Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

This workout combines three brutal elements across 3 rounds with no built-in rest. The 1km row pre-fatigues legs and lungs before 14 clusters at 135lb—a demanding squat clean thruster hybrid requiring significant strength and coordination. Then 20 pull-ups tax already-fatigued grip from the barbell. The cumulative volume (3km rowing, 42 heavy clusters, 60 pull-ups) creates multiple limiting factors: grip failure, leg fatigue, and cardiovascular demand. Expected time of 25-35+ minutes with continuous work makes this accessible only to experienced athletes.

Benchmark Times for Goodman

• Elite: <15:00
• Advanced: 17:00-19:00
• Intermediate: 21:00-23:00
• Beginner: >35:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (9/10): 42 heavy clusters and 60 pull-ups create extreme muscular fatigue. The grip and pulling muscles face relentless demand across all three rounds with no programmed rest.
• Endurance (8/10): Three 1km rows combined with high-rep gymnastics creates significant cardiovascular demand. Total work time likely 18-25 minutes of sustained effort with minimal rest between movements.
• Strength (7/10): Clusters at 135/95 lb represent a substantial load combining front squat and thruster. This weight challenges most athletes' strength capacity, especially under fatigue.
• Power (7/10): Clusters are inherently explosive, requiring powerful hip extension to drive the barbell from squat to overhead. Each rep demands coordinated power output.
• Flexibility (5/10): Clusters require solid front rack mobility and overhead position. Full depth squat with elbows high demands adequate hip, ankle, and thoracic mobility throughout.
• Speed (4/10): This workout rewards steady pacing rather than sprint cycling. The heavy barbell and rowing distance encourage strategic breaks and consistent effort over speed.

Movements

• Row
• Cluster
• Pull-Up

Scaling Options

Weight: 95/65 lb (intermediate), 75/55 lb (beginner), or use dumbbells 35/25 lb for DB clusters. Pull-ups: Banded pull-ups, jumping pull-ups, or ring rows. Volume: Reduce to 10 clusters/15 pull-ups, or cut to 2 rounds. Row: Sub 800m or 1000m bike erg if needed. For time-capped version: 35-minute cap with reduced volume.

Scaling Explanation

Scale the weight if you cannot complete 5 unbroken clusters when fresh or if clean technique breaks down. Scale pull-ups if you cannot do 8+ unbroken kipping pull-ups. Scale volume if estimated completion time exceeds 45 minutes. The goal is maintaining consistent round times (8-12 minutes each) - if round 2 takes twice as long as round 1, the workout is too heavy. Prioritize movement quality on clusters (full squat depth, proper catch position) over speed. Target completion: 25-35 minutes for Rx athletes.

Intended Stimulus

Long-duration glycolytic/oxidative workout targeting 25-40 minutes. This chipper-style triplet tests sustained power output, grip endurance, and mental fortitude. The row provides active recovery while clusters and pull-ups create significant upper body fatigue accumulation across rounds. Primary challenge is maintaining movement quality and consistent pacing as grip and shoulders fatigue.

Coach Insight

Pacing is everything - treat round 1 as a warm-up, not a sprint. Row at 70-75% effort (2:00-2:10/500m pace) to preserve grip for clusters. Break clusters early and often: sets of 3-4 with short rest beats going to failure. Consider 5-5-4 or 4-4-3-3 splits. For pull-ups, break before grip fails - sets of 5 or 4-4-4-4-4 work well. Transition quickly but don't rush setup. Common mistakes: rowing too hard in round 1, going unbroken on early clusters then hitting a wall, and death-gripping the bar. Keep hands relaxed on the rower, use hook grip on clusters, and shake out forearms during transitions.

Benchmark Notes

3 rounds of 1 km row + 14 clusters (135/95) + 20 pull-ups. The row sets the aerobic pace; clusters drive leg/shoulder fatigue, then pull-ups punish grip and breathing. Expect ~15–35+ minutes depending on barbell skill and pull-up capacity. Benchmarks (male): L10 ≤15:00, L5 ~23:00, L1 ≥35:00.

Modality Profile

Three modalities present: Pull-Up is Gymnastics (bodyweight movement), Row is Monostructural (cyclical cardio), and Cluster is Weightlifting (barbell complex combining clean and thruster). With three different modalities, the breakdown is approximately 33/33/34.