Workout Description

3 Rounds For Time 25 Muscle-Ups 100 Air Squats 35 GHD Sit-Ups

Why This Workout Is Extremely Hard

Seventy-five ring muscle-ups is elite-level gymnastics volume, paired with 300 air squats and 105 GHD sit-ups. The duration trends long for most athletes and the skill requirement is high, especially under fatigue. Grip, shoulders, and midline get taxed heavily, and GHD sit-ups demand caution. Completing as prescribed typically requires advanced capacity, strict pacing, and strong gymnastics proficiency.

Benchmark Times for War Frank

  • Elite: <25:00
  • Advanced: 28:00-31:00
  • Intermediate: 35:00-40:00
  • Beginner: >60:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

  • Stamina (9/10): High repetition totals for upper body pulling/dipping, squats, and GHD sit-ups require muscular endurance across shoulders, hips, and trunk.
  • Endurance (6/10): Long effort with sustained sets and minimal resting elevates heart rate for an extended period, pushing aerobic capacity while cycling large bodyweight volumes.
  • Power (4/10): Muscle-ups demand explosive hip and pull; however, overall pace is controlled by volume, not max power output.
  • Flexibility (4/10): Full-depth squats, overhead/ring positions, and the GHD sit-up’s extended ROM need good shoulder, hip, and spine mobility.
  • Speed (4/10): Some fast cycling on squats and GHDs, but large muscle-up sets and necessary breaks limit sustained sprint speed.
  • Strength (1/10): No external load; success depends on capacity and skill rather than maximal force production.

Movements

  • Air Squat
  • GHD Sit-Up
  • Muscle-Up

Scaling Options

Scale to: 3 RFT—15 Muscle-Ups, 100 Air Squats, 25 GHD Sit-Ups • 3 RFT—25 Bar Muscle-Ups (or Jumping BMU), 100 Air Squats, 35 AbMat Sit-Ups • 3 RFT—25 Pull-Ups + 25 Ring Dips, 100 Air Squats, 35 Sit-Ups

Scaling Explanation

These options preserve the pulling/dipping stimulus and squat volume while adjusting skill and midline intensity to keep the workout long, safe, and sustainable within the intended time domain.

Intended Stimulus

A long, grinding gymnastics session with deliberate pacing. Expect muscle-up sets to feel crisp early and degrade as grip and shoulders fatigue. Air squats should be steady and unbroken with consistent breathing. GHD sit-ups are controlled and rhythmic, not sprinted. The overall feel is relentless but manageable, with strategic breaks to protect grip and midline.

Coach Insight

Pace from the start. Break muscle-ups early (small, sustainable sets) to avoid failure. Keep squats smooth and unbroken; use them to breathe. The one tip: Protect your midline. Keep GHD sets submaximal and maintain tension—don’t bounce. Common mistakes: Opening with big muscle-up sets, racing GHDs, and ignoring mounting grip fatigue. Respect the volume and move crisply between stations.

Benchmark Notes

Times range from 60 minutes for beginners who scale heavily to around 25 minutes for elite athletes. Aim to finish within your level’s window. If you’ll exceed the cap at your current pace, reduce muscle-up reps or sub appropriate pulling/dipping options and adjust GHD volume to maintain stimulus and safety.

Modality Profile

All movements are gymnastics/bodyweight. There’s no monostructural cardio or external loading. Time is split between high-skill pulling on rings and large sets of squats and GHD sit-ups, making this a pure gymnastics capacity and midline endurance test.

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

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

Training Profile

AttributeScoreExplanation
Endurance6/10Long effort with sustained sets and minimal resting elevates heart rate for an extended period, pushing aerobic capacity while cycling large bodyweight volumes.
Stamina9/10High repetition totals for upper body pulling/dipping, squats, and GHD sit-ups require muscular endurance across shoulders, hips, and trunk.
Strength1/10No external load; success depends on capacity and skill rather than maximal force production.
Flexibility4/10Full-depth squats, overhead/ring positions, and the GHD sit-up’s extended ROM need good shoulder, hip, and spine mobility.
Power4/10Muscle-ups demand explosive hip and pull; however, overall pace is controlled by volume, not max power output.
Speed4/10Some fast cycling on squats and GHDs, but large muscle-up sets and necessary breaks limit sustained sprint speed.

3 Rounds For Time 25 100 35

Difficulty:
Extremely Hard
Modality:
G
Stimulus:

A long, grinding gymnastics session with deliberate pacing. Expect muscle-up sets to feel crisp early and degrade as grip and shoulders fatigue. Air squats should be steady and unbroken with consistent breathing. GHD sit-ups are controlled and rhythmic, not sprinted. The overall feel is relentless but manageable, with strategic breaks to protect grip and midline.

Insight:

Pace from the start. Break muscle-ups early (small, sustainable sets) to avoid failure. Keep squats smooth and unbroken; use them to breathe. The one tip: Protect your midline. Keep GHD sets submaximal and maintain tension—don’t bounce. Common mistakes: Opening with big muscle-up sets, racing GHDs, and ignoring mounting grip fatigue. Respect the volume and move crisply between stations.

Scaling:

Scale to: 3 RFT—15 Muscle-Ups, 100 Air Squats, 25 GHD Sit-Ups • 3 RFT—25 Bar Muscle-Ups (or Jumping BMU), 100 Air Squats, 35 AbMat Sit-Ups • 3 RFT—25 Pull-Ups + 25 Ring Dips, 100 Air Squats, 35 Sit-Ups

Time Distribution:
29:30Elite
42:30Target
60:00Time Cap
Your Scores:

Training Profile

Performance Levels
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