Workout Description
For time:
500 m Row
5 Barbell Complex (42.5/30 kg)
400 m Row
4 Barbell Complex (42.5/30 kg)
300 m Row
3 Barbell Complex (42.5/30 kg)
200 m Row
2 Barbell Complex (42.5/30 kg)
100 m Row
1 Barbell Complex (42.5/30 kg)
1 Barbell Complex = 5 Deadlifts + 5 Hang Power Cleans + 5 Front Squats + 5 Push Presses + 5 Back Squats (use one barbell; rest as needed but minimize drops)
Why This Workout Is Extremely Hard
Enormous volume at moderate load: 1,500 m of rowing interspersed with 15 total barbell complexes (375 barbell reps). Movement complexity is low, but time under tension and local muscular fatigue are very high. Most athletes will exceed 45 minutes, with advanced athletes still working 35–45 minutes. This is a long, grinding test of stamina and pacing.
Benchmark Times for Painstorm XXXVII
- Elite: <35:00
- Advanced: 40:00-45:00
- Intermediate: 50:00-55:00
- Beginner: >80:00
Training Focus
This workout develops the following fitness attributes:
- Stamina (9/10): High local muscular endurance required to move 375 total barbell reps with minimal rest and maintain positions under fatigue.
- Endurance (7/10): Sustained effort for 35–60 minutes with five rowing intervals demands aerobic pacing and consistent breathing without redlining early.
- Power (4/10): Hang power cleans and push presses have an explosive element, but the long duration shifts focus away from peak power.
- Strength (4/10): Loads are moderate (42.5/30 kg), not testing max strength but requiring foundational barbell strength to hold form when tired.
- Speed (3/10): This is not a sprint; athletes must cycle steadily with deliberate transitions, avoiding excessive rest while preventing blow-ups.
- Flexibility (2/10): Basic mobility demands: front rack, overhead lockout, and squat depth. No extreme ranges beyond standard CrossFit movement standards.
Movements
- Push Press
- Back Squat
- Front Squat
- Deadlift
- Hang Power Clean
- Row
Scaling Options
Scale to: 30/20 kg barbell • Complex = 3 reps each movement • Row 400-300-200-100-50 m
Scaling Explanation
These options preserve the structure and stimulus—sustainable aerobic work with big barbell sets—while reducing load and total volume to keep finish times in an appropriate range.
Intended Stimulus
A long, grinding, aerobic-stamina test. Rows should be steady and controlled, never all-out. Barbell complexes should feel light-to-moderate early, becoming a battle to keep hands on the bar late. Aim for unbroken or one quick break per complex, breathing through positions to keep heart rate manageable while chipping away relentlessly.
Coach Insight
Pace the row conservatively (conversational effort), then attack the barbell with a plan—either unbroken or one strategic break mid-complex.
Most important: Keep the bar in your hands. Rest in the front/back rack or hang as needed, but avoid floor drops.
Common mistakes: Sprinting the first row, rushing early complexes, collapsing positions under fatigue, and ignoring chalk/hand care for long barbell sets.
Benchmark Notes
Times range from 35–45 minutes for advanced athletes, with intermediates around 50–60 minutes and beginners much longer. If you’re over the L4 time (60 minutes), scale load or complex reps. Elite finishers under 35 minutes must maintain unbroken or near-unbroken complexes and fast but steady rows.
Modality Profile
The workout alternates rowing with very large amounts of barbell work. Most time is spent moving the barbell through five lifts per complex, across 15 complexes. Rowing adds aerobic demand and pacing control but represents a smaller portion of total work time.
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