Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

This workout combines moderate loads with high volume (60 reps each) and no built-in rest periods. The thrusters at 95/65 will create significant leg and shoulder fatigue, which is then compounded by box jumps and heavy KB swings. The continuous nature and movement interference (all hitting legs/posterior chain) makes this more challenging than the individual elements suggest. Most athletes will need to break up the thrusters by round 2.

Benchmark Times for James Gray

• Elite: <6:00
• Advanced: 6:30-7:00
• Intermediate: 8:00-9:00
• Beginner: >15:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High-rep thrusters and kettlebell swings tax both upper and lower body muscular endurance. Multiple rounds compound the fatigue effect.
• Power (8/10): All three movements are explosive: box jumps require vertical power, thrusters combine legs and shoulders, KB swings develop hip drive.
• Endurance (7/10): Three rounds of 60 total reps with moderate loads creates significant cardiovascular demand. The combination of movements keeps heart rate elevated throughout.
• Speed (7/10): Quick transitions and fast cycling of movements are essential for a good time. Recovery between rounds impacts performance significantly.
• Strength (6/10): Moderate loads in thrusters (95/65) and heavy kettlebell swings (32/24kg) require decent strength, though not maximal.
• Flexibility (5/10): Thrusters demand good mobility in ankles, hips, and shoulders. Box jumps and KB swings require adequate hip flexion.

Movements

• Box Jump
• Thruster
• Kettlebell Swing

Scaling Options

Box Jumps: Reduce height to 20/16" or substitute step-ups. Add step-downs for all levels if needed. Thrusters: Scale to 75/55 lbs or 65/45 lbs. Can split into power clean + front squat + push press for newer athletes. KB Swings: Reduce to 24/16 kg or 16/12 kg. American to Russian style if shoulder mobility limited. Volume options: Reduce to 15 or 12 reps per movement, or 2 rounds total.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if unable to perform 10+ unbroken thrusters at prescribed weight, cannot maintain proper KB swing mechanics for sets of 15+, or box jump height causes hesitation. Priority is maintaining consistent movement through all rounds - you should be able to perform at least 5 reps unbroken of each movement when fresh. Target effort is 7-8/10 intensity with brief rests between movements. Form should not break down significantly even in final round. Better to scale load/volume and maintain intensity than struggle through prescribed workout at low intensity.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-length glycolytic workout targeting 8-12 minutes. Primary focus is power endurance and lactate tolerance across three classic CrossFit movements. The combination of lower body power (box jumps), full body coordination (thrusters), and explosive hip drive (KB swings) creates significant metabolic demand while testing movement competency under fatigue.

Coach Insight

Break up sets early to maintain consistent pace - consider 12/8 or 8/7/5 rep schemes. Rest 10-15 seconds between movements. On box jumps, step down to conserve energy and reduce impact. For thrusters, establish steady rhythm and avoid grinding reps. Keep KB swings powerful but controlled - focus on hip snap rather than arms. Most athletes fade significantly in round 3, so avoid redlining in round 1. Target times: Elite: 8-10 min, Intermediate: 10-12 min, Beginner: 12-15 min.

Benchmark Notes

This workout is most similar to DT in structure (3 rounds of 3 movements with moderate loading), but with slightly lower volume per round (60 vs 27 reps) and lighter relative loading. Breakdown per round (elite pace): Box Jumps (20): 35-40s (1.8s/rep + transitions) Thrusters (20): 45-50s (2.2s/rep + fatigue) KB Swings (20): 35-40s (1.7s/rep + transitions) Transitions: ~10s between movements Round 1: 125s Round 2: 135s (1.1x fatigue) Round 3: 150s (1.2x fatigue) Total elite time: ~360s (6:00) Comparing to DT anchor (5:30-7:00 elite), this should be slightly faster due to: - Lower total volume (180 vs 135 reps) - Lighter relative loading - More metabolic movements L10 (Elite): 360-420s (6:00-7:00) L5 (Intermediate): 540-600s (9:00-10:00) L1 (Beginner): 840-960s (14:00-16:00)

Modality Profile

Box Jump is gymnastics (G). Thruster and Kettlebell Swing are both weightlifting (W). With 1 G movement and 2 W movements out of 3 total movements, this rounds to 30% G and 70% W, with no monostructural movements present.