Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

The EMOM 'Death by' format forces a relentless pace of 15 burpees per minute (~30-35 seconds work, ~25 seconds rest) until failure. This approximately 1:1 work-to-rest ratio is unsustainable, creating brutal cardiovascular and muscular fatigue accumulation. While modified burpees are easier than standard, the forced pace prevents strategic recovery, similar to Kalsu's EMOM brutality. Average athletes will likely fail around 8-12 rounds (120-180 total burpees), making this a grinding mental and physical battle.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Endurance (9/10): Death by format with escalating burpee volume creates extreme cardiovascular demand. Heart rate stays elevated throughout with minimal recovery as work increases each minute until failure.
• Stamina (9/10): Accumulating burpee volume rapidly tests muscular endurance across chest, shoulders, core, and legs. By minutes 5-6, athletes face 75-90+ total burpees with fatigue compounding each round.
• Speed (8/10): EMOM structure demands rapid cycling to preserve rest time. Athletes must maintain quick transitions and efficient movement patterns as volume increases to survive longer.
• Strength (2/10): Bodyweight movement without explosive component. Tests relative strength endurance rather than maximal force production, though fatigue makes later reps feel heavier.
• Flexibility (2/10): Standard range of motion for burpee pattern: hip flexion to plank to standing. No extreme mobility demands beyond basic functional movement patterns.
• Power (1/10): Modified burpee removes jump and clap, eliminating explosive elements. This becomes a sustained grind rather than power output test, focusing on continuous movement efficiency.

Movements

• Burpee

Scaling Options

Reduce to 12 burpees per minute to allow adequate rest. Elevate hands on 12-16 inch box for incline burpees to reduce load on shoulders. Step back and forward instead of jumping if explosive power is limited. For those new to high-volume burpees, cap at 10 minutes total work regardless of rounds completed. Alternative: straight EMOM of 10-12 burpees for 8-10 rounds (not to failure) to build capacity.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if you cannot complete 15 burpees in under 45 seconds when fresh, as this leaves insufficient recovery time. Priority is maintaining consistent movement quality across multiple rounds rather than gutting out 3-4 ugly rounds. Goal is to complete at least 5 rounds with proper form. Athletes with shoulder issues or limited pressing strength should use incline variation. If you've never done a 'death by' workout, cap the time to learn pacing without complete failure.

Intended Stimulus

High-volume glycolytic conditioning test with aerobic endurance component. Each minute demands 15 modified burpees, continuing until failure. Time domain is 5-12+ minutes depending on capacity. Primary challenge is muscular endurance in the pressing muscles and hip flexors, combined with mental fortitude to continue under accumulating fatigue. Tests ability to recover while maintaining work capacity across repeated high-rep efforts.

Coach Insight

First round should take 30-40 seconds maximum, leaving 20-30 seconds rest. Establish a breathing rhythm immediately - exhale on the way down, inhale on the way up. Keep hips high in the plank position to minimize distance traveled. Move with purpose but don't sprint early rounds. Most athletes fail between rounds 6-10. The transition from chest to standing is where efficiency is lost - drive hips up first, then step or jump feet forward. Avoid sloppy form as fatigue sets in - maintain plank position rather than sagging hips. When rest periods shrink below 10 seconds, you're likely 1-2 rounds from failure.

Benchmark Notes

This is a Death by EMOM where athletes must complete 15 down-and-up burpees every minute until failure. The primary limiter is muscular endurance and lactate tolerance—15 burpees per minute requires a 4-second pace, which is aggressive even without the jump. L1 athletes (2 rounds) can barely sustain this pace for 2 minutes. L5 (7 rounds) reflects a fit CrossFitter managing controlled breathing and short breaks mid-set by round 5-6. L10 (17 rounds) requires elite pacing discipline, likely breaking into 8-7 or 5-5-5 early, then smaller sets as fatigue mounts, with minimal transition time.

Modality Profile

Burpee is a bodyweight movement combining a push-up and jump, classified entirely as Gymnastics (G). Single movement = 100% of that modality.