Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

The 155/105lb thrusters are moderately heavy and placed first in each round, requiring significant power output when relatively fresh. The subsequent burpees create upper body fatigue that carries into box jumps, while the kettlebell swings add metabolic stress at the end of each round. With minimal built-in rest and compound movement interference, most athletes will need to break up the thrusters and pace the burpees to complete all rounds.

Benchmark Times for William Mahoney

• Elite: <5:00
• Advanced: 6:00-7:00
• Intermediate: 8:00-9:00
• Beginner: >15:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High-rep scheme combined with heavy thrusters and full-body movements tests muscular endurance across multiple muscle groups, especially legs and shoulders.
• Power (8/10): Multiple explosive movements: thrusters, box jumps, and the hip drive in kettlebell swings all require significant power output.
• Endurance (7/10): Three rounds of compound movements with increasing reps creates significant cardiovascular demand. The burpees and box jumps particularly challenge the aerobic system.
• Flexibility (7/10): Thrusters demand significant mobility in ankles, hips, and shoulders. Box jumps and burpees require good hip flexion and extension.
• Strength (6/10): Heavy thrusters at 155/105 require significant strength, while other movements are more moderate in load but compound fatigue.
• Speed (6/10): Quick transitions between movements and fast cycling of moderate-load exercises are important, but heavy thrusters will limit overall speed.

Movements

• Thruster
• Kettlebell Swing
• Burpee
• Box Jump

Scaling Options

Thrusters: Scale to 115/75 lb or 95/65 lb based on capacity. Sub step-ups or lower box height (20/16 in) for box jumps. Reduce kettlebell weight to 20/12 kg or 16/8 kg. For significant scaling, consider 2 rounds instead of 3, or cap time at 15 minutes. Alternative movement options: Front squats + push press for thrusters, step-ups for box jumps, Russian KB swings.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if you cannot perform 5 unbroken thrusters at prescribed weight, lack box jump proficiency when tired, or typically require multiple breaks during kettlebell swing sets. Maintaining power output and proper movement patterns should take priority over prescribed weight/height. Target time domain is 8-12 minutes - scale load/volume if you'll exceed 15 minutes. Focus on explosive hip drive in all movements even when scaling weight.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-length glycolytic workout targeting 8-12 minutes. Combines moderate-heavy load (thrusters) with explosive movements (box jumps) and high-volume conditioning work. Primary challenge is maintaining power output while managing systemic fatigue across multiple movement patterns.

Coach Insight

Break thrusters into 3-2 or 2-2-1 from the start - don't go unbroken early. Quick-drop burpees with minimal ground time. Step-down from box jumps when fatigued to maintain safety. Keep kettlebell swings powerful but controlled in sets of 10-10 or 12-8. Rest briefly between movements rather than mid-set. Transitions should be deliberate but efficient - don't rush into thrusters cold.

Benchmark Notes

This workout is most similar to DT (5 rounds of barbell cycling) but with lighter load and mixed modalities. Using DT as anchor (L10: 360-420s, L5: 540-660s, L1: 840-960s). Breakdown per round: Thrusters (155/105): 3-4s/rep × 5 reps = 15-20s Burpees: 3-4s × 10 reps = 30-40s Box Jumps: 2s × 15 reps = 30s KB Swings: 2s × 20 reps = 40s Base round time: ~120s for elite Transitions between movements: 3-5s × 3 = 12-15s Total per round: ~135s fresh state Fatigue multipliers: Round 1: 1.0x = 135s Round 2: 1.1x = 149s Round 3: 1.2x = 162s Projected total for elite (L10): 446s → Target 300-360s with competitive intensity Scaling from DT anchor but faster due to: - More metabolic movements (faster cycle time) - Less technical complexity - Less loading/unloading time Final targets (M/F): L10: 5:00/7:00 L5: 9:00/11:00 L1: 15:00/17:00

Modality Profile

Of the 4 movements: Burpee and Box Jump are Gymnastics (G), Thruster and Kettlebell Swing are Weightlifting (W). 2 movements each = 50/50 split between G and W, with no Monostructural movements present.

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