Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

While wall balls and burpees are challenging movements, the partner format creates natural rest periods. The ascending rep scheme (2-4-6...) allows athletes to build into the workout rather than face high reps immediately. The synchronized burpees enforce a manageable pace, and alternating wall balls prevents excessive fatigue accumulation in any one movement pattern.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): The ascending ladder format and compound movements tax both upper and lower body muscular endurance, particularly in the shoulders and legs.
• Endurance (7/10): Ten minutes of continuous work with increasing rep schemes creates significant cardiovascular demand, especially with the combination of wall balls and burpees.
• Speed (7/10): Quick transitions and synchronized movements require fast cycling, especially as partners must coordinate timing and maintain pace.
• Power (5/10): Wall balls are inherently a power movement, requiring explosive hip and shoulder extension. Burpees add to the power demand.
• Flexibility (4/10): Wall balls demand overhead mobility and squat depth, while burpees require decent hip flexion and shoulder mobility.
• Strength (3/10): Moderate load wall balls (20/14 lb) require some strength, but the focus is more on endurance than maximal force production.

Movements

• Wall Ball
• Burpee

Scaling Options

Wall Ball: Reduce to 14/10 lb or 10/6 lb balls. Target height can be lowered from 10'/9' to 9'/8'. Burpees can be modified to step-back burpees or no-push-up burpees. For significant scaling, cap the rep increases at 8 or 10 instead of continuing to increase. Time domain can be reduced to 7 minutes for newer athletes.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if unable to maintain consistent wall ball height through 8+ reps or if burpees become sloppy after 4 reps. Priority is maintaining movement quality and synchronization over volume. Partners should scale similarly to stay matched on intensity. Target is completing 4-6 rounds of the ascending scheme. If unable to maintain synchronized burpees with good form, scale the movement rather than breaking synchronization.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-intensity partner workout targeting the glycolytic and oxidative energy systems over 10 minutes. Primary challenge is maintaining synchronized movement quality while managing increasing volume. The ascending rep scheme creates a steady build in metabolic demand.

Coach Insight

Start at a controlled pace - the rep increases will create natural intensity. Partners should establish clear communication for synchronized burpees. Wall balls should be performed at a steady, sustainable pace. Break sets early before fatigue sets in. For example, break 6 reps into 4+2. Quick transitions between movements are key, but don't rush synchronization. Watch wall ball target height consistency as fatigue builds.

Benchmark Notes

This is a 10-minute AMRAP with an ascending ladder of wall balls and burpees. Let's break it down: 1. Movement timing: - Wall Ball Shot: 2-3s per rep - Synchronized Burpee: 4-5s per rep (slightly longer due to sync requirement) 2. Round structure analysis: Round 1: (2+2) wall balls + 4 burpees = 6 wall balls, 4 burpees (~30s) Round 2: (4+4) wall balls + 8 burpees = 12 wall balls, 8 burpees (~65s) Round 3: (6+6) wall balls + 12 burpees = 18 wall balls, 12 burpees (~100s) Round 4: (8+8) wall balls + 16 burpees = 24 wall balls, 16 burpees (~135s) 3. Fatigue considerations: - Partner transitions add 2-3s per switch - Synchronized movements require coordination - Wall ball fatigue increases significantly in later rounds 4. Benchmark comparison: Most similar to Cindy (AMRAP 20 with bodyweight movements) but shorter duration and different movement pattern. Scaling from Cindy's L10 (25-30 rounds in 20 min), adjusting for: - Half the time domain (÷2) - More complex movement coordination (+15%) - Heavier loading on wall balls (+10%) Final targets: Men: L10: 8+ rounds L5: 5.3 rounds L1: 2.5 rounds Women: L10: 7+ rounds L5: 4.7 rounds L1: 2.3 rounds

Modality Profile

Burpee is a gymnastics (bodyweight) movement, while Wall Ball is a weightlifting movement due to external load. With two movements split between G and W modalities, each gets 50%.