Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

Five rounds blend heavy barbell pieces (135/75 lb) with bike calories and sit-ups for a sustained grind. Estimated finish for mid‑pack Rx athletes is ~25–27 minutes. Density calculates to about 45 units/min (40 pts), average movement complexity ~36 pts, and a 20–30 minute time domain (65 pts), yielding a Hard overall score with high upper‑body fatigue.

Benchmark Times for Assault Flex

• Elite: <7:00
• Advanced: 8:00-9:00
• Intermediate: 10:00-11:00
• Beginner: >18:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High repetition volume under fatigue, especially for curls and floor presses, taxes local muscular endurance of the forearms, biceps, shoulders, and triceps over five rounds.
• Endurance (6/10): A long 5-round effort with 100 total bike calories drives sustained aerobic output. Pacing respiration and heart rate matters to keep barbell sets steady across the 20–30 minute window.
• Strength (6/10): Loads of 135/75 lb for repeated sets require solid strength, particularly in upper-body pressing and pulling, though it’s submaximal rather than true 1-rep max strength.
• Speed (4/10): Transitions are quick, but heavy upper-body sets limit cycling speed. Smart set management beats all-out sprints to prevent early blow-ups.
• Power (3/10): Limited explosive demand. Most barbell work is controlled and grindy; bike power spikes are brief and moderated to sustain five rounds.
• Flexibility (2/10): Basic ranges of motion: hinge, pull, floor press, and sit-ups. No advanced mobility demands beyond standard shoulder and hip positions.

Movements

• Air Bike
• Sit-Up
• Floor Press
• Sumo Deadlift High-Pull
• Barbell Curl

Scaling Options

Scale to: 95/65 lb on all barbell movements • 4 rounds for time (same reps) • Use dumbbells 2×35/20 lb for curl and floor press with 15/12 cal bike

Scaling Explanation

These options reduce load or volume while preserving the push-pull-bike-sit-up structure and the intended steady, upper-body endurance stimulus.

Intended Stimulus

A steady, gritty upper-body pump paired with aerobic pacing. The barbell portions should feel challenging but manageable in small sets with short rests. Bike at a sustainable cadence that doesn’t wreck the arms for presses and curls. Sit-ups remain unbroken and steady. Aim for consistent round splits without big drop-offs.

Coach Insight

Pace each round so your first and last splits are within 30–45 seconds. Break curls and floor presses early (e.g., 6-4 and 8-7) to protect grip and triceps. The big tip: Bike at a pace you can step off and lift immediately—no lingering. Common mistakes: Going unbroken early on curls, redlining the bike, and losing 60–90 seconds in later rounds. Keep rest short and purposeful.

Benchmark Notes

This workout combines barbell movements with cardio and core work across 5 rounds. Movement breakdown: Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls (135/75): 2-3 sec per rep fresh, Power Curls (135/75): 2.5-3 sec per rep, Ground Presses (135/75): 2.5-3 sec per rep, Assault Bike 20 cal: 30-50 sec, AbMat Sit-Ups: 1 sec per rep. Round 1 fresh times: SDHP 10-15 sec, Power Curls 25-30 sec, Ground Presses 25-30 sec, Bike 30-50 sec, Sit-ups 25 sec = 115-150 sec. Applying fatigue multipliers: Round 2 (1.1x), Round 3 (1.2x), Round 4 (1.3x), Round 5 (1.5x). Total base time 575-750 sec, plus transitions (5 sec between movements x 4 transitions x 5 rounds = 100 sec) and set breaks for barbell movements (15-30 sec per round). This gives a range of 690-880 sec for intermediate athletes. The closest anchor is Helen (3 rounds with similar mixed modal structure), where L5 is 630-750 sec. Scaling up for 5 rounds and heavier barbell work, L5 target becomes 660 sec. Elite athletes (L10) can maintain better pacing and minimize breaks, targeting 420 sec. Recreational athletes (L1) will need significant rest between barbell sets and struggle with the bike, targeting 1080 sec. Final targets: L10: 420 sec, L5: 660 sec, L1: 1080 sec.

Modality Profile

Weightlifting dominates with three barbell movements each round, consuming the largest chunk of work time. The Assault Bike provides steady monostructural demand, while sit-ups add a meaningful bodyweight component. The result is a weightlifting-heavy, mixed-modal grinder.

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