Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

This workout combines moderate-weight kettlebell work with high-skill gymnastics under significant fatigue accumulation. The continuous 16-minute AMRAP creates relentless pace, while strict pull-ups and deficit HSPU every minute prevent recovery. The unbroken requirement on gymnastics movements becomes increasingly difficult as grip and shoulders fatigue from KB work. Most athletes will struggle with the gymnastics volume and need to scale movements or break the unbroken requirement.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High volume kettlebell swings and goblet squats combined with accumulating strict pull-ups and HSPU creates substantial muscular endurance demand.
• Endurance (7/10): 16-minute AMRAP with continuous movement creates significant cardiovascular demand, though interrupted by minute-based strength intervals.
• Strength (6/10): 53/35lb kettlebell work plus strict pull-ups and deficit HSPU require moderate to high strength, especially upper body pressing and pulling.
• Power (5/10): Russian kettlebell swings are moderately explosive, but strict pull-ups and HSPU are strength-focused rather than power movements.
• Flexibility (4/10): Goblet squats demand ankle and hip mobility, while deficit HSPU requires shoulder flexibility and overhead positioning.
• Speed (3/10): EMOM structure limits cycling speed; focus is on completing unbroken sets rather than fast transitions between movements.

Movements

• Goblet Squat
• Russian Kettlebell Swing
• Handstand Push-Up
• Pull-Up

Benchmark Notes

This 16-minute AMRAP combines kettlebell work with strict gymnastics movements on alternating minutes. The main circuit consists of 10 left-hand Russian KBS (53/35), 10 goblet squats, 10 right-hand Russian KBS (53/35), and 10 goblet squats for 40 total reps per round. On odd minutes, athletes perform unbroken strict pull-ups, and on even minutes, unbroken strict deficit HSPUs (2"/1"). Movement analysis: Each main circuit round takes approximately 45-60 seconds for elite athletes (1.5 sec per KB swing, 1.5 sec per goblet squat), allowing 15-30 seconds for strict gymnastics work. The strict pull-ups and deficit HSPUs create significant upper body fatigue that compounds throughout the workout. Elite athletes might complete 8-10 strict pull-ups in minute 1, 6-8 deficit HSPUs in minute 2, then see declining numbers as fatigue accumulates. The main circuit becomes progressively slower due to grip fatigue from kettlebells and upper body fatigue from gymnastics. Round breakdown: Minutes 1-4: 40 reps main + 30 gymnastics = 70 reps per 2-minute cycle. Minutes 5-8: Fatigue reduces to 35 main + 25 gymnastics = 60 reps per cycle. Minutes 9-12: Further reduction to 30 main + 20 gymnastics = 50 reps per cycle. Minutes 13-16: Final push yields 25 main + 15 gymnastics = 40 reps per cycle. Elite total: 70+70+60+60+50+50+40+40 = 440-500 reps. Recreational athletes will see much lower gymnastics numbers (2-4 strict pull-ups, 1-3 deficit HSPUs) and slower main circuits. The combination of grip-intensive KB work with strict upper body movements creates a unique fatigue pattern that significantly impacts performance across all levels. Final targets - L10: 500 reps, L5: 340 reps, L1: 180 reps.

Modality Profile

4 movements total: Pull-Up and Handstand Push-Up are Gymnastics (bodyweight), Russian Kettlebell Swing and Goblet Squat are Weightlifting (external load). 2/4 = 50% each for G and W, 0% M.