Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

Two simple movements with very high volume under a tight 15-minute cap. Completing 120 wall balls taxes leg/shoulder stamina and breathing, then 120 calories on the rower demands strong aerobic power and staying power. The prescribed weights and target heights amplify leg burn and heart rate. Managing pace, short rests, and late effort makes this a quarterfinal-level test for most athletes.

Benchmark Times for Quarterfinals 21.3

• Elite: <9:00
• Advanced: 9:30-10:00
• Intermediate: 11:00-12:00
• Beginner: >15:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (9/10): High total volume (240 total reps/cal) demands muscular endurance in legs, shoulders, and trunk to keep cycling reps and holding form as fatigue builds.
• Endurance (7/10): Sustained monostructural work on the rower plus long sets of wall balls require aerobic capacity to keep heart rate controlled and recover between sets without long rest breaks.
• Speed (5/10): Quick cycling and tight transitions matter, yet athletes must avoid sprinting early to prevent blow-ups on the row and extended rests.
• Power (4/10): Wall balls involve repeated explosive hip and arm drive, but the emphasis is more on repeatable output than peak explosiveness.
• Strength (2/10): Loads are moderate and submaximal; success is not limited by maximal force production, but by repeatability and aerobic power.
• Flexibility (2/10): Requires standard squat depth and overhead position with the wall ball. No extreme range of motion or advanced positions are necessary.

Movements

• Wall Ball Shot
• Row

Scaling Options

Scale to: 100 Wall Balls (14/10 lb, 10/9 ft) & 100 cal Row • 120 Wall Balls to 10/8 ft (20/14 lb) • 90 Wall Balls (20/14 lb) & 90/70 cal Row

Scaling Explanation

These options lower volume or target height to preserve the high-breathing, repeatable sets and steady rowing stimulus while keeping the movement pattern and intent intact.

Intended Stimulus

A sustained grind that pushes legs and lungs. Aim for smooth, repeatable wall-ball sets with very short breaks, then settle into an aggressive but sustainable row. It should feel like controlled discomfort rather than a sprint, with a final 2–3 minute push where you increase stroke power and shorten any remaining wall-ball rests.

Coach Insight

Pace the wall balls: open with 20–30, then settle into 10–15 with 3–5 breaths between. On the rower, lock a pace you can hold, then negative split every minute. One tip: discipline your rest. Put the ball down with intent, count breaths, and pick it up on cue—don’t loiter. Avoid blasting the first 60 unbroken or rowing too hot. Early redlines become long, costly breaks.

Benchmark Notes

Times assume steady wall-ball sets and sustainable rowing output. Near-cap finishes should break early and row conservatively. Mid-tier athletes will hold 10–15 rep sets and ~1000–1300 cal/hr. Faster tiers require big sets with brief rests and 1400–1700+ cal/hr pacing (slightly lower ranges for women).

Modality Profile

This couplet blends monostructural rowing (roughly half the workout by time) with a high-volume weighted movement (wall balls). There is no pure gymnastics component. Most athletes will split time fairly evenly, with the row slightly longer, making the emphasis monostructural followed closely by weightlifting.

Similar Workouts to Quarterfinals 21.3

If you enjoy Quarterfinals 21.3, you might also like these similar CrossFit WODs:

• Open 13.3 (89% similar) - AMRAP in 12 minutes: 150 Wall Balls (20/14 lb, 10/9 ft) 90 Double-Unders 30 Muscle-Ups...
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• Open 12.4 (89% similar) - AMRAP in 12 minutes 150 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb) 90 Double-Unders 30 Muscle-Ups...
• Open 15.3 (88% similar) - AMRAP in 14 minutes: 7 Ring Muscle-Ups 50 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb) 100 Double-Unders...
• True Grit (87% similar) - For Time 2000 meter Row At 1-minute mark begin: Death by Thrusters (95/65 lb)...
• Open 17.5 (86% similar) - For time: 10 rounds: 9 Thrusters (95/65 lb) 35 Double-Unders Time cap: 40 minutes...
• The Long Haul (86% similar) - 3 Rounds for Time 50 calorie Assault Air Bike 50 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)...
• Open 20.5 (86% similar) - For time: 40 Ring Muscle-Ups 80-calorie Row 120 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb) Partition any way Time c...

These WODs similar to Quarterfinals 21.3 share comparable training demands, time domains, and movement patterns.