Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

Advanced gymnastics (kipping HSPU) paired with moderate-high volume pull-ups and heavy thrusters at 135/95 lb create shoulder and grip fatigue quickly. Total reps are modest, but the skill demand and barbell load push intensity and risk of failure. Top athletes move fast; many mid-level athletes must break sets smartly to avoid stalling.

Benchmark Times for Marco

• Elite: <7:00
• Advanced: 8:00-9:00
• Intermediate: 10:00-12:00
• Beginner: >21:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): Significant shoulder and triceps stamina from HSPU plus pulling stamina from pull-ups. Maintaining big sets across three rounds is the key to performance.
• Speed (7/10): Fast cycle rates and short transitions separate scores. Over-speeding risks shoulder blow-up; smart but brisk set management wins.
• Power (6/10): Thrusters demand explosive hip drive and fast bar speed. Efficient kip in both pull-ups and HSPU adds a power element to each rep.
• Strength (6/10): Thrusters at 135/95 require solid front squat and press strength. Not a max lift, but heavy enough to limit unbroken sets for many athletes.
• Endurance (5/10): Short to mid-duration sprint with high local fatigue. Heart rate stays elevated, but the limiter is not pure cardio—it's the shoulder cycle time and how fast you can recover between sets.
• Flexibility (3/10): Requires solid front rack, overhead position, and head-to-floor range in HSPU. Mobility demands are real but not extreme if positions are sound.

Movements

• Thruster
• Handstand Push-Up
• Pull-Up

Scaling Options

Scale to: Jumping Pull-Ups + Pike HSPU (box) + 9 Thrusters 95/65 • Ring Rows + Dumbbell Push Press 35/25 + 9 Thrusters 75/55 • Reduce reps to 15 Pull-Ups, 12 HSPU, 9 Thrusters at 115/75

Scaling Explanation

Each option preserves the push-pull-press stimulus while adjusting skill and load so athletes keep moving with short rests and finish near the intended time domain.

Intended Stimulus

Fast but controlled triplet with shoulders on fire. Move aggressively while keeping one rep in reserve to avoid HSPU failure. Pull-ups should be crisp sets with short rests. Thrusters are heavy but done unbroken or with a single break. Aim for consistent round times and minimal chalk/walk breaks.

Coach Insight

Open with sustainable sets: 3–4 quick pull-up breaks, 2–3 HSPU breaks, and unbroken or 6/3 thrusters. Keep rests under 10 seconds. The one tip: never push HSPU to failure—small, fast sets beat long rest. Common mistakes: over-chalking, starting with max sets, and letting the barbell sit. Breathe at the top of each thruster rep.

Benchmark Notes

Times range from 21:00 for beginners who must break most sets to 7:00 for elite athletes cycling unbroken or near-unbroken. Aim to finish near your level by choosing a pull-up/HSPU option you can manage in 2–3 quick sets and a thruster load done unbroken or in one break.

Modality Profile

Two of the three movements are gymnastics, and they dominate total reps and time under tension (pull-ups and HSPU). The barbell thruster, while heavy and impactful, represents fewer total reps and time, yielding a roughly 70% gymnastics to 30% weightlifting split.

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