Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

This workout combines high-skill movements (pistols, burpee pull-ups) with significant volume in a continuous 12-minute format. Pistols require unilateral strength and balance, while burpee pull-ups demand grip strength and coordination under fatigue. The ascending rep scheme creates cumulative fatigue, and the AMRAP format prevents recovery. Most average CrossFitters will need to scale pistols and struggle with grip fatigue from continuous burpee pull-ups.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (9/10): High-volume bodyweight movements with increasing reps each round will severely test muscular endurance, especially in shoulders, core, and legs.
• Endurance (8/10): A 12-minute AMRAP with continuous movement and escalating volume creates significant cardiovascular demand, testing aerobic capacity throughout the time domain.
• Speed (7/10): AMRAP format rewards fast transitions and efficient movement cycling, especially as fatigue accumulates and reps increase each round.
• Flexibility (6/10): Pistols demand excellent ankle, hip, and thoracic mobility, while V-ups require hamstring flexibility and spinal articulation for proper execution.
• Strength (4/10): Pistols require significant unilateral leg strength and stability, while burpee pull-ups demand upper body strength endurance capabilities.
• Power (3/10): Double unders and burpee pull-ups have explosive components, but the high volume and time domain shift focus toward endurance.

Movements

• Pistol Squat
• V-Up
• Air Squat
• Burpee Pull-Up
• Double-Under

Benchmark Notes

This is a 12-minute AMRAP with an ascending ladder pattern starting with 10 pistols, 20 burpee pull-ups, 30 V-ups, 40 air squats, 50 double unders, then increasing by 10 reps per movement each round (20 pistols, 30 burpee pull-ups, etc.). Movement analysis: Pistols are highly technical and slow (3-4 sec per rep including transitions between legs). Burpee pull-ups combine two demanding movements (5-6 sec per rep). V-ups are moderate intensity (2 sec per rep). Air squats are fast but accumulate fatigue (1.5 sec per rep). Double unders are rhythm-dependent (0.5 sec per rep when flowing). Round 1 breakdown: 10 pistols (40 sec) + 20 burpee pull-ups (110 sec) + 30 V-ups (60 sec) + 40 air squats (60 sec) + 50 double unders (30 sec) = 300 seconds base time. With transitions and brief rests, Round 1 takes approximately 5.5-6 minutes for average athletes. Elite athletes might complete Round 1 in 4-4.5 minutes. Round 2 adds 10 reps to each movement, requiring roughly 90 additional seconds of work time, but fatigue significantly impacts the technical movements. Most athletes will complete 1 full round plus partial second round. Elite athletes (L9-L10) may complete 1.5-2 rounds (400-500+ reps). Advanced athletes (L6-L8) complete 1-1.5 rounds (280-400 reps). Intermediate athletes (L3-L5) complete most of first round (200-280 reps). Beginners (L1-L2) may struggle with pistols and complete 120-200 reps with modifications. The high skill requirement of pistols and burpee pull-ups creates significant separation between levels. No direct anchor match, but complexity resembles skill-heavy AMRAPs with similar time domains.

Modality Profile

All five movements (Pistol Squat, Burpee Pull-Up, V-Up, Air Squat, Double-Under) are bodyweight gymnastics movements requiring no external load or cyclical cardio equipment.