Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

The thrusters at 135/95 are heavy for average athletes, and though only 5 per round, they’re performed five times with no rest and immediately after burpees that spike heart rate and fatigue legs/shoulders. Movement interference keeps recovery minimal, forcing breaks or slower burpees. Expect ~9–12 minutes of sustained redline work. Manageable volume, but load plus pace make it Hard rather than Medium.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (7/10): Accumulating 25 heavy thrusters and 60 burpees taxes local muscular endurance of legs, shoulders, and core. Repeated five-round exposure forces sustained output under fatigue without long rest, emphasizing stamina over maximal strength.
• Speed (7/10): Short sets and simple movements reward fast cycling, tight transitions, and barbell efficiency. Athletes can sprint early rounds, but load and breathing limit all-out speed, requiring controlled aggression for optimal times.
• Endurance (6/10): Short-to-mid duration, five-round for time piece keeps heart rate elevated, particularly through 60 lateral burpees. Continuous movement with minimal planned rest challenges aerobic system, but duration and total volume stop short of pure endurance test.
• Power (5/10): Each thruster rep benefits from powerful hip drive, and lateral burpee jump-overs add plyometric elements. However, cumulative fatigue shifts emphasis toward sustainable power endurance rather than pure maximal explosiveness or single-effort power outputs.
• Strength (4/10): Thrusters at 135/95 require competent front squat and press strength, especially unbroken or with brief pauses. Load influences pacing and form, but the workout does not approach maximal loading or single-rep efforts.
• Flexibility (3/10): Effective thrusters demand front rack mobility, hip and ankle depth in the squat, and stable shoulder overhead positions. Burpees require minimal mobility. Range demands are moderate, not contortion-level or extreme positional requirements.

Movements

• Thruster
• Lateral Bar-Over Burpee

Scaling Options

Load reductions: - Choose a weight you can do 10+ unbroken thrusters fresh and 5 unbroken every round when fatigued. - Suggested tiers: 115/75 lb, 95/65 lb, 75/55 lb, 65/45 lb, or empty barbell. As a guide, about 50–60 percent of front squat 1RM or 60–70 percent of push press 1RM if those numbers are known. Movement substitutions: - Thrusters: Double dumbbell (2x35/25 lb), single dumbbell (switch arms as needed), or front squats only if pressing is the limiter; push press if squatting is the limiter. - Burpees: Standard burpees (no bar), up-downs (no push-up), or line hops after each burpee. Allow step-down/step-up to manage heart rate. If two-foot takeoff is not safe, jump with a reduced target or remove the bar. Volume modifications: - Reduce to 4 rounds or 3 rounds for newer athletes. - Adjust per round to 4 thrusters and/or 8–10 burpees while keeping 5 rounds. Time adjustments: - Goal finish: 8–12 minutes. Set a hard cap of 15 minutes. If not on pace for sub-12 by halfway, cut one round or reduce burpees to 8 per remaining round.

Scaling Explanation

When to scale: - You cannot keep thrusters unbroken with crisp depth, rack position, and full lockout every round. - Round 1 takes longer than 2:00 or you need 20+ seconds of rest before picking up the bar. - Mobility limits prevent a safe front rack or overhead position, or you experience back rounding or shoulder pain. Why to scale and what to prioritize: - Preserve the intended fast, repeatable rounds and high power output. Prioritize safe mechanics (upright torso, stable rack, full lockout) and continuous movement over heavy loading. - Intensity beats load here: better to move lighter and faster than to grind. Targets to guide decisions: - Finish in 8–12 minutes at RPE 8–9 with minimal resting. - Thruster sets ≤20 seconds, burpees ≤60–70 seconds per round. - If these cannot be met by round 2, reduce load, reps, or rounds to maintain stimulus.

Intended Stimulus

Fast, repeatable bursts that punish legs and lungs while demanding clean barbell cycling. - Time domain target: 8–12 minutes for most (advanced 6–9); rounds should average 75–120 seconds. - Energy system: Primarily glycolytic with aerobic support; brief phosphagen effort on the thrusters each round. - Primary challenge: Conditioning and mental resilience under leg fatigue; secondary focus on efficient thruster mechanics and tight transitions.

Coach Insight

Pacing strategy: - Aim for unbroken sets of 5 thrusters every round, then settle into a steady burpee cadence (about 3–4 seconds per burpee). Keep transitions to 3–5 seconds or less. - Target each round in 75–120 seconds. If round 1 is faster than 60–70 seconds, you likely went too hot; if slower than 2:00, scale. Movement tips and cues: - Thruster: Full grip on the bar, high elbows, heels down. Drive the bar with the legs first; finish with a hard punch overhead (biceps by ears). Breathe at the top, not in the hole. Keep the bar close and lock out before lowering. - Lateral burpees over bar: Step down to control heart rate if needed; snap hips hard to stand, then small, efficient two-foot jump over the bar. Land close to the bar to reduce extra steps. Common mistakes to avoid: - Opening too fast and redlining by round 2. - Resting too long before picking up the bar; instead, commit to the bar and go unbroken. - Soft lockouts, crashing the bar on the shoulders, or losing the front-rack position. - Drifting away from the bar on burpees, adding unnecessary steps. Rep scheme suggestions: - Plan to keep thrusters unbroken (5 every round). If needed, go 3-2 with a 2–3 second breath between. - Keep burpees continuous; consider a breath break at 6 of 12 if needed. Maintain a repeatable cadence rather than sprint-rest cycles.

Modality Profile

Two unique movements. Thruster is Weightlifting (external load). Lateral Burpee Over Barbell is a bodyweight movement (Gymnastics). With two modalities present, the breakdown is 50/50, rounded to the nearest 10%.