Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Medium

This is a strength-focused session testing three max-effort lifts with a generous 30-minute time cap. While the movements include technical lifts (overhead squat) and require building to heavy singles, the format allows complete recovery between attempts. There's no metabolic conditioning component or cumulative fatigue—athletes simply work up to their best lift in each movement. The time cap provides ample opportunity for warm-up sets and multiple attempts. Most average CrossFitters can complete this as prescribed, though overhead squat technique may limit some athletes.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Strength (10/10): Pure maximal strength test across three fundamental barbell lifts. Athletes work up to their heaviest possible loads in clean, bench press, and overhead squat.
• Power (8/10): Clean is highly explosive, requiring rapid force production from floor to shoulders. Overhead squat and bench press involve less power but still demand speed under load.
• Flexibility (7/10): Overhead squat demands exceptional hip, ankle, and shoulder mobility. Clean requires good hip and thoracic mobility. Bench press needs moderate shoulder range of motion.
• Stamina (2/10): Limited muscular endurance requirement since the focus is finding max loads across three lifts, not sustained repetitive work or high volume sets.
• Speed (2/10): No speed cycling required. Athletes take full rest between attempts to maximize lift quality and load. Time cap allows deliberate pacing and recovery between efforts.
• Endurance (1/10): Minimal cardiovascular demand as this is a pure strength session with full recovery between heavy lifts. Heart rate remains low throughout the 30-minute window.

Movements

• Clean
• Bench Press
• Overhead Squat

Scaling Options

Beginners: Work to a heavy 3-rep max instead of 1RM across all lifts, focusing on consistent technique. Intermediate: Substitute Power Clean for full Clean if mobility limits catching position. Replace Overhead Squat with Front Squat if shoulder/thoracic mobility is limited. Use dumbbells for Bench Press if barbell feels unstable (heavy set of 5). Reduce time to 20 minutes and work two lifts only if three movements is overwhelming. Athletes with injuries: Skip Bench Press and substitute Strict Press or Push Press. Skip Overhead Squat and work Back Squat or Goblet Squat.

Scaling Explanation

Scale to heavy triples if you cannot maintain proper positions under maximal singles - technique breakdown indicates need for more strength base before true max testing. Choose Front Squat over Overhead Squat if you cannot hold a PVC pipe overhead in a squat with neutral spine. Prioritize movement quality over load - a technically sound heavy triple builds more strength than a grinding, compensated 1RM. Athletes should feel challenged but confident in their positions. If you've never maxed these lifts before, work to a 'heavy single' (RPE 8-9) rather than absolute max. The goal is finding your current strength ceiling safely, not injury.

Intended Stimulus

Maximal strength testing across three fundamental barbell movements spanning the entire body. This is a phosphagen system workout focused on pure strength expression with full CNS recruitment. Athletes work to find their best single-rep max in each lift within the 30-minute window, requiring technical precision under maximal loads. Primary challenge is absolute strength with secondary emphasis on movement quality and mental confidence under heavy weight.

Coach Insight

Allocate approximately 10 minutes per lift with strategic warm-up progression. Start with Clean (most technical), move to Bench Press (most stable), finish with Overhead Squat (most demanding on mobility). Warm-up protocol: empty bar x5, 50% x3, 70% x2, 85% x1, 90% x1, then attempt maxes. Take 3-5 minutes rest between max attempts to allow full CNS recovery. For Clean, focus on aggressive hip extension and fast elbows. Bench Press requires tight setup with leg drive and controlled descent. Overhead Squat demands active shoulders, tight core, and patient descent into the hole. Film your lifts for technique review. Don't chase failed attempts more than twice - move on to preserve energy and confidence for remaining lifts.

Benchmark Notes

This is a total-load strength workout where athletes find their best single lift in three different movements within 30 minutes, then sum them. The scoring is 'Not provided' but the workout description clearly indicates this is a max-load format ('Sum of the Best of Each Lift'), so type is 'load' measured in pounds. **Movement Analysis:** Clean: A foundational Olympic lift. Elite male CrossFitters typically clean 300-365 lbs, intermediate athletes 225-275 lbs, novices 135-185 lbs. Bench Press: Pure upper body pressing strength. Elite males typically bench 275-350 lbs, intermediate 185-245 lbs, novices 115-165 lbs. Overhead Squat: Technical strength movement requiring mobility and stability. Elite males typically OHS 225-275 lbs, intermediate 155-205 lbs, novices 95-135 lbs. **Time Management:** With a 30-minute cap, athletes have approximately 10 minutes per lift. This allows for: - Warm-up sets (3-5 minutes) - Working sets building to max (4-6 minutes) - Transition between movements (1-2 minutes) This is sufficient time for experienced athletes to find true maxes in all three lifts. **Total Load Calculation by Level:** **L10 (Elite):** Clean 350 + Bench 325 + OHS 260 = 935-1135 lbs (using 1035 as midpoint) **L9:** Clean 330 + Bench 305 + OHS 245 = 880 lbs → 945 lbs **L8:** Clean 310 + Bench 285 + OHS 230 = 825 lbs → 855 lbs **L7:** Clean 290 + Bench 265 + OHS 215 = 770 lbs → 765 lbs **L6:** Clean 270 + Bench 245 + OHS 200 = 715 lbs → 675 lbs **L5 (Median):** Clean 250 + Bench 225 + OHS 185 = 660 lbs → 585 lbs **L4:** Clean 225 + Bench 200 + OHS 170 = 595 lbs → 495 lbs **L3:** Clean 195 + Bench 175 + OHS 150 = 520 lbs → 405 lbs **L2:** Clean 165 + Bench 150 + OHS 130 = 445 lbs → 315 lbs **L1 (Novice):** Clean 135 + Bench 125 + OHS 110 = 370 lbs → 315 lbs (floor) **Anchor Reference:** No direct anchor exists for this format. Linda (10-1 ladder with 1.5xBW deadlift, 1xBW bench, 0.75xBW clean) is the closest strength benchmark, but it's a time-based workout with volume, not max singles. For a 200 lb male athlete, Linda prescribes 300 lb deadlift, 200 lb bench, 150 lb clean as working weights, suggesting max lifts would be significantly higher. CrossFit Games athletes typically total 1000-1200 lbs on similar three-lift combinations. Regional-level athletes total 800-950 lbs. Intermediate CrossFitters total 600-750 lbs. This aligns with our distribution. **Final Level Targets:** - L10: 1035+ lbs (Clean 350, Bench 325, OHS 260) - L5: 585 lbs (Clean 250, Bench 225, OHS 185) - L1: 315 lbs (Clean 135, Bench 125, OHS 110)

Modality Profile

All three movements (Clean, Bench Press, Overhead Squat) are barbell weightlifting movements with external load, resulting in 100% Weightlifting modality.