Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

High-skill, all-gymnastics triplet with strict pressing and pulling under significant volume. The 135 strict pull-ups and 45 strict HSPU create pronounced local muscular fatigue, demanding smart partitioning and strict movement standards. Pistols add unilateral balance, mobility, and steady leg volume. Expect a long grind for most, with elite athletes needing disciplined sets to avoid failure and costly rest.

Benchmark Times for Special Mary

• Elite: <24:00
• Advanced: 27:00-30:00
• Intermediate: 33:00-35:00
• Beginner: >45:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (9/10): High-rep strict pulling and pressing plus single-leg squats tax local muscular endurance. The key is repeatable sets and short breaks to prevent failure across 270 total reps.
• Flexibility (5/10): Adequate shoulder flexion and thoracic position for HSPU, plus ankle/hip mobility for pistols, are necessary to hit standards and avoid no-reps or compensations.
• Strength (4/10): Requires solid bodyweight pressing/pulling strength to move through strict HSPU and strict pull-ups. Not maximal, but limited strength will stall progress regardless of conditioning.
• Endurance (4/10): Cardio demand is moderate from total duration, but no monostructural work is present. Heart rate stays controlled while upper-body fatigue, not lungs, is the primary limiter throughout the piece.
• Speed (3/10): Fast cycling is limited. Progress comes from crisp transitions and disciplined micro-sets; overspeeding leads to failure and long, costly rest periods.
• Power (2/10): Movements are controlled and strict, minimizing explosive output. Efficiency and body positioning matter more than speed or power production.

Movements

• Strict Handstand Push-Up
• Pistol
• Strict Pull-Up

Scaling Options

Scale to: HSPU to pike HSPU or 1–2 abmats • Pull-Ups to banded strict or ring rows • Pistols to box-supported pistols or alternating reverse lunges

Scaling Explanation

These options preserve the strict pressing/pulling stimulus and unilateral leg pattern while adjusting difficulty so athletes can keep small, repeatable sets and the intended flow.

Intended Stimulus

A strict gymnastics grinder: steady, controlled sets that never reach true failure. Breathing stays moderate while shoulders, lats, and grip do most of the work. The goal is consistent micro-sets, short rests, and high movement quality, especially on pistols. You should feel taxed in the shoulders and back but capable of maintaining form and cadence to the end.

Coach Insight

Open with conservative micro-sets (e.g., 2-3 reps on strict work) and keep rests to 5-10 seconds. Treat it like EMOM-style pacing without the clock. Your one big tip: never go to failure on strict HSPU or pull-ups—shut sets down early. Avoid poor pistol depth/heel lift, sloppy head position on HSPU, and death-grip chalk breaks that balloon rest times.

Benchmark Notes

Times reflect completion under strict standards. Newer athletes may bump into the cap; advanced athletes should finish in the low-to-mid 30s, and elites around mid-20s. Aim to keep sets small and consistent to avoid failure, using brief, planned rests to maintain steady progress through the strict pulling and pressing.

Modality Profile

All three movements are gymnastics and use only bodyweight. There is no monostructural cardio or external loading, so the entire effort is spent managing strict upper-body work, single-leg squats, and efficient transitions.

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