Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

While the weights are moderate (85/65), the combination of four grip-intensive movements (cleans, T2B, snatches, pull-ups) creates significant cumulative fatigue. The descending-ascending rep scheme (21-15-9 then 9-15-21) means the athlete hits high-volume pull-ups when most fatigued. The continuous nature without built-in rest periods, combined with technical Olympic lifts under fatigue, makes this challenging for the average CrossFitter.

Benchmark Times for Amber

• Elite: <4:00
• Advanced: 4:30-5:00
• Intermediate: 5:45-6:30
• Beginner: >12:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): The descending-ascending rep scheme and combination of pulling movements heavily taxes upper body muscular endurance, particularly grip and shoulder stamina.
• Power (8/10): Both power cleans and power snatches are explosive movements, requiring significant power output throughout the workout.
• Endurance (7/10): High-rep Olympic lifts combined with gymnastics movements create sustained cardiovascular demand through complex movement patterns and quick transitions between exercises.
• Speed (7/10): For time format encourages quick transitions and cycling of movements, especially during lighter sets.
• Flexibility (6/10): Toes-to-bar demands significant shoulder and hip mobility, while Olympic lifts require good overhead position and front rack flexibility.
• Strength (4/10): Moderate loads for Olympic lifts (85/65 lbs) require strength, but weights are light enough to maintain cycle speed.

Movements

• Power Clean
• Toes-to-Bar
• Power Snatch
• Pull-Up

Scaling Options

Power Clean: 65/45 lbs or 50% of 1RM Power Snatch: 55/35 lbs or 45% of 1RM Toes-to-bar: Knee raises or hanging leg raises Pull-ups: Ring rows or banded pull-ups Rep scheme option: 15-12-9 / 9-12-15 Time cap: 15 minutes

Scaling Explanation

Scale if you cannot perform 5+ unbroken power cleans/snatches at prescribed weight with proper form, or if you lack kipping pull-ups/T2B capacity. Maintaining intensity is crucial - athletes should be able to complete within 12-15 minutes. Prioritize Olympic lifting technique over speed, especially as fatigue accumulates. The workout should feel challenging but manageable, with athletes able to maintain consistent movement standards throughout.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-length glycolytic workout (8-12 minutes) with mixed modal demands. Primary focus is on Olympic lifting technique under fatigue while maintaining gymnastics capacity. The descending-ascending rep scheme creates two distinct phases with different demands on the posterior chain and overhead stability.

Coach Insight

Break up the power cleans early (12-9, 8-7, 5-4) to maintain form. Toes-to-bar should be broken into sets of 5-7 to preserve grip. As fatigue sets in during the power snatches, focus on maintaining active shoulders and full hip extension. Consider quick singles on snatches in final set of 21. For pull-ups, break into manageable sets before grip fails (typically 5-7 reps). Transition quickly between movements but take 2-3 deep breaths between larger sets.

Benchmark Notes

This workout follows a Fran-style rep scheme (21-15-9) but with power cleans and toes-to-bar, followed by an inverted scheme (9-15-21) with power snatches and pull-ups. Using Fran as the primary anchor but adjusting for: 1. Movement Analysis: - Power Clean (85/65): ~2.5s/rep - Toes to Bar: ~2s/rep - Power Snatch (85/65): ~3s/rep - Pull-ups: ~1.5s/rep (kipping) 2. Round Breakdown (Male Elite/L10): First Half: - 21s: (21×2.5 + 21×2) + 15s transition = 109s - 15s: (15×2.5 + 15×2) + 10s transition = 77s - 9s: (9×2.5 + 9×2) + 10s transition = 50s Second Half: - 9s: (9×3 + 9×1.5) + 10s transition = 50s - 15s: (15×3 + 15×1.5) + 10s transition = 77s - 21s: (21×3 + 21×1.5) + finish = 97s Total: ~460s for elite performance Compared to Fran anchor (120-140s male), this should take about 2x longer due to: - Lighter but more technical movements - Additional complexity with reverse pyramid - More total work volume L10 Target: 240-270s (4:00-4:30) L5 Target: 390-450s (6:30-7:30) L1 Target: 720-840s (12:00-14:00) Female times adjusted +20% due to relative loading and typical gender performance gaps in gymnastics movements.

Modality Profile

4 total movements split between 2 modalities: Gymnastics (Toes-to-Bar, Pull-Up) and Weightlifting (Power Clean, Power Snatch). With 2 movements in each category, this creates an even 50/50 split between G and W, with no monostructural movements present.