Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

The 3RM front squat creates significant leg fatigue before the metcon. The 185/120 squat cleans are heavy for most athletes, requiring technical precision under fatigue. Combined with toes-to-bar (grip/core demanding) in a time-pressured format, this creates multiple limiting factors. The continuous 15-minute cap with no built-in rest means fatigue accumulates rapidly across legs, grip, and core simultaneously.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Strength (8/10): Finding a 3RM front squat is a pure maximal strength test, while 185/120 squat cleans require significant strength output.
• Endurance (7/10): The 15-minute capped metcon with rowing finisher creates significant cardiovascular demand, testing aerobic capacity throughout the workout.
• Power (7/10): Squat cleans are explosive triple extension movements, requiring significant power production from the floor to the catch position.
• Stamina (6/10): Five rounds of squat cleans and toes to bar, plus max calorie row, challenges muscular endurance across multiple muscle groups.
• Flexibility (6/10): Front squats demand ankle and hip mobility, squat cleans require full-body flexibility, toes to bar needs shoulder and hip flexibility.
• Speed (5/10): The 15-minute cap creates urgency for transitions and movement cycling, though heavy loads limit pure speed demands.

Movements

• Squat Clean
• Front Squat
• Toes-to-Bar
• Row

Scaling Options

Front squat: Work to heavy triple instead of 3RM if technique breaks down. Squat cleans: Reduce to 135/95 or 115/75 lbs. Toes-to-bar: Sub hanging knee raises, V-ups, or sit-ups. Rowing: Reduce to 10-minute cap if needed. Consider 4 rounds instead of 5 for newer athletes.

Scaling Explanation

Scale front squat if athlete cannot maintain upright torso or full depth above 85% 1RM. Scale squat clean weight if athlete cannot perform singles with good form when fresh. Scale toes-to-bar if athlete cannot perform 3+ strict hanging knee raises. Goal is 3+ complete rounds with 3+ minutes of rowing time remaining.

Intended Stimulus

Two-part workout targeting maximal strength development followed by moderate-intensity glycolytic conditioning. The front squat builds absolute strength and CNS recruitment, while the 15-minute AMRAP tests power endurance and mental resilience. Energy systems: phosphagen for heavy squats, glycolytic for the conditioning piece. Primary challenges are strength expression under fatigue and maintaining technique as lactate accumulates.

Coach Insight

For front squats, take 3-5 minutes between heavy attempts and focus on consistent setup. In the AMRAP, treat squat cleans as singles from the start - no touch-and-go. Aim for unbroken toes-to-bar sets early, breaking to 3-3 when fatigued. Row at 80% effort to maximize calories while maintaining sustainable pace. Transitions should be quick but controlled. Most athletes will complete 3-4 rounds before rowing.

Benchmark Notes

This workout has two distinct phases: 1) Find 3RM Front Squat (20 min), 2) AMRAP 15 min of 5 rounds of 3 Squat Cleans (185/120) + 6 Toes to Bar, then max calorie row. Since scoring is 'Rounds + Reps', we focus on the AMRAP portion. Movement Analysis: - Squat Clean (185/120): Heavy load, ~4-5 sec per rep when fresh, increasing to 6-8 sec under fatigue - Toes to Bar: ~2-3 sec per rep when fresh, increasing to 3-4 sec under fatigue - Transition between movements: ~5-10 sec Round Breakdown: Round 1 (fresh): 3 cleans × 5 sec + 6 T2B × 2.5 sec + transitions = ~45 sec Round 2: 3 cleans × 5.5 sec + 6 T2B × 3 sec + transitions = ~52 sec Round 3: 3 cleans × 6 sec + 6 T2B × 3.5 sec + transitions = ~60 sec Round 4: 3 cleans × 7 sec + 6 T2B × 4 sec + transitions = ~70 sec Round 5: 3 cleans × 8 sec + 6 T2B × 4.5 sec + transitions = ~80 sec Cumulative times: R1=45s, R2=97s, R3=157s, R4=227s, R5=307s This is similar to Elizabeth (21-15-9 squat clean 135/95 + ring dip) but with different rep scheme and heavier load. Elizabeth anchors: L10: 160-200s, L5: 360-420s, L1: 540-720s. Our workout has heavier cleans (185 vs 135) and different structure, so we expect slower times. Elite athletes (L10) should complete 5+ rounds in 15 minutes, with some getting into the row portion. Average athletes (L5) will complete 4-5 rounds. Beginners (L1) may struggle to complete 3 rounds due to the heavy squat clean load. Final targets: L10: 5.9+ rounds, L5: 4.7 rounds, L1: 2.5 rounds

Modality Profile

4 movements total: Front Squat and Squat Clean are weightlifting (50%), Toes-to-Bar is gymnastics (25%), Row is monostructural (25%)