Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Extremely Hard

Massive total volume with a vest: 104 strict pull-ups, 338 step-ups, and 273 burpees across 13 rounds. Strict pulling under load is highly taxing, and the repetitive burpee-step-up combo drives heart rate and local muscular fatigue. Expect 50–90 minutes for most, requiring disciplined pacing, strong grip endurance, and resilient shoulder/triceps stamina.

Benchmark Times for Maxton

• Elite: <50:00
• Advanced: 55:00-60:00
• Intermediate: 65:00-70:00
• Beginner: >90:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (10/10): Extremely high reps under a vest tax local muscular endurance of lats, biceps, triceps, calves, and hips. Athletes must repeatedly perform small-to-moderate sets with short rest across 700+ total reps.
• Endurance (9/10): Sustained, long-duration triplet without built-in rest drives steady aerobic output. Heart rate stays elevated for an hour or more, demanding efficient breathing and pacing to keep moving without redlining early.
• Speed (4/10): Fast transitions help, but the long duration prevents true sprint pacing. Athletes benefit more from consistent cadence than from short bursts of high-speed cycling.
• Power (3/10): Little need for explosive output. While burpees have a small jump, the goal is smooth, repeatable movement rather than maximal height or speed on any single rep.
• Strength (2/10): No heavy external loading or max efforts. The vest adds resistance, but demands are submaximal, prioritizing repeatable bodyweight strength over peak force production.
• Flexibility (1/10): Basic ranges of motion: shoulder extension/flexion for pull-ups, hip/knee flexion for step-ups, and standard burpee positions. No extreme mobility or end-range strength requirements.

Scaling Options

Scale to: No vest • 13 rounds: 5 banded strict pull-ups or ring rows / 20 box step-ups (20/16 in) / 15 burpees • 9 rounds with vest: 6 strict pull-ups / 20 step-ups / 15 burpees

Scaling Explanation

These options reduce pulling difficulty, box height, and/or total volume while preserving the long, steady triplet stimulus and strict pulling intent.

Intended Stimulus

A long, grinding, steady-state effort. You should move continuously with short, controlled breaks, keeping heart rate high but manageable. Strict pull-ups are the limiter—break early and often to avoid failure. Step-ups and burpees are steady metronome work: smooth cadence, minimal transitions, and no big spikes that force long rests.

Coach Insight

Pace the first 3–4 rounds conservatively, then lock a sustainable cadence. Break pull-ups before you need to—small, repeatable sets win here. Biggest tip: Keep transitions under 5 seconds. Start the next rep before you want to. Avoid blow-ups on burpees. If breathing spikes, slow the descent, not the transitions.

Benchmark Notes

These time targets range from finishing near the 90-minute cap (L1) to sub-50 minutes for elite (L9). If you’re around L5, aim to hold steady, minimal-rest sets on pull-ups, brisk but sustainable step-ups, and consistent burpee pacing without long breaks.

Modality Profile

All three movements are gymnastics (bodyweight) patterns, even though a weight vest adds difficulty. There’s no monostructural machine work and no traditional external lifting implements. The workout is dominated by pulling, burpees, and step-ups performed repetitively at sustainable paces.

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