Workout Description
For time:
10 alternating Turkish Get-Ups (16/12 kg)
50 Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift High Pulls (16/12 kg)
50 Kettlebell Cleans (16/12 kg, 25 each hand)
50 Kettlebell Jerks (16/12 kg, 25 each hand)
100 m Kettlebell Waiter Walk (16/12 kg)
50 Kettlebell Figure 8 Through Legs (16/12 kg)
50 American Kettlebell Swings (16/12 kg)
50 Kettlebell Deadlifts (16/12 kg)
100 m Kettlebell Broad Jumps (16/12 kg)
50 Kettlebell Sit-Ups (16/12 kg)
50 Left-Hand American Kettlebell Swings (16/12 kg)
50 Kettlebell Goblet Squats (16/12 kg)
100 m Kettlebell Lunges (16/12 kg)
50 Kettlebell Bent-Over Rows (16/12 kg, 25 each side)
50 Right-Hand American Kettlebell Swings (16/12 kg)
50 Kettlebell Snatches (16/12 kg)
Then: Max Kettlebell Plank Hold until failure (16/12 kg) — not part of the for-time clock.
Why This Workout Is Extremely Hard
Huge total volume across 16+ kettlebell movements, extended distances, and a max plank finisher drive this well past classic benchmarks. While the load is light, unilateral work, overhead carries, and repeated swing/clean/snatch patterns create severe grip and shoulder fatigue. Expect 45–75 minutes for most, demanding steady pacing and resilience.
Benchmark Times for Painstorm XVIII
- Elite: <45:00
- Advanced: 50:00-55:00
- Intermediate: 60:00-65:00
- Beginner: >90:00
Training Focus
This workout develops the following fitness attributes:
- Stamina (9/10): Hundreds of light-to-moderate reps test shoulder, hip, and grip endurance with minimal rest. The limiting factor is often repeated contractions, not peak force.
- Endurance (6/10): Sustained work for 45–75 minutes elevates heart rate steadily without pure monostructural elements. You’ll breathe hard throughout but rarely redline if paced well.
- Flexibility (5/10): Overhead positions in TGUs, waiter walks, and American swings require thoracic and shoulder mobility plus hip stability to keep safe alignment under fatigue.
- Power (4/10): Explosiveness matters for swings, snatches, and broad jumps, but the long duration shifts emphasis from peak power to sustainable mechanics.
- Strength (3/10): Loads are light; maximal strength isn’t tested. Strength shows up as postural integrity during carries, overhead control, and maintaining positions late in the workout.
- Speed (3/10): Not a sprint. Transitions matter, but deliberate pacing and controlled sets outperform all-out speed due to grip and shoulder fatigue.
Scaling Options
Scale to: 12/8 kg bell and 30 reps per movement • Russian swings instead of American + reduce single-arm work to 20/side • Cut distances to 50 m (or 3-minute caps) for carries, broad jumps, and lunges
Scaling Explanation
These options reduce overall volume and overhead stress while preserving the chipper’s flow, unilateral balance, and time-under-tension stimulus.
Intended Stimulus
A long, steady grind with constant movement and controlled breathing. Shoulder and grip fatigue will mount, so the goal is sustainable sets with minimal chalk breaks. Keep heart rate in a manageable zone, preserve quality positions overhead and at the hinge, and move relentlessly rather than surging and crashing.
Coach Insight
Pace early. Choose small, repeatable sets (10–15 reps) with short, timed rests. Walk between stations only if it keeps you moving.
The one tip: Protect your grip. Alternate hands often, mix hooks and open grip, and pre-plan breaks before failure.
Avoid yanking American swings and SDHPs. Keep the bell close, use hips, and lock in a neutral spine on rows and deadlifts.
Benchmark Notes
Times represent total to complete the for-time chipper only; the plank is a separate finisher. If you land around 3900 seconds (65 minutes), you’re mid-pack. Faster athletes break 45–50 minutes by minimizing breaks, managing grip, and keeping carries and lunges unbroken.
Modality Profile
Nearly every task uses a kettlebell, so weightlifting dominates. The only pure bodyweight element is the sit-up; even the plank is weighted. There’s no traditional monostructural piece like running or rowing, but the overall duration provides a cardio effect.
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