Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

The ascending rep scheme (9-15-21) creates increasing fatigue while the combination of Assault Bike calories and HSPUs is particularly challenging. The bike taxes the whole body and respiratory system, then athletes must immediately perform a technical gymnastics movement under fatigue. With no built-in rest and HSPUs becoming significantly harder when fatigued, this creates a compound effect that many athletes will struggle with.

Benchmark Times for The Climb

• Elite: <5:00
• Advanced: 6:00-7:00
• Intermediate: 8:00-9:00
• Beginner: >15:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High total volume of shoulder work between HSPU and bike pushing, with increasing rep schemes testing muscular endurance significantly.
• Endurance (7/10): The ascending rep scheme combined with Assault Bike calories creates significant cardiovascular demand, especially in later rounds when fatigue accumulates.
• Flexibility (7/10): Handstand push-ups demand significant shoulder mobility and thoracic extension for proper execution.
• Speed (6/10): Quick transitions and maintaining pace on the bike are important, especially early in the workout.
• Strength (5/10): Handstand push-ups require considerable shoulder strength, though not maximal. Assault bike resistance is moderate.
• Power (4/10): Moderate power output needed for Assault Bike sprints and kipping HSPU if used, but not primarily power-focused.

Movements

• Air Bike
• Handstand Push-Up

Scaling Options

Bike: Reduce total calories by 30-50% or set target RPM range instead of all-out effort. HSPUs: Pike pushups from box, strict pushups, or negatives only. Intermediate option: HSPU from AbMat or plates with reduced range of motion. Volume option: 6-9-12 or 6-9-15 rep scheme to reduce shoulder fatigue while maintaining intensity.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if unable to perform 5+ strict HSPUs when fresh or if shoulder mobility limits safe HSPU range of motion. Also scale if recovery between sets takes longer than 20-30 seconds. Target time domain should remain under 15 minutes - scale volume if going longer. Prioritize full range of motion and midline control over speed, especially on HSPUs.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-length glycolytic workout (8-12 minutes) that combines sustained power output on the bike with skill/strength elements. Primary challenge is managing shoulder fatigue while maintaining consistent output. Tests both anaerobic capacity and gymnastics skill under fatigue.

Coach Insight

Break up the bike calories into consistent chunks (3-4 sets per round). For HSPUs, start with sets of 3-4 reps and adjust based on capacity. Watch for neck position and core control as fatigue sets in. Common mistake is going too hard on first round of bike - aim for 85% effort initially. Consider 5-4 on first round HSPUs, 4-4-4-3 on second, 3-3-3-3-3-3-3 on final round.

Benchmark Notes

This workout follows a 9-15-21 rep scheme (total 45 reps) for two movements, similar to Fran's structure but with Assault Bike calories and HSPUs instead of thrusters and pull-ups. Breakdown: 1. Assault Bike Calories - 9 cals: 15-20s (fresh) - 15 cals: 25-35s (slight fatigue) - 21 cals: 40-55s (moderate fatigue) Total bike time: 80-110s 2. Handstand Push-Ups - 9 reps: 25-35s (including setup) - 15 reps: 45-60s (fatigue sets in, more breaks) - 21 reps: 70-90s (significant fatigue, multiple breaks) Total HSPU time: 140-185s 3. Transitions: ~5-10s between movements Using Fran as the closest anchor (21-15-9 rep scheme), but adding ~20% time due to: - HSPUs being more taxing than pull-ups - Assault bike being slightly slower than thrusters - More setup time required for HSPUs Final targets: L10 (Elite): 5:00 (300s) L5 (Intermediate): 9:00 (540s) L1 (Beginner): 15:00 (900s)

Modality Profile

Workout has 2 movements: Bike (Monostructural) and Handstand Push-Up (Gymnastics). With 2 movements split across 2 modalities, each represents 50% of the total.

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