Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

This workout stacks multiple demanding elements sequentially with no built-in rest. Toes-to-bars and HSPU crush grip and pressing capacity, while OHS and clean-and-jerks at 135/95 demand technical proficiency under fatigue. The 18 clean-and-jerks at the end — when shoulders, core, and legs are already taxed — mirrors Grace-level volume on a depleted athlete. Multiple limiting factors (skill, strength, endurance) compound simultaneously, pushing this firmly into Very Hard territory.

Benchmark Times for Leon Smith Jr.

• Elite: <4:10
• Advanced: 5:15-6:30
• Intermediate: 8:15-10:15
• Beginner: >23:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High rep counts across six demanding movements challenge muscular endurance significantly. Grip, shoulder, and core fatigue accumulate across toes-to-bars, handstand push-ups, overhead squats, and clean-and-jerks, demanding sustained muscular output.
• Flexibility (8/10): Overhead squats demand exceptional hip, ankle, and shoulder mobility. Handstand push-ups require thoracic extension, and toes-to-bars need hamstring flexibility. This workout has among the highest mobility requirements in CrossFit.
• Power (7/10): Clean-and-jerks and shoulder-to-overheads require explosive hip extension and overhead drive. Handstand push-ups demand pressing power. Multiple movements rely on generating force quickly, making power a primary training stimulus.
• Strength (6/10): 135/95 lb loading on shoulder-to-overheads, overhead squats, and clean-and-jerks requires meaningful strength. Not maximal effort, but moderate loads under fatigue create significant strength demand throughout the workout.
• Endurance (5/10): A moderately demanding cardiovascular workout with varied movements keeping heart rate elevated throughout. The combination of gymnastics and barbell work creates sustained aerobic demand without being purely cardio-focused.
• Speed (5/10): For-time format incentivizes efficient movement cycling and quick transitions. However, the technical complexity of overhead squats and handstand push-ups limits raw speed, requiring strategic pacing rather than all-out sprinting.

Movements

• Overhead Squat
• Shoulder-to-Overhead
• Toes-to-Bar
• Clean and Jerk
• Handstand Push-Up
• Double-Under

Scaling Options

Weight: Scale barbell to 95/65 lb or 75/55 lb depending on overhead squat and clean-and-jerk capacity — athletes should be able to move the weight confidently for 5+ reps unbroken when fresh. Toes-to-Bars: Sub knees-to-elbows, knees-to-chest, or hanging knee raises. HSPUs: Sub pike push-ups, box pike push-ups, or use an AbMat with one or two plates to reduce range of motion. Overhead Squats: Sub front squats or goblet squats if overhead position is compromised. Double-Unders: Sub 40 single-unders or 10 attempts plus 30 singles. Volume: Consider reducing to 15 reps across all movements for newer athletes, or 15-15-15-15-15-12 to maintain the structure while reducing total load.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if you cannot perform at least 5 unbroken toes-to-bars, 3 unbroken HSPUs, or 5 unbroken reps of the barbell movements at Rx weight when fresh. If your overhead squat technique is compromised under load, prioritize the sub — a broken overhead squat is a dangerous overhead squat. The goal is to finish in 15-25 minutes while keeping movement quality intact, especially on the overhead positions. Intensity is important, but not at the cost of shoulder joint safety. Athletes who are newer to gymnastics or overhead lifting should scale both load and movement complexity — the stimulus is sustained effort and shoulder endurance, and that can be achieved at lighter loads with modified movements. Prioritize technique over Rx every time in a workout this shoulder-dominant.

Intended Stimulus

This is a moderate-to-long time domain workout targeting 15-25 minutes for most athletes. It demands a hard sustained effort across a diverse skill and strength gauntlet — combining gymnastics, weightlifting, and coordination in one continuous grind. The primary challenge is multi-modal: you need overhead strength, gymnastics capacity, and the mental toughness to keep moving when your shoulders are screaming. Expect significant shoulder fatigue to be the limiting factor throughout, as nearly every movement taxes that same system. The double-unders serve as a brief active recovery before the brutal 18-rep clean-and-jerk finisher.

Coach Insight

The key strategic insight here is shoulder management — toes-to-bars, HSPUs, shoulder-to-overheads, overhead squats, and clean-and-jerks all hammer the same structures. Start conservatively on the toes-to-bars (sets of 5-7) to protect your grip and lat endurance for later. On the shoulder-to-overhead, choose your style wisely — push jerk is your friend here, not strict press. Break HSPUs early: sets of 5 or even 3-4 are smart; failing reps on the wall is a time killer. Overhead squats demand patience — lock in your overhead position before descending and don't rush the setup. Double-unders are your mental reset — breathe, relax, and use this as a transition moment. The 18 clean-and-jerks at the end are the real test of character. Treat them like singles or quick doubles from the start — do NOT try to cycle these fast out of the gate. Common mistakes: going unbroken on HSPUs early and hitting a wall, rushing the OHS setup and losing position, and underestimating how fatigued the shoulders will be by the time you hit the barbell work.

Benchmark Notes

20 toes-to-bars, 20 shoulder-to-overheads, 20 handstand push-ups, 20 overhead squats, 20 double-unders and 18 clean-and-jerks, with the barbell at 135/95 lb. The overhead squats are about 75% of an average athlete's max. L5 (10:15-12:30) breaks the overhead work into sets of 3-5. L10 (under 4:10) goes nearly unbroken.

Modality Profile

6 total movements: Gymnastics = Toes-to-Bar, Handstand Push-Up, Double-Under (3 movements); Weightlifting = Shoulder-to-Overhead, Overhead Squat, Clean and Jerk (3 movements). No monostructural movements. 3/6 = 50% each, but rounding to nearest 10% gives G: 50, W: 50. However, with exact halves, G: 50, M: 0, W: 50 is appropriate.

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