Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Medium

The 56kg/36kg deadlift weight is quite light for the average CrossFitter (roughly 40% 1RM), allowing quick cycling. While 100 total deadlifts and 30 weighted pull-ups create moderate volume, the 10-round structure provides natural breaks between efforts. The 3-rep weighted pull-up sets are very manageable, preventing shoulder failure. Grip fatigue from the combination is the primary challenge, but the light deadlift loading prevents this from becoming severe. Most athletes will complete this in 12-15 minutes as prescribed with strategic pacing.

Benchmark Times for Pull-Up and Deadlift: A Love Story

• Elite: <5:45
• Advanced: 6:15-7:00
• Intermediate: 8:00-9:00
• Beginner: >16:30

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High total volume of 30 weighted pull-ups and 100 deadlifts tests grip stamina and posterior chain muscular endurance significantly. Fatigue accumulates dramatically across rounds.
• Endurance (6/10): A 10-round workout lasting 10-15 minutes requires sustained cardiovascular output while managing grip and muscular fatigue. Minimal rest between movements maintains elevated heart rate throughout.
• Speed (6/10): The 90-second round target and for-time format demands efficient movement cycling and quick transitions. Maintaining pace across 10 rounds while battling grip fatigue is crucial.
• Strength (5/10): Weighted pull-ups with added load require solid strength, and deadlifts at moderate weight (56kg/36kg) demand strength without being maximal. Both movements challenge different strength patterns.
• Flexibility (3/10): Deadlifts require proper hip hinge mechanics and hamstring flexibility. Pull-ups demand adequate shoulder mobility. Both movements need functional range of motion but nothing extreme.
• Power (2/10): Neither movement is particularly explosive. Weighted pull-ups have some dynamic component, but both become grinding movements as fatigue accumulates. Focus is sustained effort, not power.

Movements

• Pull-Up
• Deadlift

Scaling Options

Weight: Drop weighted pull-ups to 8kg/4kg or bodyweight only. Reduce deadlifts to 40kg/28kg (approximately 70% of Rx). Pull-up substitutions: banded pull-ups, jumping pull-ups, or ring rows maintaining horizontal body position. Volume: Reduce to 7-8 rounds while maintaining rep scheme, or keep 10 rounds but reduce to 2 pull-ups per round. For athletes with grip concerns, consider 5 rounds of double reps (6 pull-ups, 20 deadlifts) to reduce transitions.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if you cannot perform 5+ consecutive weighted pull-ups or if deadlift weight causes back rounding or hitching. Priority is maintaining quality movement patterns and relatively consistent round times throughout - better to scale weight and preserve volume than reduce rounds. Target finish time of 15-20 minutes. If projecting beyond 25 minutes, reduce to 7 rounds. The stimulus comes from accumulated volume under moderate load, not maximal weight. Scale to maintain intensity around 70-75% effort throughout.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate duration workout (12-18 minutes) targeting the glycolytic energy system with oxidative component. Primary challenge is grip and posterior chain endurance across high volume. Tests pacing discipline and ability to manage fatigue accumulation over 10 rounds. Not a sprint - this is about sustainable effort and movement efficiency under mounting fatigue.

Coach Insight

Start conservative - rounds 1-3 should feel easy, the real workout begins at round 5. Keep weighted pull-ups unbroken if possible with efficient kipping. Deadlifts should be touch-and-go for first 4-5 rounds, then transition to quick singles as grip fatigues. Grip management is critical - shake out arms between movements and use hook grip on deadlifts. Aim for 5-10 second transitions maximum. Target consistent 75-85 second rounds. Common mistake is attacking early rounds too aggressively and suffering grip failure by round 6. The athlete who paces best wins this workout.

Benchmark Notes

Primary limiter is weighted pull-up capacity and grip endurance across 30 total reps. L1 athletes will need frequent breaks and may take 100-120s per round (18:00 total). L5 (median) athletes maintain efficient sets with brief rests, averaging 55-60s per round (9:30). L10 elites can hold unbroken or small sets throughout with fast transitions, sub-35s rounds (5:30). Deadlifts at prescribed weights should move quickly for most levels but compound grip fatigue. Transition efficiency and ability to return to pull-up bar quickly separates levels.

Modality Profile

Pull-Up is a gymnastics movement (bodyweight). Deadlift is a weightlifting movement (external load). Two unique movements split evenly between two modalities = 50% Gymnastics, 50% Weightlifting.