Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

Six rounds creates brutal cumulative fatigue across multiple limiting factors: grip is hammered by deadlifts, farmer's carry, and rope climbs in sequence; lungs are taxed by running and double-unders; the S2OH at 135/95 after deadlifts and carries demands shoulder endurance under fatigue. Rope climbs alone will cause many to scale. Total estimated time of 45-60+ minutes with no built-in rest makes this Very Hard.

Benchmark Times for Maj Trevor Joseph

• Elite: <18:30
• Advanced: 20:45-23:15
• Intermediate: 26:00-29:15
• Beginner: >52:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (9/10): High cumulative volume across 6 rounds — 96 deadlifts, 36 shoulder-to-overheads, 198 sit-ups, 156 double-unders, and 6 rope climbs — creates significant muscular endurance demands, especially grip and posterior chain fatigue.
• Endurance (8/10): Six rounds of 200m runs combined with continuous movement across multiple exercises creates sustained cardiovascular demand. The aerobic system is heavily taxed throughout this lengthy, multi-modal workout.
• Strength (6/10): Deadlifts and shoulder-to-overheads at 135/95 lb represent moderate loading. Farmer's carries and rope climbs add functional strength demands, but loads are not near maximal effort territory.
• Speed (6/10): For-time format incentivizes efficient transitions and cycling speed across all movements. Double-unders and run pacing reward speed, but fatigue accumulation across 6 rounds moderates true sprint-level cycling.
• Power (4/10): Shoulder-to-overhead movements require some explosive hip drive, and double-unders demand rhythmic power output. However, the sustained nature of the workout reduces true power expression significantly.
• Flexibility (4/10): Rope climbs require shoulder mobility and hip flexor engagement; deadlifts demand hamstring flexibility. Overhead pressing requires thoracic extension. Overall mobility demands are moderate but not extreme.

Movements

• Farmer Carry
• Shoulder-to-Overhead
• Sit-Up
• Rope Climb
• Deadlift
• Run
• Double-Under

Scaling Options

Weight: Reduce deadlifts and shoulder-to-overhead to 95/65 lb or 75/55 lb depending on strength level — the S2OH must be unbroken each round. Farmer's carry: drop to 2x35/26 lb kettlebells or use a single kettlebell held in both hands. Rope climb: substitute 2-3 rope pull-to-stands (lying on the ground, pull to standing), 3 strict pull-ups, or 5 ring rows per round. Double-unders: sub 75 single-unders or 15-20 attempts at double-unders with singles filling the gap. Sit-ups: reduce to 20 if core fatigue is limiting movement quality. Volume: reduce to 4-5 rounds if the 30-45 minute time domain is out of reach, or reduce the run to 100 meters. Beginners should prioritize movement quality over completing all 6 rounds.

Scaling Explanation

Scale the weight if you cannot perform at least 10 unbroken deadlifts at the prescribed load when fresh, or if you cannot do 6 unbroken shoulder-to-overheads — the S2OH must stay unbroken every round to preserve the intended stimulus. Scale the rope climb if you cannot complete at least 3 rope climbs in a fresh state, as failing repeatedly on the rope will destroy your time and your shoulders. Scale double-unders if you spend more than 60-90 seconds on them per round — excessive time here breaks the workout's flow and inflates the time domain beyond the intended stimulus. The goal is to finish in 30-45 minutes while maintaining consistent movement quality throughout. Intensity is the priority here, not Rx — a well-paced scaled version delivers far more training value than a sloppy, grinding Rx effort that takes 60+ minutes.

Intended Stimulus

This is a moderate-to-long time domain grind, targeting roughly 30-45 minutes for most athletes. The workout demands a sustained aerobic engine with repeated bouts of strength and skill work woven throughout. Each round hits multiple energy systems — the deadlifts and shoulder-to-overheads challenge muscular endurance under load, the rope climb and double-unders test skill under fatigue, and the run and sit-ups keep the aerobic demand high. The primary challenge is mental and metabolic: staying composed and efficient across 6 full rounds when the cumulative fatigue starts stacking up around rounds 3-4. Think of this as a long, hard sustained effort — not a sprint, not a casual jog. You should feel like you're working hard the entire time but never fully redlining.

Coach Insight

Start conservatively on the run — this is round 1 of 6, not a 200m time trial. The deadlifts at 135/95 should be manageable in 2 sets max early on (8-8 or 10-6), but plan to break them into 3 sets by rounds 4-6 before you feel like you need to. The farmer's carry is a recovery opportunity — walk with purpose but use it to control your breathing before hitting the barbell again. Shoulder-to-overhead at 6 reps should be unbroken every round — if you can't do that, the weight is too heavy. Rope climbs are a major fatigue accumulator; use your legs efficiently and avoid muscling it with your arms. Sit-ups are your active rest — find a rhythm and breathe. Double-unders at the end of each round are a trap: your shoulders and lungs will be taxed, so slow your rope speed slightly and focus on consistency over speed. Common mistakes: going out too hot on the run, failing to break deadlifts early enough, and losing double-under rhythm due to accumulated shoulder fatigue. Transitions between movements should be deliberate but not slow — every second counts across 6 rounds.

Benchmark Notes

Six rounds of a 200 m run, 16 deadlifts and 6 shoulder-to-overheads at 135/95 lb, a 50 m farmer's carry (2x53/44 lb), a rope climb, 33 sit-ups and 26 double-unders. L5 (29:15-33 min) takes about 5:15 a round. L10 (under 18:30) holds about 3 minutes a round.

Modality Profile

7 total movements: Gymnastics = Rope Climb, Sit-Up, Double-Under (3 movements, ~43%); Monostructural = Run (1 movement, ~14%); Weightlifting = Deadlift, Farmer Carry, Shoulder-to-Overhead (3 movements, ~43%)

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