Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

Moderate barbell weight cycled repeatedly, simple bodyweight movements, and high total volume across 15 minutes of work make this a classic hard benchmark. The short 3-minute intervals push aggressive pacing, but sustaining 3–4 rounds per cycle taxes muscular stamina and conditioning. The key limiter is push-up endurance and clean cycling under fatigue rather than maximal strength.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (7/10): High-volume push-ups and air squats challenge local muscular endurance. Keeping sets unbroken or in quick splits across five cycles is the primary limiter for most athletes.
• Speed (7/10): Three-minute sprints emphasize quick transitions and fast but sustainable cycle rates. Efficient setups and minimized chalk/water breaks drive better scores.
• Power (6/10): Explosive hip extension and fast turnover in the power clean are rewarded. Short, repeatable efforts favor crisp, powerful reps rather than grinding lifts.
• Endurance (5/10): Intervals reward aerobic capacity for fast recovery between sprints. Heart rate stays high for 15 minutes of work, but built-in rest prevents it from being pure long-duration cardio.
• Strength (4/10): Cleans at 135/95 lb require baseline strength but are submaximal and repetitive. Strength helps, yet efficiency and stamina dictate performance more than one-rep max ability.
• Flexibility (1/10): Only standard ranges of motion are needed: front-rack position, full push-up, and squat depth. No advanced mobility demands beyond safe, consistent positions.

Scaling Options

Scale to: 3 Power Cleans (115/75 lb), 6 Push-Ups, 9 Air Squats • 3 Power Cleans (95/65 lb), 6 incline or knee Push-Ups, 9 Air Squats • 4 cycles instead of 5 and/or 3 Hang Power Cleans (75/55 lb), 5 Push-Ups, 9 Air Squats

Scaling Explanation

These options preserve the triplet sprint stimulus by adjusting load, push-up difficulty, and total cycles so athletes can keep fast, repeatable rounds with quality movement.

Intended Stimulus

Repeated sprint intervals that feel fast but repeatable. Each 3-minute window should be pushed hard without redlining so you can restart strong after the rest. Keep round counts within a few reps across cycles. Cleans are smooth singles or quick touch-and-go; push-ups unbroken or in short splits; squats steady and fast.

Coach Insight

Pace the first cycle like the second—don’t set a PR in minute one. Aim for consistent rounds with minimal transition time and a predictable push-up break pattern. Most important: set the bar before each restart and pick it up immediately. Momentum matters. Common mistakes: going out hot and crashing, sloppy push-up standards, and wasting time resetting the bar or grabbing chalk every minute.

Benchmark Notes

Score is total reps across all 5 cycles. Each full round equals 18 reps. L5 (324 reps) averages about 3.6 rounds per cycle. Aim to hold a steady pace with minimal transition time, short push-up breaks, and smooth clean cycling to keep totals consistent across cycles.

Modality Profile

Two movements are gymnastics (push-ups, air squats) and dominate the time each cycle. The barbell clean appears briefly but repeatedly, contributing a smaller portion. There’s no monostructural component, so the overall emphasis is predominantly gymnastics with a significant weightlifting element.

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