Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

This 20-minute AMRAP combines multiple challenging elements that compound over time. Handstand push-ups and pistols are high-skill movements that most athletes will struggle with under fatigue. The continuous nature with no built-in rest means grip fatigue from toes-to-bar will affect HSPU performance, while leg fatigue accumulates across pistols and KB swings. The 20-minute duration ensures significant skill degradation and volume accumulation that pushes this beyond medium difficulty.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High-skill bodyweight movements performed repeatedly will heavily tax muscular endurance, especially shoulders, core, and legs across multiple rounds.
• Endurance (7/10): A 20-minute AMRAP with continuous movement creates significant cardiovascular demand, requiring sustained aerobic capacity throughout the workout duration.
• Flexibility (7/10): Handstand push-ups, pistols, and toes-to-bar all require above-average mobility in shoulders, hips, ankles, and thoracic spine.
• Strength (6/10): Handstand push-ups and pistols require significant relative strength, while kettlebell swings demand moderate absolute strength for the prescribed loads.
• Speed (5/10): Efficient transitions and consistent pacing are important, but technical movements limit maximum cycling speed compared to simpler movements.
• Power (4/10): Kettlebell swings provide explosive hip extension, while other movements are more strength-endurance focused with minimal power requirements.

Movements

• Handstand Push-Up
• Toes-to-Bar
• Kettlebell Swing
• Pistol Squat

Benchmark Notes

This 20-minute AMRAP contains 4 handstand push-ups, 8 pistols (alternating), 10 toes-to-bar, and 12 kettlebell swings (53/35 lbs) per round. I'll analyze this using Cindy (AMRAP 20: 5 pull-ups + 10 push-ups + 15 air squats) as the closest anchor, then adjust for the significantly higher skill demands and movement complexity. Movement analysis per round: - 4 Handstand Push-Ups: 8-12 sec each in complex WODs = 32-48 sec - 8 Pistols (alternating): 2-3 sec each = 16-24 sec - 10 Toes-to-Bar: 1.5-2.5 sec each = 15-25 sec - 12 KB Swings (53/35): 1.5-2 sec each = 18-24 sec - Transitions between movements: 3-6 sec each = 12-18 sec Total per round: 93-139 seconds for elite athletes, scaling up significantly for lower levels due to the technical demands. Cindy anchor shows L10: 25-30 rounds, L5: 15-18 rounds, L1: 6-8 rounds. However, this workout is substantially more demanding due to: 1. Handstand push-ups vs regular push-ups (3-4x more difficult) 2. Pistols vs air squats (2-3x more difficult, balance requirements) 3. Toes-to-bar vs air squats (grip/core intensive) 4. Heavier kettlebell swings vs air squats Adjusting downward by approximately 45-50% from Cindy due to these factors: - L10: 16-17 rounds (vs Cindy's 25-30) - L5: 10-11 rounds (vs Cindy's 15-18) - L1: 4-5 rounds (vs Cindy's 6-8) Fatigue considerations: Handstand push-ups will limit most athletes significantly after round 3-4, pistols require constant balance work, and grip fatigue from toes-to-bar will compound. Set breaking becomes mandatory for most levels after round 2-3. Final targets - L10: 16.5 rounds, L5: 10.5 rounds, L1: 4.5 rounds

Modality Profile

3 out of 4 movements are gymnastics (Handstand Push-Up, Pistol, Toes-to-Bar) and 1 is weightlifting (Kettlebell Swing). This gives us 75% gymnastics and 25% weightlifting.