Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Extremely Hard

High skill and heavy relative loading meet long duration. A max-unbroken thruster at 75% bodyweight sets a punishing rep target for Muscle-Ups and the cash-out, surrounding a fixed 30-minute cardio block. Movement complexity, grip demands, and fatigue management across 40–60 minutes make this suitable only for advanced athletes or carefully scaled versions.

Benchmark Times for Painstorm XXXV

• Elite: <42:00
• Advanced: 53:00-55:00
• Intermediate: 57:00-59:00
• Beginner: >70:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Endurance (8/10): Thirty minutes of steady Row/Run builds aerobic capacity. Pacing and breathing control are essential to keep heart rate stable before the demanding cash-out under fatigue.
• Stamina (8/10): Max-unbroken thrusters set a large rep target repeated later, plus high-skill gymnastics volume. Sustaining sets under fatigue taxes shoulders, legs, and grip extensively.
• Strength (6/10): Thrusters at 75% bodyweight require significant leg and pressing strength, especially for a large unbroken set. Absolute max strength isn’t tested, but relative strength is key.
• Power (5/10): Thrusters demand leg drive and hip extension into a crisp press. However, the overall piece is more sustained than explosive due to the 30-minute AMRAP component.
• Speed (4/10): Moderate cadence dominates. Quick transitions help, but sprinting early backfires when the cash-out demands high-skill reps under heavy fatigue.
• Flexibility (4/10): Full-depth front squat into overhead lockout requires solid front rack, thoracic extension, and shoulder mobility. Ring positions demand stable, comfortable ranges overhead and in the dip.

Scaling Options

Scale to: 55–65% BW Thruster + Bar Muscle-Ups • 65/45 lb Thruster + Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups (2:1 for MU) • Keep 75% BW Thruster but Cap Unbroken at 8–12 reps + Jumping Ring Muscle-Ups

Scaling Explanation

These options preserve the heavy relative thruster stimulus and high-skill pulling pattern while adjusting load, skill, or volume so athletes can keep moving and finish within the intended time domain.

Intended Stimulus

Start with a disciplined unbroken thruster set—smooth, controlled cycling to avoid redlining. Move directly into crisp Muscle-Ups. Settle into a sustainable Row/Run rhythm for the full 30:00 without spiking heart rate. Finish by methodically chipping through cash-out thrusters and Muscle-Ups in smart sets to maintain quality and avoid failure.

Coach Insight

Pace the buy-in: breathe every rep on thrusters and keep a steady cadence you could hold for five more reps. Then move into quick MU sets with short rests. The one tip: protect your grip and shoulders—break the cash-out before you have to. Common mistakes: sprinting early rows/runs, racing the first MU set, or choosing thruster cadence that forces an early fail.

Benchmark Notes

Times include a fixed 30:00 AMRAP plus buy-in and cash-out work. Faster athletes complete the gymnastic and barbell portions efficiently before and after the monostructural block. Slower times reflect larger buy-in rep counts, heavier relative loading, or extended breaks managing muscle-up and thruster fatigue.

Modality Profile

Most of the time is spent in monostructural work (30:00 of Row/Run). Gymnastics (Muscle-Ups) contribute significant skill and volume before and after. Weightlifting (Thrusters at 75% bodyweight) is impactful but occupies less total time compared to the cardio block.

Similar Workouts to Painstorm XXXV

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

• Thanksgiving Throwdown (91% similar) - EMOM for 30 minutes Complete 5 Rounds of Each Movement: 5 Front Squats (75% BW) Rest in 1 minute. 5 ...
• 31 Heroes (91% similar) - AMRAP (with a Partner) in 31 minutes Partner A performs AMRAP of: 8 Thrusters (155/105 lb) 6 Rope Cl...
• Luke (91% similar) - For time: 400 meter Run 15 Clean-and-Jerks (155/105 lb) 400 meter Run 30 Toes-to-Bars 400 meter Run ...
• Brutus (91% similar) - For Time 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 reps of: Hang Power Cleans (40% BW) Overhead Squats (40% BW) Ring Dips...
• Dae Han (90% similar) - 3 Rounds For Time 800 meter Weighted Run (45/35 lb barbell) 3 Rope Climbs (15 ft) 12 Thrusters (135/...
• Feeling Chipper (90% similar) - For Time 20 Weighted Lunges (185/125 lb) 20 Muscle-Ups 200 foot Handstand Walk 20 Hang Power Cleans ...
• Big Sexy (90% similar) - 5 Rounds For Time 6 Deadlifts (315/205 lb) 6 Burpees 5 Cleans (225/155 lb) 5 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups 4...
• Enis (90% similar) - AMRAP in 31 minutes Buy-In: 51 Burpees Then in the remaining time, AMRAP of: 3 Bear Complexes (135/...

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