Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Extremely Hard

The workout blends a heavy barbell opener (10 reps at bodyweight in 5 minutes) with very high total volume: 100 pull-ups, 100 dumbbell cleans, 100 walking lunges, and 1.6 km of running. Grip and stamina are heavily taxed, and duration for most athletes will exceed 45 minutes. Managing pacing, gymnastics capacity, and dumbbell cycling under fatigue elevates complexity and overall difficulty.

Benchmark Times for Painstorm XXXIX

• Elite: <50:00
• Advanced: 55:00-60:00
• Intermediate: 65:00-70:00
• Beginner: >90:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (9/10): High-rep sets across 10 rounds (100 pull-ups, 100 dumbbell cleans, 100 lunges) plus an opener of 10 heavy squats require sustained muscular output and fatigue resistance in grip, legs, and posterior chain.
• Endurance (7/10): Two 800m runs and long total duration demand aerobic capacity. The workout rewards steady breathing, controlled heart rate, and the ability to recover quickly between movement transitions over an extended time domain.
• Strength (6/10): Ten back squats at bodyweight within 5 minutes is a significant strength demand and sets the tone for pre-fatiguing the legs. Dumbbell cleans at prescribed loads add moderate strength requirements throughout.
• Power (5/10): Dumbbell cleans benefit from powerful hip extension, but the workout primarily emphasizes sustainable output over peak explosiveness, especially as fatigue accumulates across 10 rounds.
• Speed (4/10): Transitions and short unbroken sets can save time, yet this is not a sprint. Going too fast early leads to severe grip and pulling fatigue. Sustainable, repeatable round times are key.
• Flexibility (3/10): Standard ranges—squat depth, lunge step length, and safe receiving position for cleans. Mobility helps maintain positions under fatigue but no extreme ROM or advanced flexibility skills are required.

Scaling Options

Scale to: Back Squat at 60-80% bodyweight • Pull-Ups to banded/ring rows • Dumbbell Cleans to 2x35/20 lb (or singles) • Reduce to 6–8 rounds • Run 400 m instead of 800 m

Scaling Explanation

These options preserve the workout’s long, stamina-heavy stimulus while adjusting strength, gymnastics capacity, and total volume to keep athletes moving with quality reps and sustainable pacing.

Intended Stimulus

A long, grinding effort with sustained breathing and steady splits. Legs are pre-fatigued from the back squats, then grip and pulling stamina become the limiter through the rounds. Keep sets manageable, transitions tight, and runs controlled. Athletes should aim to maintain pace, not chase early speed, finishing strong on the final run.

Coach Insight

Pace the opener: one or two quality sets on back squats, then shake out and prepare to run at 70-75% effort. The one thing: Protect your grip—break pull-ups early and keep dumbbell cleans smooth, not rushed. Avoid sprinting the first run, giant pull-up sets, or sloppy clean mechanics; all three backfire by round four.

Benchmark Notes

Times include the fixed 5-minute back-squat window. L1 is a 90-minute cap finish; L9 is a very fast, well-paced effort around 50 minutes. Choose a strategy that keeps rounds steady with minimal breaks on pull-ups and cleans. If you’re far off these ranges, scale volume or load.

Modality Profile

Weightlifting dominates between the heavy back squat buy-in and 100 total dumbbell cleans. Gymnastics contributes significantly via 100 pull-ups and 100 walking lunges (bodyweight). Monostructural work is limited to two 800m runs, representing a smaller but meaningful aerobic segment.

Similar Workouts to Painstorm XXXIX

If you enjoy Painstorm XXXIX, you might also like these similar CrossFit WODs:

• Gaza (91% similar) - 5 Rounds for Time 35 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood) 30 Push-Ups 25 Pull-Ups 20 Box Jumps (30/24 in) ...
• Ratana (91% similar) - For time: Row 1,989 meters Then complete: 29 Burpees 54 Dumbbell Snatches (22.5/15 kg) 29 Pull-Ups 5...
• Glen (89% similar) - For time: 30 Clean-and-Jerks (135/95 lb) Run 1 mile 10 Rope Climbs (15 ft) Run 1 mile 100 Burpees...
• The Don (89% similar) - For Time 66 Deadlifts (110/75 lb) 66 Box Jumps (24/20 in) 66 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood) 66 Knees...
• Hotsinpiller (89% similar) - For time Buy-in: 45 calorie Assault Bike Then, 2 rounds of: 16 Hang Cleans (135/95 lb) 11 Man Maker...
• Servais (89% similar) - For Time 1.5 mile Run Then 8 rounds of: 19 Pull-Ups 19 Push-Ups 19 Burpees Then, 400 meter Sandbag...
• The Kabul Thirteen (89% similar) - For Time 20 Deadlifts (75/55 lb) 23 Hang Power Cleans (75/55 lb) 31 Front Squats (75/55 lb) 23 Pus...
• Painstorm XXII (88% similar) - For Time Buy-In: Max Hang Hold 1 minute Rest Max Bottom Squat Hold Directly into: 200 meter Sprint ...

These WODs similar to Painstorm XXXIX share comparable training demands, time domains, and movement patterns.