Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

The 155/105lb power cleans are moderately heavy for most athletes, requiring technical proficiency under fatigue. The 9-minute AMRAP format creates continuous work with no built-in rest, causing significant grip and posterior chain fatigue accumulation. The step-ups with sandbag compound this by targeting similar muscle groups. Most average CrossFitters will need multiple breaks on the cleans as rounds progress, and many may need to scale the weight to maintain movement quality throughout the time domain.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High rep step ups combined with repeated power cleans will heavily tax muscular endurance, especially posterior chain and legs.
• Power (8/10): Power cleans are explosive by nature, requiring rapid force production from the floor through triple extension and catch.
• Endurance (7/10): Nine minutes of continuous work with heavy power cleans and step ups creates significant cardiovascular demand and aerobic stress.
• Strength (6/10): Power cleans at 155/105 require substantial strength, while weighted step ups add significant load demand throughout the workout.
• Speed (6/10): AMRAP format rewards quick transitions and efficient movement cycling, especially between the two contrasting movement patterns.
• Flexibility (4/10): Power cleans demand good hip, ankle, and shoulder mobility, while step ups require basic hip flexion and extension range.

Movements

• Power Clean
• Step-Up

Benchmark Notes

This 9-minute AMRAP combines power cleans at 155/105 with step-ups carrying a sandbag. I'll analyze this movement by movement and compare to relevant anchors. Movement Analysis: - Power Clean (155/105): At this load, elite athletes can cycle singles in 2-3 seconds, intermediates need 3-4 seconds, beginners 4-6 seconds - Step-ups with Sandbag (100/70, 24/20): Each rep involves stepping up and down while carrying load, approximately 3-4 seconds per rep for elite, 4-5 seconds intermediate, 5-7 seconds beginners Round Breakdown (17 total reps per round): - Round 1 (fresh): Elite ~45-50 seconds, Intermediate ~65-75 seconds, Beginner ~85-100 seconds - Fatigue accumulation: Power cleans become more taxing as grip and CNS fatigue sets in. Step-ups maintain more consistent pace but leg fatigue builds - Transition time between movements: 3-5 seconds for elite, 5-8 seconds for others Anchor Comparison: This workout is most similar to DT (5 rounds: 12 deadlift, 9 hang clean, 6 push jerk at 155/105) which has L10: 360-420 sec, L5: 540-660 sec, L1: 840-960 sec. However, DT is for time while this is AMRAP, and DT has 27 reps per round vs 17 here. Converting DT time anchors to round estimates: - DT L10 completes 5 rounds in ~6-7 minutes, suggesting ~1.2-1.4 min/round - Our workout has fewer reps per round (17 vs 27) but similar loading intensity - In 9 minutes, elite athletes should complete 6.5-7.5 rounds - Intermediate (L5) should complete 4.5-5.5 rounds - Beginners (L1) should complete 2-3 rounds Final Targets: - L10: 7.2 rounds - L5: 4.8 rounds - L1: 2.5 rounds

Modality Profile

Power Clean is a weightlifting movement with external load (barbell), Step-Up is a bodyweight gymnastics movement. Two modalities present: 50% Weightlifting, 50% Gymnastics.