Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

High total pressing volume (300 strict/bodyweight presses plus 100 thrusters) and advanced gymnastics (strict ring dips and strict HSPU) create a major shoulder stamina bottleneck. Light thrusters encourage fast cycling, but strict skills force strategic breaks. Expect 25–40 minutes for capable athletes with significant risk of shoulder fatigue and loss of strict standards under fatigue.

Benchmark Times for Pike

• Elite: <23:00
• Advanced: 27:00-29:00
• Intermediate: 31:00-33:00
• Beginner: >40:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (9/10): Very high total pressing volume accumulates fatigue in triceps, delts, and shoulders. Success requires smart set management and short, consistent rest to preserve movement quality and maintain strict standards.
• Endurance (5/10): Five rounds with continuous movement drives breathing and heart rate, but the limiter is shoulders, not pure cardio. Expect sustained effort rather than a sprint, with some built-in rest from breaking strict sets.
• Speed (5/10): Transitions and barbell cycling can be quick, but strict movements inherently slow cadence. Maintain brisk, repeatable sets rather than chasing unsustainable sprints that lead to long breaks.
• Strength (4/10): Loads are light-to-moderate on thrusters, but strict ring dips and strict HSPU demand significant upper-body strength relative to bodyweight, particularly under fatigue across five rounds.
• Power (4/10): Thrusters reward pop out of the squat, but strict gymnastics limit maximal explosiveness. Power shows primarily in efficient thruster cycles and crisp kipless pressing mechanics.
• Flexibility (3/10): Overhead mobility for thrusters and HSPU, shoulder extension on ring dips, and wrist/hamstring tolerance in bear crawls matter. Not extreme, but limited range of motion will slow cycling or compromise positions.

Movements

• Thruster
• Push-Up
• Bear Crawl
• Ring Dip
• Handstand Push-Up

Scaling Options

Scale to: 5 RFT 15 Thrusters (65/45 lb), 8 Ring Dips (banded), 15 Push-Ups, 8 Strict HSPU (to 1–2 mats), 40m Bear Crawl • 5 RFT 20 Thrusters (45/35 lb), 10 Box/Bench Dips, 20 Incline Push-Ups, 10 Pike Push-Ups, 40m Bear Crawl • 5 RFT 15 DB Thrusters (25/15 lb), 8 Ring Support + Negative Dips, 15 Knee Push-Ups, 8 Seated DB Press, 30m Bear Crawl

Scaling Explanation

These options preserve the press-dominant stimulus and round structure while adjusting load, strict skill difficulty, and range of motion to keep athletes moving within the intended time domain.

Intended Stimulus

A shoulder-dominant grinder with steady breathing and disciplined sets. Thrusters should feel light enough to move quickly, while strict dips and HSPU force small, sustainable sets to avoid failure. The bear crawl keeps heart rate up while further taxing shoulders. Aim for consistent round times with minimal staring at the equipment.

Coach Insight

Pace early: break strict sets before failure. Thrusters unbroken or two sets; dips/HSPU in small, quick chunks with short rests. The one tip: never hit muscular failure on strict pressing—it costs minutes to recover. Avoid no-reps: lock out every dip/HSPU. Keep bear crawls smooth and continuous, and manage transitions deliberately.

Benchmark Notes

Use the times to gauge pacing and scaling. If your estimated finish would exceed 40 minutes, reduce reps or scale the strict gymnastics. Advanced athletes aim 23–30 minutes, intermediates 30–36, beginners may hit the cap unless scaled.

Modality Profile

Four of the five movements are bodyweight gymnastics (ring dips, push-ups, strict HSPU, bear crawl). Thrusters are the only loaded movement. No monostructural elements appear, so the workout is predominantly gymnastics with a smaller weightlifting component.

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