Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

50 weighted pistols in 5 minutes requires exceptional unilateral strength, balance, and skill under time pressure. Most average CrossFitters cannot perform pistols consistently, let alone 50 with added weight in such a short timeframe. The alternating pattern provides minimal recovery while the time cap creates relentless intensity. This combines high skill demands with significant loading and volume constraints that only experienced athletes can handle.

Benchmark Times for B. 50 WTD Pistols

• Elite: <0:48
• Advanced: 0:46-0:43
• Intermediate: 0:39-0:34
• Beginner: >0:08

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Flexibility (8/10): Pistol squats demand exceptional ankle, hip, and hamstring mobility, plus balance and coordination through full range of motion.
• Stamina (7/10): Fifty alternating pistols will heavily tax unilateral leg stamina, especially with added weight creating sustained muscular endurance demands throughout.
• Strength (6/10): Weighted pistols require significant unilateral leg strength and core stability, with 50/35lb load adding meaningful resistance to bodyweight movement.
• Speed (4/10): Five minute cap creates urgency for steady pacing and efficient transitions between legs, but movement complexity limits cycling speed.
• Endurance (3/10): Five minute time cap with high-skill movement limits pure cardiovascular demand, though continuous work without rest creates moderate aerobic stress.
• Power (2/10): Primarily a strength-endurance grind rather than explosive movement, though some power needed to drive up from bottom position.

Movements

• Weighted Pistol

Benchmark Notes

This is a 5-minute time cap workout focused on 50 weighted pistols (50lbs/35lbs) alternating legs. Since no scoring method was provided, I'm analyzing this as a rep-based workout where athletes complete as many reps as possible within the time limit. Movement Analysis: - Weighted Pistol (50lbs/35lbs): This is an extremely challenging single-leg squat with significant loading. Fresh state estimate is 4-6 seconds per rep for elite athletes, 8-12 seconds for intermediate, and 12-20+ seconds for beginners. - The alternating pattern adds complexity as athletes must switch legs and potentially adjust positioning between reps. - The weight (50lbs for males, 35lbs for females) makes this significantly more difficult than bodyweight pistols. Fatigue and Pacing Considerations: - First 10 reps: Athletes may maintain 4-6 sec/rep pace - Reps 11-25: Fatigue sets in, pace slows to 6-8 sec/rep with short breaks - Reps 26-40: Significant fatigue, 8-12 sec/rep with longer breaks between legs - Reps 41-50: Only elite athletes reach this range, 10-15 sec/rep Time Breakdown (5-minute cap = 300 seconds): - L10 (Elite): 48-50 reps - Exceptional pistol strength and endurance - L5 (Average): 34 reps - Solid technique but limited by strength/endurance - L1 (Beginner): 8 reps - May struggle with weighted pistol mechanics No direct anchor exists for weighted pistols, but this follows the pattern of high-skill, strength-demanding movements where rep counts are relatively low and the spread between skill levels is significant. Final targets: L10: 48+ reps, L5: 34 reps, L1: 8 reps

Modality Profile

Weighted Pistol is a single-leg squat performed with external load (weight), making it purely a weightlifting movement rather than bodyweight gymnastics.