a brutal fatigue cycle. The heavy load taxes the legs, immediately followed by explosive movements that become increasingly dangerous under fatigue. With 30 total squats and 45 box jumps, the volume is significant. Most athletes will need to break sets early and rest frequently, likely taking 15-20 minutes to complete.

Benchmark Times for Last Ascent

• Elite: <9:00
• Advanced: 10:00-11:00
• Intermediate: 13:00-15:00
• Beginner: >30:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): Ascending rep scheme with heavy squats tests muscular endurance severely, especially in legs. Total volume becomes very challenging in later rounds.
• Endurance (7/10): High-rep back squats at moderate-heavy weight combined with box jumps create significant cardiovascular demand across increasing rounds, challenging aerobic capacity substantially.
• Strength (7/10): 225/155 lb back squats represent significant loading, requiring considerable strength to maintain form through increasing reps and fatigue.
• Power (6/10): Box jumps are explosive movements, while heavy back squats maintain a strength-power component throughout the workout.
• Flexibility (5/10): Full-depth back squats demand good hip and ankle mobility, while box jumps require adequate hip flexion and extension.
• Speed (4/10): Moderate cycling speed required, but weight and fatigue will limit fast transitions. Pacing becomes crucial in later rounds.

Movements

• Back Squat
• Box Jump

Scaling Options

Back Squat: 185/125, 155/95, or 135/85 based on ability. Use 75-80% of 1RM max. Box Jump: Reduce height to 20/16" or substitute step-ups. For volume, scale to 5-8-12 or 4-8-12 reps. Time cap at 20 minutes. Advanced athletes can Rx+ with 245/165 lb squats.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if unable to perform sets of 5+ back squats at prescribed weight with good form, or if box jumps cause significant coordination loss under fatigue. Priority is maintaining consistent movement through all rounds - intensity should allow completion within 20 minutes while keeping form. Scale load before reps to preserve intended stimulus. Athletes should be able to complete first round unbroken or in 2 sets maximum to indicate appropriate scaling.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-to-long glycolytic workout (12-20 minutes) with significant strength endurance demands. Tests ability to maintain form and power output under cumulative fatigue. Heavy back squats challenge leg strength while box jumps maintain intensity and heart rate. Primary challenge is strength endurance with secondary metabolic conditioning.

Coach Insight

Break back squats into manageable sets early (3-4 sets per round) to avoid failure. Quick reset between reps but don't rush setup. Consider 3-3-4 for round of 10, 5-5-5 for round of 15. Step down from box jumps to maintain rhythm and reduce impact. Transition quickly between movements but maintain setup integrity on squats. Most athletes break down in round of 15 - plan for this by keeping sets consistent in earlier rounds.

Benchmark Notes

This workout is similar to Kelly (5 rounds of running + box jumps + wall balls) but with heavier loading on back squats (225/155) instead of wall balls. Using Kelly as our anchor: Per Round Breakdown (male): - Back Squats (225): ~3-4s/rep × 5 reps = 15-20s + likely 2 sets with 5s rest = 25s - Box Jumps (24"): ~2s/rep × 10 reps = 20s - Transition time between movements: ~5s × 2 = 10s Base round time: ~55s Fatigue multipliers: Round 1: 55s (1.0x) Round 2: 60s (1.1x) Round 3: 66s (1.2x) Round 4: 77s (1.4x) Round 5: 88s (1.6x) Total time for elite (L10): ~9:00 (540s) Kelly anchor shows L10 at 15:30-17:30. This should be ~40% faster due to: - No running (saves ~2:00 per round) - Heavier squats but fewer reps than wall balls Final targets (M/F): L10: 9:00/11:00 L5: 15:00/17:00 L1: 30:00/35:00

Modality Profile

Box Jump is a gymnastics (bodyweight) movement, Back Squat is a weightlifting movement with external load. With two movements split across two modalities, this results in a 50/50 split between G and W.

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