Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

This workout stacks multiple brutal elements: two 1,000m runs bookending two 710m plate carries, plus 65 burpee pull-ups and 65 deadlifts at 225/155lb in between. The plate carries pre-fatigue grip and legs before the deadlifts, while burpee pull-ups compound grip and shoulder fatigue. The sandwich structure means athletes hit the second carry and run on completely depleted legs and grip, pushing this firmly into Very Hard territory.

Benchmark Times for Muller

• Elite: <21:30
• Advanced: 24:00-26:45
• Intermediate: 29:45-33:15
• Beginner: >56:30

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (9/10): 65 burpee pull-ups and 65 deadlifts combined with extended carries demand prolonged muscular endurance. Grip, posterior chain, and upper body stamina are repeatedly challenged across the full workout duration.
• Endurance (8/10): Two 1,000-meter runs bookending the workout plus two 710-meter plate carries create sustained cardiovascular demand throughout. The long duration and continuous movement heavily tax aerobic capacity.
• Strength (6/10): 225-lb deadlifts for 5 rounds of 13 reps represent a moderate-to-heavy load requiring real strength output. The plate carry also adds sustained loaded demand, elevating this above pure bodyweight work.
• Speed (4/10): Pacing across runs, carries, and barbell work is critical for managing fatigue. Efficient transitions and steady cycling of burpee pull-ups matter, but this is not a sprint-style workout demanding maximum speed.
• Power (4/10): Burpee pull-ups have an explosive component in the jump and pull, but the high rep count and fatigue context shift the stimulus toward muscular endurance rather than true power expression.
• Flexibility (3/10): Deadlifts require hip hinge mobility and burpee pull-ups need basic shoulder and hip flexibility. No extreme range of motion demands, but adequate posterior chain and shoulder mobility is necessary throughout.

Movements

• Plate Carry
• Deadlift
• Run
• Burpee Pull-Up

Scaling Options

Plate carry: Reduce to 15 lb (women) or 25-35 lb (men) if the Rx load causes you to stop repeatedly or compromises your posture significantly. Deadlifts: Scale to 115-135 lb (women) or 155-185 lb (men) — target a load you can complete in no more than 3 sets per round. If deadlifts are a limiting factor, reduce to 10 reps per round. Burpee pull-ups: Sub jumping burpee pull-ups (use a box to reduce the jump height needed) or break into separate movements — 13 burpees + 13 ring rows — if pull-ups are not yet in your toolkit. Reduce to 8-10 reps per round if the volume is overwhelming. Run: Shorten to 800 meters each if 1,000 meters will push the workout beyond 60 minutes. Reduce rounds from 5 to 3-4 for newer athletes.

Scaling Explanation

Scale this workout if you cannot complete at least 5 unbroken deadlifts at Rx weight when fresh, if you have fewer than 5 kipping pull-ups, or if the plate carry causes you to stop more than 3-4 times per 710 meters. The goal is to keep moving — this workout should feel like a hard, sustained grind, not a series of long rest periods. Prioritize technique on deadlifts above all else; a rounded back under fatigue with a heavy barbell is a recipe for injury. The target time window is 35-55 minutes. If you anticipate finishing under 30 minutes, consider adding load; if you expect to exceed 60 minutes, reduce volume or weight to preserve the intended stimulus of continuous, challenging effort.

Intended Stimulus

This is a long, grinding chipper designed to test your mental toughness and aerobic engine over a 35-55 minute time domain. The workout is structured as a sandwich — monostructural bookends wrapping a heavy middle — demanding sustained effort across multiple energy systems. Expect your legs to be taxed early from the run and plate carry before you ever touch a barbell. The primary challenge here is mental: managing fatigue accumulation across a long workout while maintaining movement quality on deadlifts and burpee pull-ups when your body wants to quit.

Coach Insight

Treat this like a long race with three distinct phases. Phase 1 (Run + Carry): Run the first 1,000 meters at a conversational pace — not a jog, but controlled. The plate carry is deceptively taxing on your grip, traps, and lower back. Hug the plate to your chest or carry it at your side and switch arms every 50-100 meters to manage fatigue. Do NOT sprint either of these. Phase 2 (5 Rounds): This is where the workout is won or lost. Break burpee pull-ups from the start — sets of 5-4-4 or 7-6 are smarter than going unbroken early. For deadlifts at Rx weight, these should be heavy but manageable; use a 5-5-3 or 4-4-5 approach and reset your breath between reps. Keep a flat back and drive through the floor — do not round under fatigue. Transition quickly between movements but never rush your setup on the deadlift. Phase 3 (Carry + Run): Your legs will be cooked. Shorten your stride on the final run and focus on turnover. Common mistakes: going out too hot on the first run, death-gripping the plate and burning out your forearms, and going unbroken on burpee pull-ups in round 1 only to collapse in rounds 3-5.

Benchmark Notes

A 1,000 m run and a 710 m plate carry at 45/25 lb, five rounds of 13 burpee pull-ups and 13 deadlifts at 225/155 lb, then another 710 m carry and 1,000 m run. The runs and carries are about two-thirds of the time. L5 (33:15-37:15) walks the carries in about 6 minutes each. L10 (under 21:30) jogs them near 4 minutes.

Modality Profile

4 movements: Run (M), Plate Carry (W), Burpee Pull-Up (G), Deadlift (W). That gives 1 Gymnastics, 1 Monostructural, 2 Weightlifting. Percentages: G=25%, M=25%, W=50%.

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