Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

While individual elements seem manageable, the 18-minute continuous AMRAP with team relay format creates significant fatigue accumulation. The 135/95lb trap bar deadlifts and carries will become increasingly difficult as athletes cycle through rounds without meaningful recovery. The relay adds pressure to maintain pace, preventing strategic rest. Most athletes will experience grip fatigue and posterior chain overload, requiring scaling of weight or modified pacing strategies.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High rep deadlifts combined with loaded carries will test posterior chain and grip stamina throughout the extended time domain.
• Endurance (7/10): 18-minute AMRAP with continuous movement creates significant cardiovascular demand, especially with loaded carries and minimal rest between relay transitions.
• Strength (6/10): Moderate trap bar deadlift loads (135/95) require substantial strength output, particularly as fatigue accumulates over multiple rounds.
• Speed (6/10): Relay format creates urgency for quick transitions and maintaining pace, with team dynamics adding competitive speed element.
• Flexibility (3/10): Trap bar deadlifts demand hip hinge mobility and basic shoulder/thoracic positioning for the carry portion.
• Power (2/10): Deadlifts can be performed explosively but the carry component and relay format favor steady grinding over explosive output.

Movements

• Farmer Carry
• Trap Bar Deadlift

Benchmark Notes

This is an 18-minute AMRAP with teams of 3 doing relay-style work. Each round consists of 5 trap bar deadlifts (135/95) + 50ft trap bar carry (135/95). Per person analysis: Trap bar deadlifts at moderate load take ~2.5 sec/rep, so 5 reps = 12-13 seconds. The 50ft carry with 135/95 lbs takes approximately 8-10 seconds for most athletes. Including brief transitions between movements (~2-3 seconds), each individual round takes 22-26 seconds fresh. However, as a team relay, athletes get rest while teammates work, reducing individual fatigue. With 3 people rotating, each athlete works roughly every 60-75 seconds, allowing substantial recovery. Round 1-2: 25 sec/round, Rounds 3-4: 27 sec/round (minimal fatigue due to rest), Rounds 5-6: 29 sec/round, Rounds 7+: 30-32 sec/round. Over 18 minutes (1080 seconds), accounting for the relay rest periods, elite teams can complete 5.5-6+ rounds, intermediate teams 3.5-4.5 rounds, and beginners 1.5-2.5 rounds. The relay format significantly reduces individual fatigue compared to continuous work.

Modality Profile

Both Trap Bar Deadlift and Trap Bar Carry are external load movements using a trap bar, making this workout 100% weightlifting with no gymnastics or monostructural components.