Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

Light-to-moderate barbell cycling across three movements, moderate monostructural work, and simple gymnastics accumulate substantial volume over five rounds. The bike and barbell create sustained fatigue in shoulders and legs. Skill demands are low, but maintaining unbroken sets and steady bike output for 16–25 minutes makes this a hard metabolic and stamina test.

Benchmark Times for Tearjerker

• Elite: <16:00
• Advanced: 17:00-18:00
• Intermediate: 19:00-20:00
• Beginner: >25:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (7/10): High total volume: 150 barbell reps and 75 sit-ups. Success hinges on repeating submaximal efforts with short rest while preserving positions and cycle rate.
• Speed (6/10): Quick cycling and short transitions pay off. Athletes who keep sets unbroken and mount/dismount the bike efficiently gain significant time.
• Endurance (6/10): Five rounds with 75 total bike calories drive aerobic demand. Athletes must breathe and move steadily while managing accumulated fatigue rather than sprinting a single, short interval.
• Power (5/10): Push press and SDHP favor crisp hip drive; front squats require strong rebound. Power helps cycle reps quickly but isn’t maximal or highly technical.
• Strength (3/10): Loads are light-moderate (95/65 lb). Strength is not the limiter; it’s about moving submaximal weight efficiently under fatigue.
• Flexibility (2/10): Standard ranges of motion: front rack, overhead lockout, hip crease below parallel, and sit-up extension. Mobility matters but no extreme positions required.

Scaling Options

Scale to: 75/55 lb & 12/10 cal bike • 65/45 lb & 10/8 cal bike, anchored sit-ups • 45/35 lb & 8/6 cal bike (or 200m run), reduce to 4 rounds

Scaling Explanation

Lowering load, calories, and total rounds preserves the metabolic stimulus and barbell cycling intent while matching the athlete’s capacity to keep sets crisp and transitions short.

Intended Stimulus

A sustained, gritty pace with unbroken or near-unbroken barbell sets and a repeatable, moderate-hard bike cadence. Breathing should feel pressured but under control. Expect shoulders, quads, and midline to accumulate fatigue. Aim for consistent round splits with minimal transition time, finishing in 16–22 minutes for most RX athletes.

Coach Insight

Open each round at 85–90% of your sustainable pace. Unbroken barbell if possible; if you must break, do 6-4 on the squats and presses to save shoulders. One tip: lock in a bike cadence you can hold every round, then protect your front rack—quick breaths with the bar racked save time. Avoid death-marching the bike, sloppy SDHP mechanics (bar drifting away), and pausing too long before front squats.

Benchmark Notes

Times are set from cap pace (L1) down to aggressive, near-unbroken efforts (L9). If you’re near 20 minutes you’re solidly intermediate. Faster athletes hold unbroken barbell sets and a strong, repeatable bike cadence with minimal transitions.

Modality Profile

Time distribution favors weightlifting with three barbell movements (push press, SDHP, front squat). The bike is the largest single time chunk per round, while sit-ups contribute a smaller but persistent gymnastics element.

Similar Workouts to Tearjerker

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

• Popeye (92% similar) - AMRAP in 20 minutes 5 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups 10 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lbs) 15 Kettlebell Swings (1.5...
• Blackjack (Assault) (92% similar) - AMRAP in 21 minutes 21 calorie Assault Air Bike 21 Kettlebell Swings (53/35 lb) 21 AbMat Sit-Ups...
• The Deep End (91% similar) - 3 Rounds for Time 500 meter Run 5 Squat Cleans (Bodyweight) 10 Burpees 20 Deadlifts (Bodyweight)...
• Open 18.1 (91% similar) - AMRAP in 20 minutes 8 Toes-to-Bars 10 Dumbbell Hang Clean-and-Jerks (50/35 lb) 14/12 calorie Row...
• McLaren (91% similar) - AMRAP in 20 minutes: 3 Thrusters (50% of bodyweight) 5 Box Jumps (24/20 in) 7 Hand-Release Push-Ups ...
• 1LT Derek Hines (90% similar) - For Total Reps (with a Partner) Buy-In with a Buddy: 50 Push-Ups 50 Sit-Ups 50 Air Squats Then, EMO...
• Row Cindy Row (90% similar) - AMRAP in 20 minutes: 5 Pull-Ups 10 Push-Ups 15 Air Squats 20 Calorie Row...
• Row Ya Boat (90% similar) - On a 20 minute clock: Max Row (for meters)...

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