Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Medium

This workout combines moderate loading (135 lb push press is manageable for average athletes) with moderate volume (60 total reps across 5 rounds). The push press-to-box jump pairing creates natural recovery: upper body fatigue transitions to lower body work, preventing any single system from being completely overwhelmed. Expected completion time is 12-16 minutes, with continuous but sustainable intensity. Most average CrossFitters can complete as prescribed without scaling, though some may need to break push presses into smaller sets as fatigue accumulates.

Benchmark Times for Press Your Luck

• Elite: <4:00
• Advanced: 5:08-6:23
• Intermediate: 7:45-9:30
• Beginner: >21:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): Sixty push presses and one hundred box jumps demand significant muscular endurance. Accumulated fatigue in shoulders, legs, and core requires sustained output across all five rounds without rest.
• Endurance (7/10): Five rounds of moderate-intensity work with sustained cardiovascular demand. The for-time format drives continuous effort without extended recovery, challenging aerobic capacity throughout the workout duration.
• Power (7/10): Box jumps are highly explosive movements requiring rapid force generation. Push press combines strength with power, though the moderate load reduces pure power emphasis compared to lighter, faster movements.
• Strength (6/10): Push press at 135 lb requires moderate force production, heavier than bodyweight but not maximal effort. Box jumps demand explosive leg strength, creating a balanced strength stimulus.
• Speed (6/10): For-time format demands quick movement cycling and minimal transitions. Maintaining pace through fatigue is critical. However, moderate rep ranges prevent true sprint-level cycling intensity.
• Flexibility (3/10): Push press requires shoulder mobility and thoracic extension. Box jumps need ankle and hip mobility. Overall mobility demands are moderate and basic for these movements.

Movements

• Push Press
• Box Jump

Scaling Options

Reduce push press to 95 lb or 75 lb depending on strength level — a good benchmark is being able to do 15+ unbroken reps at your chosen weight when fresh. For athletes still developing overhead strength, consider a dumbbell push press at 35-50 lb per hand. Reduce box height to 20 inches or use a step-up variation to protect the knees and maintain consistent movement quality. Volume can be scaled to 8 push press and 15 box jumps per round, or reduce to 4 rounds total to preserve the intended intensity window. Athletes with shoulder limitations can substitute a seated dumbbell press or kettlebell push press.

Scaling Explanation

Scale the push press weight if you cannot perform at least 8-10 unbroken reps at 135 lb when fresh — muscling through singles for 5 rounds defeats the stimulus and increases injury risk. Scale box height if you are unable to land with a soft, controlled knee position or if you have a history of Achilles or knee issues. The goal is to finish this workout in 10-18 minutes with consistent round splits. If your first round takes over 4 minutes, scale load or volume. Intensity and movement quality should be prioritized over hitting Rx numbers — a well-executed workout at 95 lb delivers far more value than grinding through 135 lb with broken mechanics.

Intended Stimulus

This is a moderate-to-hard effort lasting roughly 10-18 minutes for most athletes. The goal is sustained power output — the push press demands overhead strength and bar cycling efficiency, while the box jumps tax the legs and lungs between each barbell set. Expect a hard, sustained effort that challenges both your shoulders and your ability to keep moving when your legs are burning. The primary challenge is conditioning under load, with a secondary mental component of managing fatigue across all 5 rounds.

Coach Insight

The push press is the limiting factor here — protect your shoulders early. In rounds 1-2, resist the urge to go unbroken if 135 lb is heavy for you; breaking into 7-5 or 6-6 is smarter than burning out and grinding singles by round 3. Use your legs aggressively on the dip-drive to save your arms and keep the bar cycling efficiently. For box jumps, step down every rep — this alone can save your quads and Achilles over 100 total reps. Stay tall on landing and reset your breath between jumps. Common mistakes: over-gripping the bar, cutting the dip short on push press, and jumping too aggressively on box jumps in round 1 only to slow dramatically by round 4. Set a consistent pace from the start and hold it through all 5 rounds. Transitions between movements should be deliberate but quick — take 5-10 seconds, no more.

Benchmark Notes

Push press at 135 lb is the primary limiter — shoulder endurance and barbell cycling under fatigue force most athletes into multiple sets per round by round 3. Box jumps add cumulative leg fatigue but are rarely a standalone bottleneck. L5 (~10:30) breaks push press 6-6, rests 10-15s between sets, and steps down off the box by round 4-5.

Modality Profile

Push Press is a weightlifting movement (barbell with external load), and Box Jump is a gymnastics movement (bodyweight coordination skill). With 2 unique movements split between 2 modalities, the breakdown is 50% Gymnastics and 50% Weightlifting.