Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

The EMOM format with 21 total reps creates significant time pressure - most athletes will need 45-50 seconds per round, leaving minimal rest. The thruster weight is moderate but becomes challenging under fatigue. The movement combination is particularly taxing: thrusters pre-fatigue the pulling muscles needed for pull-ups, while burpees maintain elevated heart rate throughout. Most athletes will fail between 12-20 minutes.

Benchmark Times for Bergeron Beep Test

• Elite: <22:00
• Advanced: 20:00-18:00
• Intermediate: 16:00-14:00
• Beginner: >6:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Endurance (8/10): EMOM format with three compound movements creates sustained cardiovascular demand. The continuous nature and lack of built-in rest periods challenges aerobic capacity significantly.
• Stamina (7/10): Multiple movement patterns targeting different muscle groups with moderate rep schemes test muscular endurance, especially in shoulders and posterior chain.
• Speed (7/10): EMOM format requires quick transitions and efficient movement patterns to complete all reps within each minute.
• Flexibility (6/10): Thrusters demand good mobility in ankles, hips, and shoulders. Pull-ups and burpees require decent shoulder mobility and hip extension.
• Power (5/10): Thrusters are inherently a power movement, while burpees and pull-ups can be performed explosively to save time.
• Strength (4/10): Moderate load thrusters (75/55 lb) require decent strength, but volume and fatigue make this more stamina-focused than pure strength.

Movements

• Thruster
• Pull-Up
• Burpee

Scaling Options

Thruster weight: 55/35 lbs or empty barbell. Sub ring rows or jumping pull-ups for strict pull-ups. Step-back burpees instead of jumping. Reduce to 5 reps each movement or extend interval to 75 seconds. For beginners, consider 2 movements instead of 3 per minute. Target minimum 12 minutes completion.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if unable to complete 7 unbroken thrusters at Rx weight, cannot perform 3+ strict pull-ups, or regularly exceeding 50 seconds per round. Maintaining movement quality and consistent work:rest ratio is priority. Athletes should finish at least 12 rounds while keeping heart rate below 90% max. Scale load/volume to ensure proper mechanics throughout - especially overhead positioning and midline control.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-to-long duration oxidative capacity workout targeting muscular endurance and mental toughness. The 60-second window creates urgency while the compound movements challenge full-body strength-endurance. Expect 15-25 minutes of sustained effort with increasing fatigue.

Coach Insight

Start at 70-80% effort to build sustainable rhythm. Aim for 35-40 seconds of work with 20-25 seconds rest. Break thrusters into 4-3 or maintain unbroken if possible. Keep pull-ups quick and efficient - avoid early burnout from aggressive kipping. For burpees, focus on consistent but controlled pace rather than sprinting. Watch form degradation at minute 12-15 when fatigue accumulates.

Benchmark Notes

This is an EMOM to failure with 7 thrusters (75/55), 7 pull-ups, and 7 burpees each minute. Analysis: Base movement times per round: - 7 thrusters: 7 × 2.5s = 17.5s - 7 pull-ups: 7 × 1.5s = 10.5s - 7 burpees: 7 × 3.5s = 24.5s Base total: 52.5s leaving ~7.5s rest Using Cindy (5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 squats) as closest anchor since it's similar gymnastics/bodyweight cycle. Cindy L10 is 25-30 rounds in 20 min. Key differences: - Higher intensity (3 movements in 60s vs Cindy's ~40s work) - Heavier thruster load vs air squats - Burpees more taxing than push-ups Projected rounds: L10 (Elite): 22-24 rounds (22-24 min) L5 (Intermediate): 14-16 rounds (14-16 min) L1 (Beginner): 6-8 rounds (6-8 min) Fatigue factors: - Grip fatigue from thrusters to pull-ups - No built-in rest between rounds - Higher heart rate maintained throughout Final targets: Men: L10: ~22 min (1320s) L5: ~14 min (840s) L1: ~6 min (360s) Women: L10: ~23 min (1380s) L5: ~15 min (900s) L1: ~7 min (420s)

Modality Profile

Of the three movements: Pull-Up and Burpee are Gymnastics (G), Thruster is Weightlifting (W), and there are no Monostructural (M) movements. With 2 out of 3 movements being gymnastics, rounded to nearest 10%, this gives us 67% G and 33% W.