Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

This workout combines moderate-heavy loads (155/105) with continuous barbell cycling across three challenging movements for 4 minutes straight. The power clean & jerks require high skill and power, while front squats target legs already fatigued from the complex. Five rounds with only 1-minute rest creates significant accumulative fatigue. The barbell never leaves your hands during each AMRAP, making grip and systemic fatigue the limiting factors.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): Heavy barbell movements combined with bodyweight push-ups over repeated rounds will severely tax upper body and leg muscular endurance capacity.
• Power (8/10): Power cleans and jerks are explosive Olympic lifting movements that heavily emphasize rapid force development and athletic power output.
• Endurance (7/10): Five 4-minute AMRAPs with 1-minute rest intervals create significant cardiovascular demand, testing the ability to maintain output across multiple high-intensity rounds.
• Strength (7/10): Power cleans, jerks, and front squats at 155/105 pounds require substantial strength, especially as fatigue accumulates across five demanding rounds.
• Flexibility (6/10): Power cleans demand full-body mobility, front squats require ankle and thoracic flexibility, while jerks need overhead mobility and coordination.
• Speed (6/10): AMRAP format rewards quick transitions between movements and efficient cycling, though heavier loads limit maximum movement speed potential.

Movements

• Push Jerk
• Push-Up
• Front Squat
• Power Clean

Scaling Options

Reduce weight to 115/85 or 95/65 lbs to maintain power output. Scale push-ups to incline or knee push-ups. Consider reducing to 3 rounds total or shortening AMRAPs to 3 minutes. Advanced athletes can increase weight to 185/125 lbs. Substitute power cleans only if clean & jerk technique is lacking.

Scaling Explanation

Scale weight if you cannot perform 3 unbroken power clean & jerks at the start when fresh. The load should allow for quick singles throughout. Scale push-ups if you cannot maintain sets of 3+ consistently. Goal is 8-12 total rounds across all AMRAPs. Prioritize movement quality and consistent pacing over heavy loading.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-duration glycolytic workout targeting muscular endurance and power endurance. Each 4-minute AMRAP creates lactate accumulation with 1-minute recovery allowing partial restoration. Tests ability to maintain technique and intensity across multiple high-intensity intervals while managing fatigue from moderate-heavy loads.

Coach Insight

Aim for 2-3 rounds per AMRAP - this requires steady pacing, not all-out sprints. Break power clean & jerks into singles early to preserve grip and shoulders. Keep push-ups unbroken or in max 2 sets. Front squats should be 6-3 or 5-4 to avoid extended holds. Focus on efficient transitions and consistent breathing. The barbell work will tax grip strength significantly by rounds 3-4.

Benchmark Notes

This workout consists of 5 rounds of 4-minute AMRAPs with 1-minute rest between rounds. Each round contains 3 Power Clean & Jerks (155/105), 6 Push Ups, and 9 Front Squats (155/105) - totaling 18 reps per cycle. Movement times: Power Clean & Jerk at 155/105 = 5-7 seconds per rep (elite to novice), Push Ups = 1-1.5 seconds per rep, Front Squats at 155/105 = 2-3 seconds per rep. One full cycle takes approximately 30-45 seconds for elite athletes, 45-60 seconds for intermediate, and 60-75 seconds for novices. In a 4-minute AMRAP, elite athletes can complete 5-6 full cycles (90-108 reps), intermediate athletes 4-5 cycles (72-90 reps), and novices 3-4 cycles (54-72 reps). Fatigue accumulates significantly across 5 rounds: Round 1 at 100% capacity, Round 2 at 95%, Round 3 at 85%, Round 4 at 75%, Round 5 at 65%. The heavy barbell movements (155/105) create significant central nervous system fatigue. Total workout capacity: Elite 450+ reps, Advanced 400-450 reps, Intermediate 350-400 reps, Novice 250-350 reps, Beginner 150-250 reps.

Modality Profile

4 movements total: Push-Up (G), Power Clean (W), Push Jerk (W), Front Squat (W). 1 gymnastics movement, 0 monostructural, 3 weightlifting movements = 25% G, 0% M, 75% W