Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

This is a high-skill gymnastics max-rep test demanding strong shoulders, lats, and grip plus significant shoulder extension mobility. While total duration is short, the movement complexity is high and failure risk increases when form deteriorates. Many athletes cannot complete a single rep; advanced athletes can manage controlled sets with substantial time under tension.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Flexibility (9/10): High demand for shoulder extension and internal rotation in the German hang. Adequate thoracic and lat mobility are required to achieve depth safely and maintain proper alignment under load.
• Strength (7/10): Requires significant bodyweight pulling strength and the ability to initiate and finish from a deep German hang. No external load, but high relative strength is necessary to control positions.
• Stamina (4/10): Muscular endurance of shoulders, lats, and grip limits total reps. Set length is short, but repeated contractions under tension tax local stamina more than global cardio.
• Power (3/10): Movement is deliberate and controlled rather than explosive. Some hip closing and opening occurs, but the emphasis is on strength through range, not rapid power output.
• Speed (2/10): Reps cannot be cycled quickly without losing control. Emphasis is on quality positions and smooth tempo; any rushing increases risk and often causes an early miss.
• Endurance (1/10): Single unbroken set with minimal breathing demand; heart rate rises but not a cardio piece. Primary limiter is shoulder control and grip, not sustained aerobic work.

Movements

• Skin-the-Cat

Scaling Options

Scale to: Feet-assisted Ring Skin-the-Cat (low rings, light foot pressure) • Tuck Skin-the-Cat (reduced depth) • Inverted Hang to German Hang and back (spot/band)

Scaling Explanation

These options preserve the movement pattern while reducing load and range-of-motion demands, allowing athletes to practice safe shoulder positions and accumulate quality, controlled reps.

Intended Stimulus

Expect a controlled, technical effort with a steady breath and a growing burn in the shoulders, lats, and forearms. Aim for smooth, repeatable reps with consistent depth into the German hang and a confident return to hang. Stop just before form degrades to avoid a failed rep or risky shoulder position.

Coach Insight

Set a calm rhythm: one smooth breath per rep, no rushing. Commit to a consistent depth you can own and repeat. Biggest tip: stay active in the German hang—scaps down and back, long arms, ribs tucked—then pull the shoulders through before the hips. Avoid kipping, bouncing out of the bottom, or re-gripping. If your feet brush the floor or your depth shortens, the set is over.

Benchmark Notes

Score the longest unbroken set. If you can’t perform one, your score is 0. Hitting 5–7 reps shows solid control and mobility; 10+ indicates advanced gymnastics capacity. Elite athletes with excellent shoulder strength and mobility can approach mid-to-high teens while maintaining strict, controlled standards.

Modality Profile

This test is pure gymnastics. There’s no monostructural cardio and no external loading. All work happens hanging and moving your body through space on rings or a bar, prioritizing shoulder strength, mobility, and motor control rather than cyclical pacing, barbell cycling, or mixed-modal transitions.

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