Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

High-skill, high-volume gymnastics under a vest makes this a severe test. You’ll tackle 27 muscle-ups, 45 burpee pull-ups, 63 pull-ups, and 2.4 km of running with added load. Grip and pulling endurance are heavily taxed, and pacing becomes critical over 35–60 minutes for most. Advanced gymnastics capacity and aerobic stamina are required.

Benchmark Times for McCluskey

• Elite: <35:00
• Advanced: 40:00-45:00
• Intermediate: 48:00-50:00
• Beginner: >60:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High-rep pulling and burpee volume under a vest drives muscular endurance in lats, biceps, forearms, and posterior chain, requiring repeated submaximal efforts across three long rounds.
• Endurance (8/10): Three 800 m runs under load plus long time-on-feet demand steady aerobic output. Athletes must manage breathing and heart rate for 40–60 minutes without redlining early.
• Speed (4/10): There’s limited sprinting. Smart sets and short breaks matter more than blazing cycle speed. Athletes with quick, efficient transitions gain modest time savings each round.
• Power (4/10): Kipping transitions and aggressive hip extension in muscle-ups have power elements, but the workout rewards sustainability over peak explosiveness.
• Flexibility (3/10): Basic overhead, shoulder, and hip range is needed for efficient kip, arch-hollow transitions, and running stride. No extreme mobility demands, but tight shoulders can hinder muscle-ups.
• Strength (2/10): No heavy external loads or max efforts. The challenge is not peak force but repeated bodyweight pulling strength, especially for weighted muscle-ups and strict elements under fatigue.

Scaling Options

Scale to: No vest; 6 Bar Muscle-Ups, 15 Burpee Pull-Ups, 21 Pull-Ups, 800 m run • No vest; 9 Chest-to-Bar, 15 Burpees to a pull-up target, 21 Jumping Pull-Ups, 600 m run • No vest; 9 Low-Ring Transitions + Ring Dip Negatives, 15 Burpees, 21 Ring Rows, 400 m run

Scaling Explanation

These options lower skill and/or volume while preserving the long aerobic feel and high pulling demand, ensuring continuous movement and the intended stimulus.

Intended Stimulus

A long grinder with sustainable pacing. Keep breathing under control on the runs and manage grip fatigue on the rig. Break early and consistently to avoid blow-ups. The vest should make all movements feel slightly slower and heavier but still allow steady progress without extended failures or long rests.

Coach Insight

Pace the first round like the middle of a long run. Break pull-ups before you need to and keep rests under 10 seconds. The one tip: Protect your grip. Chalk, smart sets, and deliberate kips will save minutes later. Avoid opening with big unrepeatable sets or sprinting the first run. Early redline = late-round failure.

Benchmark Notes

If you’re near Level 5, expect about 50 minutes. Faster athletes finish 35–45 minutes; newer athletes may hit a 60-minute cap. These levels assume wearing the vest and completing all gymnastics as prescribed; scale movements to maintain continuous progress and the long, grinding feel.

Modality Profile

Gymnastics dominates with muscle-ups, burpee pull-ups, and pull-ups—especially under a vest—driving most of the time and fatigue. The 800 m run each round provides sustained monostructural work. There’s no traditional weightlifting; the vest adds load but does not create a lifting element.

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