Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

Twenty minutes in a mixed-modal triplet with a very heavy deadlift single each round, mid/high-skill gymnastics, and large burpee volume pushes both strength and aerobic systems. Grip and trunk fatigue accumulate quickly. The load is near-maximal for many athletes, while the long duration amplifies fatigue. Not ‘extremely hard’ because skills are moderate and volume isn’t ultra-high.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Strength (8/10): The heavy deadlift single (405/285 lb) each round demands significant maximal strength and bracing. While it’s only one rep, it repeatedly challenges posterior chain strength under fatigue.
• Endurance (7/10): A long 20-minute effort anchored by bar-facing burpees taxes aerobic capacity. The sustained pace and limited rest between stations require steady breathing and heart-rate control to maintain output across many rounds.
• Stamina (6/10): Repeated sets of toes-to-bar and burpees build local muscular endurance in trunk, hip flexors, shoulders, and pressing musculature, especially as grip and midline fatigue accumulate over time.
• Power (4/10): The deadlift requires force production from the floor, and burpees demand quick, explosive transitions. However, the long time domain reduces pure power emphasis in favor of sustained output.
• Speed (4/10): This is not a sprint. Success comes from smooth, repeatable cycles—especially on burpees—rather than maximal turnover. Brief transitions help, but the pace should be controlled and sustainable.
• Flexibility (2/10): Basic mobility suffices: hip hinge for deadlift and shoulder/hip flexion for toes-to-bar. Good overhead and thoracic mobility help TTB efficiency, but no extreme ranges are required.

Scaling Options

Scale to: 1 Deadlift (315/205 lb), 8 Toes-to-Bar, 12 Bar-Facing Burpees • 1 Deadlift at ~85% 1RM, 10 Hanging Knee Raises, 12 Lateral Bar Over Burpees • 1 Deadlift (225/155 lb), 10 Sit-Ups, 12 Standard Burpees

Scaling Explanation

These options preserve the heavy single pull, midline demand, and steady burpee engine while adjusting loading and gymnastics complexity to keep unbroken movement and sustainable pacing for 20 minutes.

Intended Stimulus

A grinding but steady 20-minute pace. Deadlifts are confident singles without hesitation. Toes-to-bar stay in small, efficient sets or quick singles to protect grip. Bar-facing burpees are the engine—move continuously at a sustainable cadence with minimal pausing. Aim to keep transitions short and breathing controlled throughout.

Coach Insight

Open at a pace you can hold at minute 15. Think nasal-breathing cadence on burpees and deliberate singles on the deadlift. The one tip: Never stand still—move immediately between stations, even if it’s a deep breath and go. Avoid huge TTB sets early. Grip blow-ups and deadlift misses will cost more than conservative, repeatable sets.

Benchmark Notes

Scores reflect total rounds completed in 20 minutes. Newer athletes may see 2–5 rounds. Intermediate athletes target 6–8 rounds. Advanced to elite can push 9–12 rounds by managing grip, keeping TTB crisp, and sustaining steady bar-facing burpees while hitting consistent heavy singles.

Modality Profile

Two of the three movements are gymnastics: toes-to-bar and bar-facing burpees, which also consume most of the work time. The deadlift is weightlifting but only one heavy rep per round, so it occupies less total time despite its high intensity.

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