Workout Description

5 Rounds For Time (with 3 min rest between rounds) 20 Pull-Ups 30 Push-Ups 40 Sit-Ups 50 Air Squats

Why This Workout Is Hard

Simple movements but massive volume: 700 total reps across pull, push, midline, and squat patterns. The 3-minute rests limit redline but don’t prevent cumulative local fatigue, especially on pull-ups and push-ups. Long 30–45 minute duration and grip/pushing endurance elevate difficulty well beyond a typical medium bodyweight workout, demanding disciplined pacing and sustainable sets.

Benchmark Times for Barbara

  • Elite: <30:00
  • Advanced: 32:00-34:00
  • Intermediate: 37:00-40:00
  • Beginner: >60:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

  • Stamina (9/10): Seven hundred reps heavily tax local muscular endurance in lats, chest, midline, and legs. Success depends on repeatable set sizes and controlled fatigue across five work intervals.
  • Endurance (6/10): Work spans 30–45 minutes including prescribed rest. Heart rate stays elevated without prolonged redline, challenging aerobic ability to recover between bouts and maintain steady breathing while volume accumulates.
  • Speed (4/10): Quick transitions and short, sustainable sets matter, but continuous sprinting isn’t possible. Athletes minimize chalk breaks and manage brief rests to keep cadence efficient without failure.
  • Flexibility (2/10): Demands are standard: full-depth squats, shoulder extension for pull-ups, and hip flexion on sit-ups. Mobility rarely limits performance if athletes maintain sound positions through fatigue.
  • Power (2/10): No explosive lifts or sprints. The session rewards controlled, efficient reps over peak power. Bursts early typically backfire as local fatigue rapidly degrades cycle speed.
  • Strength (1/10): No external loading. Strength is rarely limiting unless strict pulling or pressing capacity is very low. The emphasis is on volume tolerance instead of maximal force production.

Scaling Options

Scale to: Ring Row or Banded Pull-Up • Push-Up to Box or Knees • Reduce volume to 12/20/30/40 per round

Scaling Explanation

These options keep the same pull/push/midline/squat stimulus while matching capacity so you can hold consistent round times and good mechanics.

Intended Stimulus

Steady, repeatable round times with controlled, non-failure sets. Each work bout should feel like muscular burn you can sustain for 3–5 minutes, then fully recover to repeat. The goal is consistent or slightly slowing splits, quick transitions, and maintaining flawless range of motion under accumulating fatigue.

Coach Insight

Pace it: Start at a pace you can match in round four. Cap sets before failure (e.g., 10-6-4 pull-ups; 15-10-5 push-ups). One tip: Protect push-ups—manage short sets and brief shake-outs early to avoid late collapse. Avoid: Chalk walks, long breaks, and sloppy ROM. Sit up tall, stand fast from squats, and breathe through transitions.

Benchmark Notes

Times include the built-in 12 minutes of rest. Choose scaling that lets you land near your level. L5 target is around 40 minutes. Advanced athletes push for 32–34 minutes with even or slightly slowing round splits and clean reps.

Modality Profile

All movements are gymnastics/bodyweight: pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, and air squats. There’s no monostructural work or external loading. Most time is spent on push-ups, sit-ups, and squats, with pull-ups adding a grip and lat component that shapes pacing.

Similar Workouts to Barbara

If you enjoy Barbara, you might also like these similar CrossFit WODs:

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These WODs similar to Barbara share comparable training demands, time domains, and movement patterns.

Training Profile

AttributeScoreExplanation
Endurance6/10Work spans 30–45 minutes including prescribed rest. Heart rate stays elevated without prolonged redline, challenging aerobic ability to recover between bouts and maintain steady breathing while volume accumulates.
Stamina9/10Seven hundred reps heavily tax local muscular endurance in lats, chest, midline, and legs. Success depends on repeatable set sizes and controlled fatigue across five work intervals.
Strength1/10No external loading. Strength is rarely limiting unless strict pulling or pressing capacity is very low. The emphasis is on volume tolerance instead of maximal force production.
Flexibility2/10Demands are standard: full-depth squats, shoulder extension for pull-ups, and hip flexion on sit-ups. Mobility rarely limits performance if athletes maintain sound positions through fatigue.
Power2/10No explosive lifts or sprints. The session rewards controlled, efficient reps over peak power. Bursts early typically backfire as local fatigue rapidly degrades cycle speed.
Speed4/10Quick transitions and short, sustainable sets matter, but continuous sprinting isn’t possible. Athletes minimize chalk breaks and manage brief rests to keep cadence efficient without failure.

5 Rounds For Time (with 3 min rest between rounds) 20 Pull-Ups 30 Push-Ups 40 Sit-Ups 50 Air Squats

Difficulty:
Hard
Modality:
G
Stimulus:

Steady, repeatable round times with controlled, non-failure sets. Each work bout should feel like muscular burn you can sustain for 3–5 minutes, then fully recover to repeat. The goal is consistent or slightly slowing splits, quick transitions, and maintaining flawless range of motion under accumulating fatigue.

Insight:

Pace it: Start at a pace you can match in round four. Cap sets before failure (e.g., 10-6-4 pull-ups; 15-10-5 push-ups). One tip: Protect push-ups—manage short sets and brief shake-outs early to avoid late collapse. Avoid: Chalk walks, long breaks, and sloppy ROM. Sit up tall, stand fast from squats, and breathe through transitions.

Scaling:

Scale to: Ring Row or Banded Pull-Up • Push-Up to Box or Knees • Reduce volume to 12/20/30/40 per round

Time Distribution:
33:00Elite
42:30Target
60:00Time Cap
Your Scores:

Training Profile

Performance Levels

L1
L2
L3
L4
L5
L6
L7
L8
L9
L10

Times include the built-in 12 minutes of rest. Choose scaling that lets you land near your level. L5 target is around 40 minutes. Advanced athletes push for 32–34 minutes with even or slightly slowing round splits and clean reps.