Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

This workout combines moderate-heavy power cleans with high-skill toes-to-bar under significant grip and core fatigue. The ascending weight (115→135→155lbs) paired with descending reps creates sustained barbell cycling demands. Grip fatigue from 60 total toes-to-bar severely compromises power clean performance, while double-unders provide minimal recovery. The 12-minute time cap adds pressure, making this challenging for average athletes who'll likely need weight scaling.

Benchmark Times for Toes, Ropes & Heavy Hopes

• Elite: <4:45
• Advanced: 5:15-5:45
• Intermediate: 6:30-7:30
• Beginner: >11:30

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High volume toes to bar (60 total) combined with double unders will severely test grip and core stamina throughout the workout.
• Power (8/10): Power cleans are inherently explosive movements, and maintaining power output under fatigue with increasing loads is the primary challenge.
• Endurance (7/10): The 12-minute time cap with continuous movement creates significant cardiovascular demand, especially as power clean loads increase and grip fatigue accumulates.
• Flexibility (7/10): Toes to bar demands exceptional shoulder and hip flexibility, while power cleans require good ankle, hip, and thoracic mobility for proper positioning.
• Strength (6/10): Power cleans progress from moderate (115/75) to heavy loads (155/105), requiring significant strength especially as fatigue sets in.
• Speed (6/10): Fast transitions between movements and quick cycling of double unders are crucial for staying under the time cap.

Movements

• Toes-to-Bar
• Double-Under
• Power Clean

Scaling Options

Reduce power clean weights to 95/65, 115/75, 135/95 lbs. Substitute hanging knee raises or V-ups for toes to bar. Replace double unders with single unders (2:1 ratio). Consider reducing toes to bar reps to 10-15-20 if grip strength is limited.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if you can't perform 5+ consecutive toes to bar or cycle the starting power clean weight for 10+ reps when fresh. Goal is to finish between 8-11 minutes while maintaining good movement quality. Prioritize intensity over load - better to move fast with lighter weight than grind through heavy reps.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-intensity glycolytic workout lasting 8-12 minutes. Tests grip endurance, coordination under fatigue, and ability to cycle moderate loads efficiently. Primary challenge is maintaining movement quality as grip deteriorates and heart rate elevates through mixed modal demands.

Coach Insight

Break toes to bar early and often - consider 5-5-5, 4-4-4-4-4, 3-3-3-3-3 to preserve grip. Keep power cleans light and fast - should be able to cycle 8-10 unbroken when fresh. Double unders are your rest - stay relaxed and breathe. Transition quickly between movements. Most athletes fail when they hold onto toes to bar too long early and burn out their grip.

Benchmark Notes

This workout combines 60 toes-to-bar, 120 double-unders, and 60 power cleans with ascending loads (115→135→155 lbs). Using Annie (50-40-30-20-10 double-under + sit-up) as the primary anchor with L10: 300-360 sec, L5: 480-600 sec, L1: 780-960 sec. The power cleans add significant complexity - elite athletes will cycle the barbell efficiently through all three loads, while intermediate athletes will break sets more frequently on the heavier cleans. Toes-to-bar will be the primary limiter for most athletes, requiring strategic breaking. The 12-minute time cap suggests this should challenge but not eliminate most intermediate athletes.

Modality Profile

Three movements: Toes-to-Bar (Gymnastics), Double-Under (Gymnastics), Power Clean (Weightlifting). Two gymnastics movements and one weightlifting movement gives a 2:1 ratio, resulting in 33% Gymnastics and 67% Weightlifting.