Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

While individual elements are moderate (155lb push press, 32kg KB swings, double-unders), the combination creates significant challenge. Seven rounds means sustained effort with push presses heavy enough to require breaks. The KB swings compound upper body fatigue, while double-unders test coordination under duress. Average athlete will take 12-15 minutes with forced breaks, making sustained intensity difficult.

Benchmark Times for Michael Boyle

• Elite: <6:00
• Advanced: 7:00-8:00
• Intermediate: 9:00-10:00
• Beginner: >16:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Power (8/10): Both push press and kettlebell swings are explosive movements, while double-unders require reactive power in feet and calves.
• Endurance (7/10): Seven rounds of mixed modal work with double-unders creates sustained cardiovascular demand. The loading and movement combination prevents full recovery between efforts.
• Speed (7/10): Quick transitions and efficient cycling of double-unders are crucial. Fast but controlled tempo needed on all movements.
• Stamina (6/10): Moderate total volume with compound movements taxes muscular endurance, particularly in shoulders and posterior chain across multiple rounds.
• Strength (6/10): Push press at 155/105 represents significant loading, requiring substantial upper body and core strength to maintain technique.
• Flexibility (4/10): Push press demands overhead mobility, while kettlebell swings require hip hinge pattern and shoulder flexibility.

Movements

• Push Press
• Kettlebell Swing
• Double-Under

Scaling Options

Push Press: Scale to 115/75 lb or 95/65 lb based on capacity. Should be able to do 5-7 reps unbroken when fresh. Kettlebell: Drop to 24/16 kg or 16/12 kg - focus on full hip extension. Double-unders: Sub 40 single jumps or 30 alternating high knees. For overall volume, reduce to 5-6 rounds for newer athletes. Target similar time domain by adjusting load/complexity rather than rounds.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if you cannot perform 5 unbroken push press at prescribed weight, struggle to maintain KB swing form above shoulder height, or cannot string together 5+ double-unders consistently. Proper loading should allow completion between 12-18 minutes while maintaining good movement patterns. Priority is on keeping power output consistent across all rounds - if you see significant drop-off after round 4, the load is too heavy. Better to scale weight and maintain intensity than grind through with compromised form.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-length glycolytic workout targeting the 12-18 minute time domain. Primary focus is on power endurance and capacity to maintain moderate loads under increasing fatigue. The workout combines light-moderate strength (push press), explosive power (KB swings), and skill/cardio (double-unders) to create a mixed-modal challenge that emphasizes upper body pushing and posterior chain.

Coach Insight

Break the push presses into 3-2 or 2-2-1 from the start - don't try to go unbroken early. Quick reset between reps is better than failing mid-set. Keep kettlebell swings powerful but efficient - focus on hip drive and don't overswing. For double-unders, aim for sets of 10-10 or maintain steady singles if needed. Transitions should be deliberate but not rushed. The workout's challenge comes from accumulated fatigue, not any single movement.

Benchmark Notes

This workout is most similar to DT (5 rounds of barbell cycling) but with 7 rounds and lighter movements. Base calculation: Per round (fresh state): - Push Press (155/105): 2.5s × 5 = 12.5s - KB Swings (32/24kg): 2s × 10 = 20s - Double-Unders: 0.5s × 20 = 10s Base round time: 42.5s Fatigue multipliers: - Rounds 1-2: 1.0x (42.5s each) - Rounds 3-4: 1.2x (51s each) - Rounds 5-6: 1.3x (55.3s each) - Round 7: 1.4x (59.5s) Transitions between movements: 3-5s elite, 5-8s intermediate Total transition time per round: 15s elite, 25s intermediate Projected round times (elite): R1: 57.5s R2: 57.5s R3: 66s R4: 66s R5: 70.3s R6: 70.3s R7: 74.5s Total raw work time: 462.1s Comparing to DT anchor (5 rounds at 155/105: 360-420s elite), this workout has: - 2 additional rounds (+40%) - Lighter movements (-15%) - More technical variety (+10%) Final L10 target: 360s (6:00) Final L5 target: 600s (10:00) Final L1 target: 960s (16:00) Female times adjusted +20% due to relative loading differences and typical gender performance gaps in overhead pressing movements.

Modality Profile

Push Press is weightlifting (W), Kettlebell Swing is weightlifting (W), Double-Under is gymnastics/bodyweight coordination (G). With 2 weightlifting movements and 1 gymnastics movement, using a balanced 3-modality split of 40/30/30, weighted toward the dominant modality (W).

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