Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

This workout combines moderate-heavy dumbbells with high volume across 7 rounds and no built-in rest. The DB Death March (essentially walking lunges) will heavily tax the legs early, making the power cleans progressively harder. Lateral burpees over DBs compound the fatigue while requiring coordination. The continuous nature with 34 total movements per round creates significant cumulative fatigue, likely forcing most athletes to scale weight or take extended breaks.

Benchmark Times for WOD

• Elite: <8:00
• Advanced: 8:30-9:00
• Intermediate: 9:30-10:15
• Beginner: >15:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High volume workout with 42 power cleans, 126 death march steps, and 70 burpees will heavily tax muscular endurance across multiple muscle groups.
• Endurance (7/10): Seven rounds of continuous work with no programmed rest creates significant cardiovascular demand, especially with burpees elevating heart rate throughout.
• Power (6/10): Power cleans are explosive by nature, lateral burpees require some explosiveness, but high volume reduces pure power output over time.
• Speed (6/10): Fast cycling between movements and minimizing transition time crucial for good performance; burpees especially reward quick movement patterns.
• Strength (4/10): Moderate dumbbell loading at 50/35 pounds requires decent strength but isn't maximal effort; more strength-endurance than pure strength.
• Flexibility (4/10): Death march requires hip and ankle mobility, power cleans need thoracic extension and hip flexibility, burpees demand basic movement patterns.

Movements

• Dumbbell Power Clean
• Lateral Burpee Over Dumbbell
• Dumbbell Death March

Scaling Options

Reduce weight to 35/25 or 25/15 lbs for DB movements. Death march can be substituted with reverse lunges or step-ups. Lateral burpees can become regular burpees or step-over-DBs. Reduce rounds to 5 or reps to 4 power cleans, 12 death march, 8 burpees. Consider 12-minute time cap.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if you cannot perform 6 unbroken power cleans at prescribed weight or if grip fails before round 3. Priority is maintaining movement quality and consistent pacing throughout. Target is completing the workout in 12-20 minutes with steady effort rather than hitting failure early.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-to-long time domain workout (15-22 minutes) targeting glycolytic and oxidative energy systems. Primary challenge is muscular endurance and grip strength with secondary focus on conditioning. The high volume of dumbbell work tests posterior chain endurance while lateral burpees maintain elevated heart rate throughout.

Coach Insight

Pace conservatively - aim for consistent 2:30-3:00 per round. Break DB movements early and often (3-3 power cleans, 9-9 death march) to preserve grip. Keep dumbbells close during death march - step back into deep lunge, drive through front heel. On lateral burpees, step down instead of jumping back to save legs for DB movements. Grip will be the limiting factor - use hook grip or straps if available.

Benchmark Notes

This workout was scored as 'Calories' but the description shows a fixed rep scheme (7 rounds of specific movements), so this is actually a for-time workout. Movement analysis: DB Power Cleans (50/35) - 2.5 sec/rep fresh, DB Death March (50/35) - 3 sec/rep fresh (challenging single-arm overhead walking), Lateral Burpees Over DB - 4 sec/rep fresh. Round 1 breakdown: 6 power cleans (15s) + 18 death march (54s) + 10 burpees (40s) + transitions (15s) = 124s. Fatigue progression: Round 1-2: 1.0x (248s total), Round 3-4: 1.2x (297s additional), Round 5-6: 1.4x (347s additional), Round 7: 1.5x (186s). Death march is particularly taxing on grip and core stability, causing significant fatigue accumulation. Burpees compound cardiovascular demand. Total time calculation: 248 + 297 + 347 + 186 = 1078s for intermediate athlete. Elite athletes maintain better pacing and require less rest: ~8-9 min. Advanced: ~10-11 min. Intermediate: ~12-13 min. Recreational: ~15+ min.

Modality Profile

3 movements total: Dumbbell Power Clean (W), Dumbbell Death March (W), Lateral Burpee Over Dumbbell (G). Two weightlifting movements with external load, one gymnastics bodyweight movement.