Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Medium

While the banded KB carries create unique grip and stability challenges, the moderate weights (53/35) and built-in transitions between arms provide natural recovery. The 95/65 overhead squats are manageable for most CrossFitters at 15 reps. Four rounds creates moderate volume without excessive fatigue accumulation. The combination challenges grip, shoulders, and legs progressively but remains within the capability range of average athletes with minimal scaling needed.

Benchmark Times for WOD

• Elite: <12:00
• Advanced: 14:00-16:00
• Intermediate: 18:00-20:00
• Beginner: >30:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): Unilateral farmers carries will heavily tax grip and core stamina, while 15 overhead squats per round challenges shoulder endurance significantly.
• Flexibility (7/10): Overhead squats demand excellent ankle, hip, thoracic spine, and shoulder mobility. Full depth squatting with overhead load is mobility-intensive.
• Strength (6/10): Moderate kettlebell weight for carries and 95/65lb overhead squats require substantial strength, especially in compromised positions after carries.
• Endurance (4/10): Four rounds of carries and squats creates moderate cardiovascular demand, but rest periods between movements limit pure aerobic stress.
• Speed (3/10): Transitions between unilateral carries and setup for overhead squats will be deliberate rather than fast due to grip fatigue.
• Power (2/10): Minimal explosive demand as farmers carries are slow grinds and overhead squats are controlled strength movements rather than power-based.

Movements

• Overhead Squat
• Farmers Carry

Benchmark Notes

This workout consists of 4 rounds of unilateral farmers carries plus overhead squats. Breaking down movement by movement: Banded KB Farmers Carry (100ft each hand): The banded resistance adds significant difficulty to standard farmers carries. Each 100ft carry would take approximately 15-20 seconds fresh, but the band creates constant tension requiring more grip strength and core stability. With 53/35 lb KB plus band resistance, estimate 20-25 seconds per carry for elite athletes, 30-40 seconds for intermediate. Overhead Squat (95/65): This is a technically demanding movement requiring mobility and stability. At moderate load, elite athletes can maintain 2-3 seconds per rep when fresh, but this degrades significantly under fatigue. Round-by-round breakdown: Round 1 (fresh): Carries 20+20=40 sec, OHS 15×2.5=38 sec, transitions 10 sec = 88 sec total. Round 2: Carries get harder due to grip fatigue, 25+25=50 sec, OHS slows to 3 sec/rep = 45 sec, transitions 12 sec = 107 sec. Round 3: Significant grip and shoulder fatigue, carries 30+30=60 sec, OHS 3.5 sec/rep = 53 sec, transitions 15 sec = 128 sec. Round 4: Maximum fatigue, carries 35+35=70 sec, OHS 4 sec/rep = 60 sec, transitions 18 sec = 148 sec. Total elite time: 88+107+128+148 = 471 seconds (7:51). The closest anchor is Helen (3 rounds with KB swings), where L10 is 450-510 seconds. However, this workout has 4 rounds and more grip-intensive work with the banded carries, plus overhead squats are more technically demanding than swings. Adjusting Helen's anchor upward by approximately 40% for the additional round and increased difficulty: L10 becomes 630-714 seconds, L5 becomes 882-1050 seconds, L1 becomes 1260-1512 seconds. For intermediate athletes (L5), expect carries to take 35-40 seconds each by later rounds, OHS to slow to 4-5 seconds per rep with more rest breaks. Total L5 time approximately 1200 seconds (20 minutes). Recreational athletes (L1) will need frequent breaks on carries due to grip failure and may need to break OHS into smaller sets. Expect 1800+ seconds. Final targets: L10: 720 sec (12:00), L5: 1200 sec (20:00), L1: 1800 sec (30:00).

Modality Profile

Both Kettlebell Farmers Carry and Overhead Squat are external load movements using kettlebells/barbells, making this 100% Weightlifting with no Gymnastics or Monostructural components.