Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

This 30-minute EMOM combines high aerobic demand with skill complexity and moderate-heavy loads across three distinct metabolic challenges. The 400m runs and 500m ski/bike create sustained cardiovascular stress, while barbell cycling (43kg PC&J) and gymnastics (HSPU, DB snatches) demand technical precision under fatigue. The cumulative volume—three rounds of varied modalities—prevents full recovery between stations. Most average athletes will struggle with pacing and movement quality by round 3, particularly on HSPUs and power cleans when fatigued.

Benchmark Times for The Ten Minute Assault

• Elite: <28:00
• Advanced: 30:00-32:30
• Intermediate: 35:30-39:00
• Beginner: >57:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Endurance (8/10): Extended EMOM format with 30-minute duration combines sustained aerobic work via running, SkiErg, and bike with minimal recovery, demanding strong cardiovascular capacity throughout.
• Stamina (8/10): High volume across multiple movement patterns (400m runs, 500m SkiErg, 1000m bike, 40+ reps per round) tests muscular endurance and sustained output capacity.
• Flexibility (6/10): HSPU, overhead lunges, and farmer carries demand shoulder mobility and hip flexibility; sustained positions under fatigue increase ROM requirements moderately.
• Power (6/10): Power Clean & Jerk and DB Snatches are explosive movements, but high rep ranges and fatigue accumulation reduce true power expression over time.
• Strength (5/10): Moderate loads (24kg KBs, 43kg PCJ, 25kg DBs) with technical lifts like Power Clean & Jerk and HSPU require strength, but not maximal effort.
• Speed (5/10): EMOM structure enforces consistent pacing with fixed time windows; transitions between modalities and movements require efficiency but not sprint-level cycling.

Movements

• Double Kettlebell Farmer Carry
• Kipping Handstand Push-Up
• Strict Handstand Push-Up
• Dumbbell Overhead Lunge
• Sit-Up
• Ski Erg
• Run
• Clean and Jerk
• Alternating Dumbbell Snatch
• Handstand Push-Up

Scaling Options

BLOCK A: Reduce farmer carry to 2x16kg or 2x20kg. Shorten run to 300m if pacing becomes a major issue. BLOCK B: Reduce Power Clean & Jerk to 30-35kg. Sub SkiErg with 400m Row if no SkiErg available; sub Bike Erg with 800m Row. Reduce reps to 15 C&J if 20 reps at load is unsustainable in time cap. BLOCK C: Scale DB Snatch to 15-20kg. Scale strict HSPUs to 5 strict + 10 kipping, or sub strict HSPUs with DB Push Press or Pike Push-Ups. Scale kipping HSPUs to box HSPUs or seated DB Press. Reduce DB OH Lunges to bodyweight lunges or reduce load to 15-17.5kg. Reduce sit-ups to 30 if needed. VOLUME: If completing all 3 rounds of any block within the 10-minute window is not feasible, reduce to 2 rounds of Block A or 1 round of Block B. Always prioritize completing Block C as written since it is already 1 round.

Scaling Explanation

An athlete should scale if: they cannot complete Block A in under 9 minutes with good posture on the carries; they cannot cycle the barbell in Block B with consistent technique for at least 5-rep sets; or they have fewer than 5 unbroken strict HSPUs. The 10-minute window per block is non-negotiable — if an athlete is consistently running over time, the load or volume is too high. Prioritize technique over load, especially on the Clean & Jerk and OH Lunges, where fatigue-induced breakdown creates injury risk. The target effort is a strong aerobic pace — athletes should finish each block feeling worked but not destroyed, with enough composure to transition into the next block. This is not a sprint workout; it is a 30-minute aerobic investment. Newer athletes or those with gymnastics limitations should scale HSPUs aggressively — the stimulus is lost if an athlete spends 5+ minutes on that single movement.

Intended Stimulus

This is a long aerobic capacity builder lasting 30 minutes total (3 x 10-minute EMOM blocks), each targeting a different energy pathway and movement demand. The goal is sustained, moderate-to-high output across three distinct stimuli: (A) pure aerobic engine with loaded carries, (B) machine-based conditioning paired with barbell cycling, and (C) gymnastics and skill-based stamina. The primary adaptation is aerobic base development with exposure to varied movement patterns under fatigue. Athletes should feel challenged but never completely redlined — think 75-85% effort across all three blocks. The primary challenge is mental and metabolic: staying composed, pacing intelligently, and maintaining technique as fatigue accumulates across 30 minutes.

Coach Insight

Treat each 10-minute block as its own workout with a specific strategy. BLOCK A (Run + Farmer Carry): The 400m run sets the tone — go controlled, not fast. The farmer carry at 2x24kg is heavy enough to demand grip and posture; walk tall, shoulders packed, no hunching. Aim to complete all 3 rounds in 8-8:30 minutes, leaving recovery time before Block B. BLOCK B (Machine + Power Clean & Jerk): Choose SkiErg or Bike Erg based on your strengths — SkiErg is more upper-body demanding, Bike Erg is more leg-dominant. Pace the machine at a sustainable rate (not a sprint) so you arrive at the barbell with something left. At 43kg, the Power Clean & Jerk should be touch-and-go or quick singles — avoid grinding reps. Break into sets of 5-10 if needed. BLOCK C (Gymnastics Chipper): This is the most skill-intensive block. Sit-ups are your rest — move steadily. DB Snatch at 25kg alternating should be smooth and rhythmic. The HSPU combo (10 strict + 10 kipping) is the critical moment — do NOT burn out on strict reps. If strict HSPUs are a limiter, break them early (5-5). DB OH Lunges require shoulder stability and hip control — slow down here, especially under fatigue. Common mistakes: going too fast on Block A runs and dying on carries; rushing the barbell in Block B after the machine; burning out on strict HSPUs and having nothing left for kipping or lunges.

Benchmark Notes

This is a 30-minute structured EMOM with three demanding 10-minute blocks; the primary limiters are the 400m run repeats with farmer carry in block A, the ski/bike erg volume paired with power clean & jerks in block B, and the gymnastics/DB skill demands (strict HSPU, OH lunges) in block C. L5 athletes (~41 min total if they spill over, or just completing within the 30-min window with modest rest) will struggle most with the strict HSPU and maintaining the 43kg barbell cycling under fatigue. Times reflect total elapsed time to complete all three rounds of the EMOM structure, with lower levels likely exceeding the 30-minute window significantly.

Modality Profile

11 total movements: Gymnastics (4): Sit-Up, Handstand Push-Up, Strict Handstand Push-Up, Kipping Handstand Push-Up; Monostructural (3): Run, Ski Erg, Bikeerg; Weightlifting (4): Double Kettlebell Farmer Carry, Clean and Jerk, Alternating Dumbbell Snatch, Dumbbell Overhead Lunge. Percentages: G=4/11=36%, M=3/11=27%, W=4/11=36%