Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Medium

This is a team-of-3 workout with follow-the-leader rotation, meaning each athlete works roughly 1/3 of the time while others rest or do air squats. The built-in recovery dramatically reduces cumulative fatigue. Movements are fundamental (KB deadlifts, carries, pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups, burpees) with moderate loads. The synchro burpees at the end add a fun challenge but the distributed workload keeps this solidly medium for average CrossFitters.

Benchmark Times for New York Dust Off

• Elite: <18:30
• Advanced: 20:45-23:15
• Intermediate: 26:00-29:15
• Beginner: >52:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High cumulative volume across kettlebell deadlifts, carries, pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups, shuffles, and burpees taxes muscular endurance throughout multiple muscle groups over an extended effort.
• Endurance (6/10): The team format with continuous air squats during rest periods, suitcase carries, side shuffles, and synchro burpees creates sustained cardiovascular demand across a long-duration workout with minimal true rest.
• Strength (4/10): Kettlebell deadlifts at 72/55 lb and weighted carries provide moderate loading, but the high rep ranges and team format shift the stimulus away from maximal strength toward endurance.
• Speed (4/10): Follow-the-leader format and synchro burpees require coordination and pacing within the team, but the overall stimulus favors steady sustained output rather than sprint cycling or fast transitions.
• Flexibility (3/10): Sit-ups require hip flexor and spinal mobility, deadlifts demand hamstring flexibility, and suitcase carries challenge lateral stability, but no extreme range of motion is required throughout.
• Power (2/10): Movements are predominantly slow and grinding in nature — carries, deadlifts, and sit-ups — with burpees offering minimal explosive demand. Power is not a primary training stimulus here.

Movements

• Front-Racked Farmer Carry
• Kettlebell Deadlift
• Burpee
• Sit-Up
• Single-Arm Farmer Carry
• Hand Release Push-Up
• Pull-Up

Scaling Options

KB Deadlifts: Scale to 53/35 lb for athletes newer to hinging or those with lower back concerns. Reduce to 25 reps per round if 35 reps causes form breakdown. KB Suitcase Carry: Scale to 53/35 lb; reduce distance to 50 meters if space is limited or fatigue is excessive. Pull-Ups: Sub banded pull-ups, ring rows, or jumping pull-ups. Reduce to 12-15 reps per round for athletes who cannot string together 3+ unbroken pull-ups. Sit-Ups: Scale to 20 reps or sub GHD sit-ups at reduced volume (10-12) for advanced athletes. Hand Release Push-Ups: Scale to knee push-ups while maintaining the hand release. Reduce to 5 reps if shoulder fatigue is significant. Weighted Side Shuffle: Scale to 35/25 lb or perform unweighted if balance or coordination is a limiting factor. Synchro Burpees: Scale to 40 reps or allow a 2-second sync window rather than strict simultaneous movement for newer teams.

Scaling Explanation

Athletes should scale if they cannot perform the KB deadlift with a neutral spine at the prescribed load, cannot complete 3+ unbroken pull-ups, or if shoulder fatigue from push-ups creates compensation patterns. The air squat penalty is built in to keep intensity honest — if an athlete is spending most of their time doing air squats rather than contributing to the team movements, the load or volume is likely too high. Prioritize technique over load on all KB movements, especially as fatigue accumulates in later rounds. The goal is to finish in 35-50 minutes as a team with consistent effort throughout — if the team is projected to exceed 55 minutes, reduce rounds of the KB section to 4 or pull-up rounds to 3. The synchro burpees should feel hard but achievable; if the team is already gassed, reduce to 40 reps to preserve quality movement and avoid injury at the end of a long effort.

Intended Stimulus

This is a long-duration team grind targeting muscular endurance, aerobic capacity, and mental toughness. Expect a 30-50 minute effort depending on team fitness. The 'follow the leader' format with mandatory air squats keeps everyone moving and elevates heart rates even during rest periods — there is no true rest here. The primary challenge is pacing your efforts across multiple movement patterns while managing cumulative fatigue. The synchro burpees at the end are a gut-check finisher requiring team communication and shared suffering. This workout builds the kind of sustained engine needed for longer competition formats and tests how well a team moves together under fatigue.

Coach Insight

Divide the work strategically from the start — don't let one athlete dominate early rounds and fade late. For the KB deadlifts and suitcase carry, rotate in chunks of 5-7 reps on deadlifts and 25-33 meters on the carry so no one holds the KB too long. Keep the hinge tight on deadlifts: hips back, flat back, drive through the floor — don't let fatigue turn these into rounded-back pulls. On the suitcase carry, brace your core hard and resist lateral lean; switch hands at the halfway point if needed. For pull-ups, break early — sets of 5-7 are smarter than going to failure and hanging on the bar. Sit-ups should be steady and unbroken for most athletes. Hand release push-ups: full chest to floor, hands off, then press — don't rush the release or you'll lose the stimulus. The weighted side shuffle requires a low athletic stance; stay light on your feet and don't cross your legs. The air squats during 'off' time are not optional — keep them moving but at a sustainable pace to avoid pre-fatiguing legs. For synchro burpees, establish a caller, set a rhythm of 3-4 seconds per rep, and don't let one athlete rush the group into breaking sync. Communicate constantly as a team throughout.

Benchmark Notes

Team of three, follow-the-leader: five rounds of 35 kettlebell deadlifts and a 100 m suitcase carry at 72/55 lb, four rounds of 20 pull-ups and 30 sit-ups, two rounds of 8 hand-release push-ups and a 100 m kettlebell side shuffle, then 60 synchro burpees; whoever is waiting does air squats. L5 (29:15-33 min) moves each athlete through the work in turn. An elite team finishes under 18:30.

Modality Profile

6 total movements: Gymnastics = Pull-Up, Sit-Up, Hand Release Push-Up, Burpee (4 movements = 67%, rounded to 60%); Weightlifting = Kettlebell Deadlift, Farmer Carry (2 movements = 33%, rounded to 40%); No monostructural movements.

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