Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

Four rounds of 10 sandbag clean-and-jerks plus 16 sandbag back squats at 80 lbs creates significant cumulative fatigue. The sandbag's awkward load demands grip, core, and positional stability unlike a barbell. Clean-and-jerks before squats pre-fatigue the legs and posterior chain, making the squats increasingly brutal each round. Sit-ups provide minimal recovery. Total volume (~160 C&J reps + 64 squats) will challenge most average athletes significantly.

Benchmark Times for Tevis

• Elite: <9:15
• Advanced: 10:30-12:00
• Intermediate: 13:45-15:45
• Beginner: >30:30

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (7/10): Repeated sets of clean-and-jerks, back squats, and sit-ups across four rounds accumulate significant muscular fatigue in the posterior chain, core, and shoulders, demanding sustained muscular output throughout.
• Strength (6/10): An 80 lb sandbag for clean-and-jerks and back squats represents a moderate-to-heavy load, especially as fatigue accumulates. The awkward sandbag implement increases the strength demand compared to a barbell.
• Power (6/10): The clean-and-jerk is inherently an explosive movement requiring hip extension and power transfer. Performing 10 reps per round with an 80 lb sandbag maintains a meaningful power stimulus throughout the workout.
• Endurance (5/10): Four rounds of moderate-volume work with sandbag movements and sit-ups creates a sustained cardiovascular demand, but the rest between transitions and manageable rep counts keep it from being purely aerobic.
• Flexibility (5/10): Sandbag clean-and-jerks require hip mobility and overhead positioning, while back squats demand adequate ankle and hip flexibility. The sandbag's shifting load adds an additional mobility challenge.
• Speed (4/10): Timed format encourages efficient transitions and cycling, but the moderate-to-heavy sandbag load and fatigue from high rep counts naturally limit cycling speed, favoring steady pacing over sprinting.

Movements

• Sandbag Push Jerk
• Sit-Up
• Sandbag Back Squat
• Sandbag Clean

Scaling Options

Weight: Reduce sandbag to 60 lb for intermediate athletes or 40-50 lb for newer athletes — target a load you can move for sets of 3 with good mechanics. Movement substitutions: Sub dumbbell or barbell clean-and-jerks if no sandbag is available; sub GHD sit-ups (reduce reps to 12-15) or anchored AbMat sit-ups. For back squats, a barbell back squat at equivalent load is a clean substitute. Volume: Reduce to 3 rounds if the athlete is newer or the 80 lb load is near their max. Reduce clean-and-jerks to 4 per set or back squats to 12 per round to preserve movement quality. Time cap: Set a 30-minute cap and note where athletes finish.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if you cannot perform at least 3 unbroken sandbag clean-and-jerks at the prescribed weight with solid mechanics, or if 80 lb represents more than roughly 60-65% of your max clean-and-jerk. The sandbag's awkward load distribution makes it harder than a barbell at the same weight, so err on the side of lighter. Prioritize technique over load — a sloppy clean-and-jerk with a heavy sandbag is a back injury waiting to happen, especially as fatigue accumulates across 4 rounds. The goal is to keep moving with purpose: athletes should be able to complete each set of clean-and-jerks in no more than 2 breaks and finish within the 18-28 minute window. If you're consistently over 30 minutes or breaking every rep into singles from round 1, reduce the load or volume.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate time domain effort targeting 18-28 minutes. This is a hard sustained effort — not a sprint, but not a grind either. The workout demands repeated full-body power output with the sandbag, testing your ability to maintain clean mechanics under fatigue. The primary challenge is a blend of strength-endurance and mental toughness: the sandbag is awkward and unforgiving, and the volume of clean-and-jerks (10 per round, 40 total) will tax your posterior chain, shoulders, and grip cumulatively. Sit-ups serve as active recovery between the heavy lifting, but don't be fooled — by round 3, even those will feel like work.

Coach Insight

Treat the sandbag clean-and-jerks as your governor for the whole workout — if you blow up on those early, the back squats will punish you. Start conservative: sets of 3-2 or even singles with short resets are smarter than unbroken sets that leave you gassed. For the clean-and-jerk, drive your hips aggressively into the bag, keep it close to your body on the pull, and use a strong dip-drive on the jerk — don't press it out. On the back squats, load the bag across your upper traps and shoulders, brace hard, and hit consistent depth. Sit-ups are your breather — use them to control your breathing and mentally reset before the next set of cleans. Common mistakes: rushing the clean-and-jerk and muscling the bag up with your arms instead of your hips, losing core tension on back squats as fatigue sets in, and going out too hot in round 1. Suggested rep scheme for clean-and-jerks: 3+2 or 2+2+1 per set of 5, especially in rounds 3 and 4.

Benchmark Notes

Four rounds of 5 sandbag clean-and-jerks, 26 sit-ups, 5 more clean-and-jerks and 16 sandbag back squats with an 80-lb bag. L5 (15:45-18 min) takes about 4 minutes a round. L10 (under 9:15) holds about 2:15 a round.

Modality Profile

4 movements total: Sit-Up (G=1), Sandbag Clean (W=1), Sandbag Push Jerk (W=1), Sandbag Back Squat (W=1). That's 1 Gymnastics and 3 Weightlifting. 1/4=25% G, 3/4=75% W, 0% M.

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