Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

This 21-15-9 format creates sustained work periods with the combination of movements targeting legs continuously (pistols, KB swings) while pull-ups tax the upper body. Pistols require significant skill and balance under fatigue, especially after pull-ups. The heavy kettlebell (32/34kg) adds considerable load to an already challenging combination. Most athletes will need to break up sets significantly by the final round.

Benchmark Times for Dean

• 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): High local muscular endurance demands, especially in posterior chain and legs. Multiple joint actions must be sustained across 45 total reps per movement.
• Flexibility (8/10): Pistols demand exceptional ankle, hip, and knee mobility. Pull-ups require good shoulder mobility, especially when fatigued.
• Strength (7/10): Heavy kettlebell swings and single-leg pistols require significant strength. Pull-ups test relative strength capacity across higher rep ranges.
• Speed (7/10): Quick transitions and cycle rates are crucial for a competitive time. The descending rep scheme allows for aggressive pacing.
• Endurance (6/10): The descending rep scheme and moderate volume creates sustained cardiovascular demand, though breaks are possible between sets. Total work typically takes 8-12 minutes.
• Power (6/10): Kettlebell swings are inherently powerful hip drives. Speed of pull-ups and pistol recovery phase involves power elements.

Movements

• Pull-Up
• Pistol Squat
• Kettlebell Swing

Scaling Options

Pull-ups: Ring rows (chest to ring) or banded pull-ups Pistols: Box pistols, elevated heel pistols, or split squats (21-15-9 each leg) KB Swings: Reduce weight to 24/20kg or 16/12kg, maintain hip dominance Volume Option: Reduce to 15-12-9 or 12-9-6 while keeping movement quality Time Cap: 15 minutes

Scaling Explanation

Scale if you cannot perform 5+ strict pull-ups, lack single-leg squat stability, or cannot maintain powerful hip drive with prescribed KB weight. Prioritize full range of motion and proper mechanics over speed. Athletes should be able to perform at least 3-5 unbroken reps of each movement when fresh. Target time domain is 8-12 minutes - scale load/volume if you cannot maintain consistent movement quality within this window. Focus on hip drive in KB swings even when scaling weight.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-length glycolytic workout (8-12 minutes) combining lower body strength, upper body pulling, and explosive hip drive. Primary challenge is maintaining quality movement patterns under increasing fatigue. Tests both strength-endurance and skill capacity across multiple movement patterns.

Coach Insight

Break up pull-ups early (sets of 7-7-7 or 8-7-6) to avoid grip fatigue. Pistols should be alternating legs to distribute load. For KB swings, maintain powerful hip drive but control the backswing to conserve grip strength. Quick transitions between movements are key, but don't rush pistols. Most athletes hit the wall in round of 15 - plan your breaks before reaching failure. Consider larger sets of KB swings (unbroken if possible) since they're most metabolically efficient.

Benchmark Notes

This workout closely mirrors Fran's 21-15-9 rep scheme but with pistols instead of thrusters and heavier KB swings. Using Fran as our anchor (2:00-2:20 elite men, 2:20-2:50 elite women): Movement breakdown (elite pace): - Pull-ups: 1.5s/rep fresh → 45 reps = 67.5s base - Pistols: 2.5s/rep fresh → 45 reps = 112.5s base - KB Swings (32/34kg): 2s/rep fresh → 45 reps = 90s base Fatigue multipliers: - First round (21): 1.0x - Second round (15): 1.2x (leg fatigue from pistols) - Third round (9): 1.3x (cumulative fatigue) Transitions: ~5s between movements = 30s total Total projected time for elite athletes: 240-300s (4:00-5:00) men 300-360s (5:00-6:00) women Slightly slower than Fran due to: 1. Heavier KB load (32/34kg vs standard) 2. Pistols being more technical/slower than thrusters 3. Greater leg fatigue impact Recap: Men: L10: 4:00-5:00 L5: 6:30-7:00 L1: 12:00-13:00 Women: L10: 5:00-6:00 L5: 7:30-8:00 L1: 13:00-14:00

Modality Profile

Pull-Up and Pistol Squat are gymnastics (bodyweight) movements, while Kettlebell Swing is a weightlifting movement. With 2 out of 3 movements being gymnastics, rounded to nearest 10%, we get 70/0/30 split.