Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

While the dumbbell weights are moderate, this workout creates significant fatigue through grip-intensive movements and continuous work. The farmer's carries between each movement prevent grip recovery, while the descending rep scheme (15-10-5) forces higher intensity early when fresh. The combination of pressing, pulling, squatting, and carrying creates full-body fatigue with minimal rest opportunities.

Benchmark Times for Unconventional Full Body

• 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 local muscular endurance demands on grip, shoulders, and legs from combining loaded movements with carries. Grip endurance becomes a limiting factor.
• Endurance (7/10): The combination of strength movements with repeated carries creates sustained cardiovascular demand. The descending rep scheme allows for continued intensity throughout.
• Strength (6/10): Moderate dumbbell loads for all movements, with compound exercises targeting full body strength. Carries test loaded moving strength.
• Speed (5/10): Quick transitions between movements and efficient carry technique important. Descending rep scheme allows maintenance of steady pace.
• Flexibility (4/10): Front rack position requires decent mobility. Deadlifts and squats demand standard range of motion for compound movements.
• Power (2/10): Primarily strength-endurance focused. Some power needed for stand-ups from squats and deadlifts, but not primary focus.

Movements

• Farmer Carry
• Dumbbell Deadlift
• Dumbbell Bench Press

Scaling Options

Weight reductions: Scale to 35/25 lb dumbbells for newer athletes, 25/15 lb for beginners. Movement substitutions: Can replace bench press with floor press, bent rows with supported rows. Volume options: Reduce to 12-8-4 rep scheme or eliminate one movement pattern. For carries, reduce distance to 5m or substitute static holds. Time cap at 25 minutes.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if unable to perform 8+ unbroken reps of any movement with suggested weights, or if grip endurance limits proper technique. Prioritize maintaining full range of motion and proper positioning over speed. Athletes should be able to complete most sets in 2-3 quick sets with minimal rest. Target completion time is 12-20 minutes - scaling should allow athlete to maintain consistent work rate without extended breaks.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-length glycolytic workout (12-20 minutes) combining strength endurance with grip/carry capacity. Primary challenge is maintaining quality movement patterns under accumulating fatigue while managing grip fatigue. Tests local muscular endurance in major pushing/pulling patterns.

Coach Insight

Break up the dumbbell movements early - consider 8-7 in first round, 6-4 in second, 3-2 in final round. Rest dumbbells on shoulders between front rack squats. Keep farmer's carries unbroken but walk with purpose rather than sprint. Maintain neutral spine during rows and deadlifts. Common failure points are grip fatigue and rushing transitions leading to form breakdown. Rest 10-15 seconds between movement patterns if needed.

Benchmark Notes

This workout is structurally similar to Grace (30 reps of a single barbell movement) but with multiple dumbbell movements and carries. Breaking it down: 1. Base movement times (fresh): - DB Bench Press: 2-3s/rep - Farmer's Carry (10m): 5-8s - DB Bent Row: 2-3s/rep - DB Front Squat: 2-3s/rep - DB Deadlift: 2-3s/rep 2. Set structure (15-10-5): First round (15): - Bench Press: 45s (including setup) - Carry: 8s - Rows: 45s - Carry: 8s - Squats: 45s - Carry: 8s - Deadlifts: 45s - Carry: 8s Total: ~212s Second round (10): - All movements ~70% of first round time due to fatigue - Total: ~148s Third round (5): - All movements ~50% of first round time - Total: ~106s 3. Transitions and fatigue: - Add 15% for grip fatigue across movements - Add 3-6s between movement changes Total elite time estimate: ~5:00 (300s) Comparing to Grace benchmark (30 C&J at 135/95): - Grace L10: 90-120s / 110-150s - This workout has more total reps (30 vs 90) but lighter load - Carries add ~90s total time - Estimate this should take ~2.5x Grace time Final targets: Male: L10: 5:00 (300s) L5: 9:00 (540s) L1: 15:00 (900s) Female: L10: 7:00 (420s) L5: 11:00 (660s) L1: 17:00 (1020s)

Modality Profile

All five movements (Dumbbell Bench Press, Farmer Carry, Dumbbell Bent Over Row, Dumbbell Front Rack Squat, Dumbbell Deadlift) involve external loads, making them weightlifting movements. With no gymnastics or monostructural movements present, this results in a 100% weightlifting modality profile.

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