Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

This workout combines multiple high-skill, high-demand elements. Rope climbs (grip-intensive skill) paired with thrusters and rowing creates brutal fatigue accumulation across 34 minutes, even with a partner halving the work. The partner format provides some recovery, but rope climbs and thrusters together are grip and shoulder killers. The finisher — 31 heavy stone shoulderings for time — demands maximal effort on already-exhausted athletes, making this a Very Hard combination.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): Rope climbs, thrusters, and rowing combined in an AMRAP accumulate significant muscular endurance demands across grip, legs, and shoulders. The stone shouldering finisher adds further muscular fatigue to an already high-volume effort.
• Endurance (7/10): A 34-minute partner AMRAP with rowing and continuous movement creates sustained cardiovascular demand. The aerobic system is heavily taxed across the extended time domain, especially with the calorie row anchoring each round.
• Strength (6/10): Rope climbs require substantial pulling strength, thrusters demand leg and pressing strength, and stone shouldering at maximum load is a true test of raw strength. The heavy stone component pushes this above moderate.
• Power (5/10): Thrusters are inherently explosive, and stone shouldering requires a powerful hip drive to load the stone. However, the AMRAP format and fatigue accumulation reduce peak power expression over time.
• Speed (5/10): Partner AMRAP format allows strategic pacing and rest, reducing sprint cycling demands. Efficient transitions and movement cycling matter, but the long time domain and heavy stone finisher favor steady pacing over speed.
• Flexibility (4/10): Thrusters require overhead mobility and hip flexibility, rope climbs demand shoulder range of motion, and stone shouldering requires a deep hip hinge. Moderate mobility demands across multiple movement patterns.

Movements

• Thruster
• Atlas Stone
• Rope Climb
• Row

Scaling Options

Rope Climbs: Scale to 2-3 rope climbs per round, or substitute 3 rope pull-to-stands (lying on the floor, pull to standing), or 6-8 strict ring rows. For athletes with some pulling strength, 2 rope climbs + 2 rope pull-to-stands is a solid middle ground. Thrusters: Scale to 75/55 lb or 65/45 lb. If overhead mechanics are compromised, sub goblet squats + push press as separate movements. Row: Scale calories to 14-15 calories per round to maintain intended pacing with the partner format. Stone Shouldering: If no stone is available, substitute sandbag shouldering, heavy dumbbell cleans to shoulder, or atlas stone simulators. If loading is the issue, use a lighter stone but increase reps to 40 to maintain the stimulus. Athletes with back concerns can sub heavy kettlebell deadlifts (31 reps) or trap bar deadlifts.

Scaling Explanation

Scale rope climbs if you cannot complete at least 2 unbroken rope climbs when fresh — struggling athletes will bottleneck the partnership and lose the intended stimulus. Scale thruster weight if you cannot perform 10 unbroken reps at Rx weight when fresh — the goal is to keep these moving with minimal breaks. The AMRAP should feel like a hard but sustainable grind — if rounds are taking more than 5-6 minutes per person, reduce volume or load. For the stone finisher, prioritize load over speed — this is meant to be heavy and humbling. If technique breaks down (rounded back, no hip drive), drop to a lighter stone immediately. Athletes with shoulder injuries should avoid rope climbs and stone shouldering and substitute pulling and loading movements that are pain-free. The overall goal: complete 5-7+ rounds in the AMRAP as a team and finish the 31 stone shoulders in under 10-12 minutes with a load that makes every rep feel earned.

Intended Stimulus

This workout is a two-part Memorial Day-style tribute piece (likely honoring a date — 4/10/19/31) designed for a long, sustained effort with a partner followed by a heavy, gritty finisher. The AMRAP portion targets a moderate-to-long time domain (34 minutes) demanding a hard sustained engine — think aerobic capacity under load with skill demands. The partner format allows for strategic rest and recovery, keeping intensity honest throughout. The stone shouldering finisher shifts gears entirely into raw strength and mental toughness — it's a gut-check that rewards aggression and grip. Primary challenges are pacing the AMRAP intelligently with your partner, managing the technical demands of rope climbs, and then digging deep for 31 heavy stone shoulders when your body is already taxed.

Coach Insight

AMRAP Strategy: Divide work clearly with your partner — one person works while the other rests. A common split is one partner completes the full round while the other rests, then switch. With rope climbs as the anchor movement, protect your grip — use your legs aggressively and avoid death-gripping the rope. On thrusters at 95/75 lb, aim for unbroken sets early but don't be afraid to break into 6-4 or 5-5 if fatigue sets in — the row gives you a built-in recovery window. On the row, settle into a strong, sustainable pace (around 85-90% effort) — don't sprint and blow up your partner's rest time. Transition fast between movements. Stone Shouldering Finisher: This is where the workout becomes a character test. Pick the heaviest stone you can shoulder with control — not the heaviest you've ever touched. Alternate shoulders each rep to distribute fatigue. Use your hips explosively — lap the stone, drive your hips in, and use your whole body to load it to the shoulder. Break into sets of 5-7 early, then grind singles or doubles at the end. Common mistakes: going too heavy on thrusters early and burning out grip for rope climbs, rowing too hard and stealing recovery time, and picking a stone that's too light on the finisher — this should be uncomfortable.

Benchmark Notes

Partner AMRAP: shared rounds of 4 rope climbs, 10 thrusters at 95/75 lb and a 19-calorie row, then 31 stone shoulders as heavy as possible to finish. The score is AMRAP rounds. L5 (7.6-8.9) takes about 3:30 a round. An elite team holds under 2 minutes a round (16.5+).

Modality Profile

4 movements: Rope Climb (G), Row (M), Thruster (W), Atlas Stone (W). G=1/4=25%, M=1/4=25%, W=2/4=50%

Similar Workouts to Pierluigi R./Matteo D.

If you enjoy Pierluigi R./Matteo D., you might also like these similar CrossFit WODs:

• Bullard (91% similar) - For Time Buy-In: 532 meter Sandbag Run (40/30 lb) 5 Rounds of: 21 Hand Release Push-Ups 20 Alternat...
• KDF Heroes (91% similar) - For Time Cash In: 1,200 meter Run 4 Rounds of: 12 Box Jumps (24/20 in) 12 Crossovers 12 Front Squa...
• Muller (91% similar) - For time: Run 1,000 meters 710-meter plate carry Then, 5 rounds of: 13 burpee pull-ups 13 deadlifts ...
• Hoopes (91% similar) - AMRAP in 33 minutes 5 Thrusters (135/95 lb) 7 Toes-to-Bar 1 Legless Rope Climb (15 ft) 200 meter Run...
• Bulger (91% similar) - 10 Rounds For Time 150 Meter Run 7 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups 7 Front Squats (135/95 lbs) 7 Handstand Pus...
• Swasey (91% similar) - For Time 32 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups 32 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb) 32 Cleans (135/85 lb) 3.2 mile Run...
• Kevin Pryor (91% similar) - 3 Rounds for Time 1000 meter Row 21 Push-Ups 100 meter Sled Drag 15 L Pull-Ups 100 meter Sled Drag 9...
• Patton (91% similar) - For time: 25 Deadlifts (155/105 lb) 400 meter Run 10 Strict Pull-Ups 10 Clean and Jerks (155/105 lb)...

These WODs similar to Pierluigi R./Matteo D. share comparable training demands, time domains, and movement patterns.