Workout Description
For Time (Men's Rx):
12 Ring Handstand Push-Ups
15 Back Squats (225 lb)
20 Burpees
9 Ring Handstand Push-Ups
18 Front Squats (205 lb)
20 Burpees
6 Ring Handstand Push-Ups
21 Overhead Squats (185 lb)
20 Burpees
(Time Cap: 16 minutes)
Why This Workout Is Extremely Hard
A 2016 CrossFit Games event (Workout #9), 'The Separator' is an incredibly demanding chipper. The men's version involves rounds of decreasing Ring Handstand Push-Ups, progressively lighter but higher-rep squats (Back Squat 225 lb, Front Squat 205 lb, Overhead Squat 185 lb), and sets of 20 burpees. The women's version uses adjusted weights (BS 165 lb, FS 145 lb, OHS 125 lb) and a different rep scheme and placement for Ring Handstand Push-Ups (6, then 4, then 2 reps, integrated differently within the squat/burpee sequence). It's designed to test elite athletes' strength, high-skill gymnastics, and endurance under a 16-minute time cap.
Benchmark Times for The Separator
- Elite: <12:30
- Advanced: 13:01-13:45
- Intermediate: 14:31-15:15
- Beginner: >16:00
Training Focus
This workout develops the following fitness attributes:
- Stamina (9/10): High volume of Ring HSPU (advanced pushing stamina), heavy squats (leg/core stamina), and burpees (full-body stamina). The combination and progression make it a severe test of varied muscular endurance under fatigue.
- Strength (9/10): Ring HSPU require elite pushing strength/stability. Squats start very heavy (BS 225lb) and remain challenging (FS 205lb, OHS 185lb). This WOD is exceptionally strength-dominant across multiple patterns.
- Endurance (8/10): A brutal chipper for time (16-min cap) with decreasing reps of Ring HSPU, progressively lighter but higher-rep squats (BS 225lb, FS 205lb, OHS 185lb for men), and sets of 20 burpees. Extremely demanding on strength, skill, and conditioning.
- Flexibility (7/10): Excellent shoulder/wrist mobility for Ring HSPU. Good mobility for all squat variations (BS, FS, OHS) at heavy loads. Basic burpee mobility.
- Power (6/10): Driving up from heavy squats requires power. Burpees are explosive. Maintaining power output through the demanding chipper is key.
- Speed (4/10): Efficient movement and transitions are important, but managing the extreme loads, high skill gymnastics, and burpee volume safely and effectively is paramount over raw speed per element.
Modality Profile
A complex chipper with gymnastics (Ring HSPU), weightlifting (Back/Front/Overhead Squats), and monostructural (Burpees) components. A balanced test.
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