Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

The suitcase deadlifts at 135/95 create significant unilateral grip and core demands, while lateral burpees add metabolic stress and coordination challenges. The alternating grip pattern prevents recovery, and toes-to-bar after grip-intensive deadlifts creates cumulative fatigue. Four rounds with no built-in rest means continuous work for 15-20 minutes. The combination of moderate loads, grip demands, and sustained volume pushes this beyond typical medium difficulty.

Benchmark Times for HOT POTATO

• Elite: <7:00
• Advanced: 8:00-9:00
• Intermediate: 10:00-11:00
• Beginner: >18:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High volume of grip-dependent deadlifts combined with core-intensive toes to bar will severely test muscular endurance, particularly posterior chain and grip stamina.
• Endurance (7/10): Four rounds of continuous work with minimal rest creates significant cardiovascular demand, especially with the metabolic stress from lateral burpees and grip-intensive movements.
• Strength (6/10): Moderate barbell loads (135/95) for suitcase deadlifts require significant unilateral strength and core stability, though not maximal strength efforts.
• Speed (6/10): Four rounds format encourages steady pacing with quick transitions between unilateral deadlifts, explosive burpees, and gymnastic movements for optimal time.
• Power (5/10): Lateral burpees provide explosive hip extension and jumping components, while toes to bar requires powerful hip flexion and kipping coordination.
• Flexibility (4/10): Toes to bar demands good shoulder and hip flexibility, while suitcase deadlifts require adequate hip hinge mobility and lateral stability.

Movements

• Lateral Burpee Over Bar
• Suitcase Barbell Deadlift
• Toes-to-Bar

Benchmark Notes

This workout consists of 4 rounds of: 10 Suitcase Barbell Deadlifts Left (135/95), 10 Lateral Barbell Burpees, 10 Suitcase Barbell Deadlifts Right (135/95), 10 Toes to Bar. Total volume: 40 suitcase deadlifts per side, 40 lateral barbell burpees, 40 toes to bar. Movement analysis per round: - 10 Suitcase Deadlifts (Left): 2.5 sec/rep = 25 sec - 10 Lateral Barbell Burpees: 5 sec/rep = 50 sec (burpees over barbell are slower) - 10 Suitcase Deadlifts (Right): 2.5 sec/rep = 25 sec - 10 Toes to Bar: 2 sec/rep = 20 sec - Transitions between movements: 4 transitions × 5 sec = 20 sec Round 1 total: 140 sec Fatigue progression: - Round 1: 140 sec (1.0x multiplier) - Round 2: 154 sec (1.1x multiplier) - Round 3: 168 sec (1.2x multiplier) - Round 4: 182 sec (1.3x multiplier) - Rest between rounds: 3 × 10 sec = 30 sec Total time estimate: 140 + 154 + 168 + 182 + 30 = 674 sec for elite level This workout is most similar to a medium-duration chipper with mixed modalities. The suitcase deadlifts create significant grip and core fatigue that compounds with the burpees and toes to bar. The lateral barbell burpees are particularly taxing as they require stepping/jumping over the barbell each rep. Using Helen (7:30-8:30 elite) and DT (6:00-7:00 elite) as reference anchors for mixed modal workouts of similar duration, I'm targeting L10 around 7:00 (420 sec) for elite athletes. The workout has high grip demand and core fatigue similar to DT but with more total volume. Final targets - L10: 420 sec (7:00), L5: 660 sec (11:00), L1: 1080 sec (18:00)

Modality Profile

3 movements total: Suitcase Barbell Deadlift (W), Lateral Burpee Over Bar (G), Toes-to-Bar (G). Two gymnastics movements (67%) and one weightlifting movement (33%), rounded to clean percentages.