Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

The continuous 8-minute AMRAP format creates significant fatigue accumulation without built-in recovery. Wall balls at high volume (likely 6-8 rounds = 150-200 reps) will heavily tax the legs and shoulders, then immediately transitioning to overhead squats - a technically demanding movement requiring mobility, stability, and strength - while already fatigued. The movement interference between leg-dominant wall balls and overhead squats, combined with the unrelenting time pressure, elevates this beyond medium difficulty.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): Wall balls at 25 reps per round will quickly exhaust leg and shoulder stamina, while overhead squats challenge posterior chain endurance.
• Flexibility (8/10): Overhead squats demand exceptional ankle, hip, thoracic, and shoulder mobility. Wall balls require good squat depth and overhead positioning.
• Endurance (7/10): Eight minutes of continuous work with high-rep wall balls creates significant cardiovascular demand and tests aerobic capacity under fatigue.
• Strength (6/10): Overhead squats at snatch balance weight require significant strength, while wall balls demand moderate strength endurance with the medicine ball.
• Speed (6/10): AMRAP format rewards quick transitions and efficient movement cycling, especially maintaining pace as fatigue accumulates over eight minutes.
• Power (4/10): Wall balls require some explosive hip extension, but overhead squats are more controlled. Mixed power demands throughout the workout.

Movements

• Wall Ball
• Overhead Squat

Benchmark Notes

This 8-minute AMRAP combines 25 wall balls (20/14 lb) with 5 overhead squats at snatch balance weight. I'll analyze this movement by movement and compare to relevant anchors. Movement Analysis: - Wall Ball Shots (20/14): In fresh state, elite athletes perform at 2-2.5 sec/rep, intermediates at 2.5-3 sec/rep, novices at 3-4 sec/rep - Overhead Squats: At snatch balance weight (typically 95-135/65-95), elite perform at 2.5-3 sec/rep, intermediates at 3-4 sec/rep, novices at 4-5 sec/rep Round Breakdown: Round 1 (fresh): Wall balls 25 reps × 2.2 sec = 55 sec, OHS 5 reps × 3 sec = 15 sec, transition 5 sec = 75 sec total Round 2-3: Apply 1.1x fatigue = 82-85 sec per round Round 4-5: Apply 1.2x fatigue = 90-95 sec per round Round 6+: Apply 1.3-1.5x fatigue = 100-115 sec per round Anchor Comparison: This workout is most similar to Kelly (which includes wall balls) and general AMRAP patterns. Kelly has 30 wall balls per round but also includes running and box jumps. For an 8-minute AMRAP with this rep scheme, I'm estimating: - Elite (L10): 7+ rounds (sub-70 sec/round average) - Advanced (L5): 5 rounds (96 sec/round average) - Novice (L1): 2-3 rounds (160+ sec/round average) The overhead squats add significant complexity and fatigue, especially as athletes tire. The combination creates shoulder fatigue that compounds across rounds. Final targets: L10: 6.8+ rounds, L5: 4.8 rounds, L1: 2.5 rounds

Modality Profile

Both Wall Ball and Overhead Squat are weightlifting movements using external load (medicine ball and barbell respectively), resulting in 100% weightlifting modality.