Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Medium

This is actually two separate workouts. The first (10min EMOM 5 Back Squats) is Easy—built-in 50+ seconds rest between sets with moderate loads. The second (20min AMRAP: DB Thrusters, HLR, Singles) is Medium—light weights (15/12.5 lbs) and basic movements with manageable volume. Neither element is particularly demanding individually, and the combination doesn't create compounding fatigue issues. Average athletes complete both as prescribed without significant scaling.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High rep volume across multiple movement patterns tests muscular endurance. Accumulating fatigue from thrusters, leg raises, and double-unders challenges sustained muscular output over extended duration.
• Endurance (7/10): 20-minute AMRAP with continuous movement demands sustained cardiovascular output. Moderate intensity with brief rest between rounds maintains aerobic demand throughout the workout duration.
• Speed (6/10): AMRAP format incentivizes quick transitions and steady cycling through movements. Minimizing rest between rounds and efficient movement transitions directly impact total rounds completed.
• Flexibility (5/10): Hanging leg raises demand core and hip mobility. Dumbbell thrusters require shoulder and thoracic mobility. Moderate range of motion demands without extreme positions required.
• Strength (4/10): Moderate dumbbell loads (15/12.5 lbs) require some force production but emphasize endurance over maximal strength. Back squats in E2MOM format allow adequate recovery between sets.
• Power (3/10): Dumbbell thrusters contain some explosive element but performed at controlled pace. Double-unders require brief power bursts but are secondary to endurance demands in this format.

Movements

• Back Squat
• Dumbbell Thruster
• Hanging Leg Raise
• Single-Under

Scaling Options

DB Thrusters: Reduce to 10/7.5kg if 15/12.5kg breaks your mechanics or causes you to slow significantly. The movement should feel smooth and continuous. Hanging Leg Raises: Sub tuck raises (knees to chest) if straight-leg raises cause hip flexor cramping or loss of control. If hanging is an issue, perform lying leg raises or GHD sit-ups. Single Unders: These are already the scaled version — keep them. If coordination is an issue, sub 12 calories on a bike or 200m row equivalent. Volume: If 20 minutes feels too long for your current fitness level, cap at 15 minutes and aim for 9+ rounds. Rep scheme stays the same — don't reduce reps, adjust load or movement complexity instead.

Scaling Explanation

Scale the thrusters if you cannot complete all 4 reps unbroken for at least the first 10 rounds — the load should never be the limiting factor in this workout. Scale the leg raises if your lower back is taking over or you're losing midline control — the core demand is intentional, but poor mechanics defeat the purpose. The priority here is sustaining a consistent pace for the full 20 minutes. If you're stopping frequently or your rounds are slowing dramatically after minute 10, you either went out too fast or the load/movement is too challenging. Intensity here means sustained aerobic output — not redlining. Athletes who scale appropriately will finish feeling worked but in control, not destroyed.

Intended Stimulus

This session has two distinct parts. The E2MOM back squat is a strength-building stimulus — working up to a moderate-heavy load across 5 sets, building neuromuscular recruitment and positional strength under load. The AMRAP is a 20-minute lactic tolerance grinder targeting your aerobic engine with a moderate-intensity sustained effort. The goal is NOT to sprint — it's to find a pace you can hold for the full 20 minutes, accumulating quality rounds while managing breathing and fatigue. Think of it as a long, steady engine test with a neurological and core demand layered in through the leg raises.

Coach Insight

Back Squats: Follow the prescribed loading progression (50-55-60-60-65kg or equivalent percentages). These are NOT max effort sets — treat them as quality movement work. Brace hard, control the descent, and drive through the heels. Don't rush between sets — you have 2 full minutes. AMRAP Strategy: The target is 12+ rounds in 20 minutes, which means you need to average roughly one round every 90 seconds or better. That's very achievable if you stay disciplined. DB Thrusters at 15/12.5kg should feel light — do all 5 unbroken every round, no exceptions. Hanging Leg Raises: Keep these controlled and consistent. Avoid kipping wildly — this is a core endurance piece, not a speed drill. Tuck if needed to maintain rhythm. Single Unders: These are your active recovery. Breathe here. Don't rush the rope — use it to reset your breathing before the next thruster set. Common mistakes: Going out too hot in the first 5 minutes and dying in the back half. Treat minutes 1-10 as easy, minutes 10-15 as moderate, and only push in the final 5 minutes if you have gas left.

Benchmark Notes

The primary limiters are thruster cycling under fatigue and coordination on single-unders; hanging leg raises become a core endurance bottleneck mid-workout. L5 hits ~12 rounds, consistent with the stated goal, managing light DBs and unbroken single-unders with brief transitions.

Modality Profile

Back Squat (W), Dumbbell Thruster (W), Hanging Leg Raise (G), Single-Under (G). 2 Gymnastics movements and 2 Weightlifting movements out of 4 total movements = 50/50 split between G and W.