Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

Strict pull-ups are significantly harder than kipping for the average athlete, and the unbroken requirement creates mental and physical pressure each round. While there's a rest minute every three minutes, the lache practice between rounds continues taxing grip, shoulders, and lats—preventing full recovery. Over 10 rounds spanning 30 minutes, cumulative fatigue will severely diminish rep capacity. The average athlete might start with 7-10 reps but drop to 3-5 by later rounds, creating a grinding, grip-intensive challenge with inadequate recovery between efforts.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): Ten rounds of unbroken strict pull-ups over 30 minutes is a significant test of upper body pulling stamina and grip endurance.
• Strength (5/10): Strict pull-ups require solid relative strength, especially to maintain quality across multiple unbroken sets, though not maximal loading.
• Endurance (4/10): The 30-minute duration with built-in rest every third minute provides moderate cardiovascular demand, though strict pull-ups and skill work aren't heavily aerobic.
• Flexibility (4/10): Lache movements demand shoulder mobility and dynamic range of motion, while strict pull-ups require functional overhead flexibility.
• Power (4/10): The lache (flying monkey) work involves explosive, dynamic movement patterns, though strict pull-ups are grinding strength efforts.
• Speed (2/10): Format emphasizes quality unbroken sets with built-in rest rather than fast transitions or rapid cycling between movements.

Movements

• Pull-Up

Scaling Options

Scale pull-ups to banded strict pull-ups (use assistance that allows 5+ reps per round), negative pull-ups (3-5 second descent), or ring rows with feet elevated. For lache work, substitute bar swings without release, beat swings, or kipping practice. Reduce to 20-minute EMOM (7 rounds) if shoulder endurance is limited. Alternative: Allow 1 break per round but deduct 2 reps from score, or perform singles every 5 seconds within the minute instead of unbroken sets.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if you cannot perform at least 5 strict pull-ups or if your max unbroken set is under 10 reps. The unbroken requirement means athletes need significant margin below their max. Lache is an advanced skill requiring confident bar muscle-up level strength - if you don't have this, substitute appropriately. Priority is shoulder health and maintaining strict pulling mechanics for all 10 rounds. Target total score of 40-70 pull-ups across the workout for scaled athletes, 70-100 for competitive level. If grip fails before shoulders, consider reducing lache volume or intensity.

Intended Stimulus

Long-duration upper body strength-skill session spanning 30 minutes. Primarily targets strength endurance in strict pulling movements with gymnastics skill development. Energy system is mixed aerobic-alactic with emphasis on neuromuscular coordination and grip stamina. Primary challenge is maintaining unbroken strict pull-up quality across 10 rounds while managing cumulative fatigue from advanced lache skill work.

Coach Insight

Start conservative on pull-up reps - aim for 60-70% of your max unbroken set in round 1. A sustainable approach might be 5-7 reps early, knowing you'll drop to 3-5 by rounds 7-10. Maintain strict hollow body position throughout - no kipping or swinging. For lache practice, prioritize safety: ensure solid grip before releasing, start with small swings and build amplitude gradually. Most athletes will see grip fatigue accumulate significantly after round 5. If you break on pull-ups, that round scores zero, so err conservative. The rest minute is crucial - shake out arms overhead and prepare mentally for the next pull-up set.

Benchmark Notes

Primary limiter is strict pull-up strength and endurance under fatigue, compounded by the unbroken requirement (once you drop, that round is over). The lache/flying monkey work taxes grip and shoulders between pull-up rounds despite not being scored. L1 averages 1-2 reps per round with potential scaling. L5 sustains 5-6 unbroken reps per round managing fatigue strategically. L10 maintains 15 unbroken reps per round with exceptional pulling strength and shoulder stamina across all 10 rounds.

Modality Profile

Both Pull-Up and Lache are bodyweight gymnastics movements. Pull-Up is a standard pulling movement, and Lache is an advanced gymnastics skill involving a release and catch on rings or bar. Total of 2 gymnastics movements = 100% Gymnastics.