Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

The 15-minute 3RM back squat creates significant leg fatigue before the AMRAP. Then 60% loading (typically 180-225lbs for average athletes) on squat cleans and front squats becomes brutal under accumulated fatigue. The continuous 20-minute format with no built-in rest, combined with lateral burpees taxing the same muscle groups, creates a grinding leg-dominant workout that will force most athletes to scale weight or take extended breaks.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High volume of squatting movements at 60% load plus burpees will heavily tax leg and core muscular endurance over the extended time domain.
• Endurance (7/10): The 20-minute AMRAP creates significant cardiovascular demand, especially with the continuous cycling through squat cleans, front squats, and burpees without programmed rest.
• Strength (7/10): Finding a 3RM back squat is pure strength testing, and the subsequent AMRAP uses 60% of that max, maintaining moderate strength demands.
• Flexibility (6/10): Squat cleans require full depth mobility, front squats demand thoracic spine and ankle flexibility, and burpees challenge hip and shoulder range of motion.
• Power (6/10): Squat cleans are inherently explosive movements requiring significant power output, while burpees demand repeated explosive hip extension from the ground.
• Speed (5/10): The AMRAP format rewards efficient movement transitions and maintaining consistent pace, though the heavy squatting movements limit overall cycling speed.

Movements

• Lateral Burpee
• Squat Clean
• Back Squat
• Front Squat

Benchmark Notes

This workout combines a 3RM back squat strength component followed by a 20-minute AMRAP with squat cleans, front squats, and lateral burpees. Since scoring is 'Rounds + Reps', I'm focusing on the AMRAP portion. Each round consists of 3 squat cleans + 6 front squats + 9 lateral burpees = 18 total reps per round. Movement analysis: Squat cleans at 60% of 3RM (~70-75% of 1RM) will take 3-4 seconds per rep when fresh, increasing to 4-5 seconds under fatigue. Front squats at the same load will be 2.5-3 seconds per rep initially, degrading to 3.5-4 seconds. Lateral burpees over barbell take 4-5 seconds each. Round 1 timing: 3 cleans (12 sec) + 6 front squats (18 sec) + 9 burpees (40 sec) + transitions (10 sec) = ~80 seconds. As fatigue accumulates, rounds will slow significantly due to the heavy barbell work. By round 5-6, expect 1.3-1.4x multiplier. Rounds 7+ will see 1.5-2.0x slowdown with forced rest between barbell reps. This is similar to Elizabeth (21-15-9 squat clean + ring dip) but with much higher volume and longer duration. Elizabeth L5 is 6-7 minutes for 45 total squat cleans, while this has potential for 60+ squat cleans over 20 minutes. Elite athletes (L10) should complete 10-11 rounds, managing the heavy load efficiently with minimal rest. Average CrossFitters (L5) will complete 6-7 rounds as the barbell work becomes very challenging. Beginners (L1) may only complete 3-4 rounds due to the technical and strength demands. Final targets: L10: 10.9 rounds, L5: 6.7 rounds, L1: 3.5 rounds.

Modality Profile

4 movements total: Back Squat (W), Squat Clean (W), Front Squat (W), Lateral Burpee (G). Three weightlifting movements with external load and one bodyweight gymnastics movement, resulting in 75% weightlifting and 25% gymnastics.