Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

This workout combines high-skill gymnastic movements with time pressure and fatigue accumulation. Bar muscle-ups and handstand push-ups are advanced skills that become significantly harder under fatigue from the 500m row. The 4-minute cap forces athletes to work at high intensity with minimal recovery. The progression from complex skills to simpler movements provides some relief, but the continuous nature and skill demands make this challenging for average CrossFitters.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High-skill gymnastics movements (muscle ups, HSPU) combined with rowing and bodyweight exercises test upper body muscular endurance across multiple rounds.
• Endurance (7/10): Multiple 4-minute intervals with 500m rows create significant cardiovascular demand, though rest periods provide some recovery between rounds.
• Strength (6/10): Bar muscle ups and handstand push ups require significant relative strength, while kettlebell swings add moderate load component.
• Speed (6/10): Four-minute caps create urgency to complete rowing quickly and maximize AMRAP rounds, requiring efficient transitions and movement cycling.
• Flexibility (5/10): Handstand push ups demand shoulder mobility, muscle ups require good thoracic extension, and overhead positions challenge flexibility throughout.
• Power (4/10): Kettlebell swings are inherently explosive, muscle ups require power for transition, but overall emphasis is more on strength endurance.

Movements

• Push-Up
• Kettlebell Swing
• Bar Muscle-Up
• Handstand Push-Up
• Row
• Pull-Up

Scaling Options

Round 1: Ring muscle-ups or chest-to-bar + ring dips, box handstand push-ups or pike push-ups. Round 2: Banded pull-ups, knee push-ups or incline push-ups. Round 3: Reduce KB weight to 35/26 or 26/18 lbs. Consider reducing row to 400m or 350m if rowing takes over 2:15. Advanced athletes can add weight vest or increase KB weight to 70/53 lbs.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if you cannot perform 3+ bar muscle-ups unbroken, 5+ handstand push-ups, or 10+ strict pull-ups. The goal is maintaining high intensity throughout each AMRAP window. Athletes should complete the row in under 2:15 and have at least 1:45 for movement work. Prioritize movement quality over load - better to move well with lighter weight than struggle with prescribed loads and lose the metabolic stimulus.

Intended Stimulus

High-intensity interval training targeting the glycolytic energy system with progressive skill degradation. Each 4-minute window creates a sprint-moderate hybrid where athletes must balance rowing pace with complex movement sustainability. The workout tests mental resilience as movements become simpler but more taxing as fatigue accumulates.

Coach Insight

Target 1:40-2:00 on the 500m row to maximize AMRAP time. On bar muscle-ups, break early and often - singles from the start if needed. For HSPUs, use strict deficit or kipping but maintain consistent head position. In later rounds, pace pull-ups to avoid forearm pump that kills push-up performance. Keep kettlebell swings unbroken with aggressive hip drive. Rest periods are crucial - use for chalk, water, and mental reset.

Benchmark Notes

This workout has 6 total rounds across 3 different sections, each with a 500m row followed by AMRAP movements in remaining time. Section 1 (2 rounds): 500m row (90-120 sec) leaves 120-150 sec for 3 Bar Muscle Ups + 4 HSPU AMRAP. Bar muscle ups take 4-5 sec each, HSPU take 3-4 sec each (7 reps = 21-28 sec per round). Elite athletes complete 8-12 rounds per 4-min window, recreational 3-5 rounds. Section 2 (2 rounds): Same row time, then 5 Pull-ups + 7 Push-ups AMRAP. Pull-ups 1.5 sec each, push-ups 1 sec each (12 reps = 12.5 sec per round). This is faster than Section 1, allowing 10-15 rounds for elite, 6-8 for recreational. Section 3 (2 rounds): Same row, then KB swings only at 1.5 sec per rep. Elite athletes can complete 40-60 swings per window, recreational 20-30. Total rep calculation: Section 1 contributes 30-70 reps, Section 2 contributes 70-150 reps, Section 3 contributes 80-240 reps. Fatigue builds significantly by Section 3 (rounds 5-6) with 1.3-1.5x multiplier. Rest periods between sections allow partial recovery. Final totals: L1=45 (beginner), L5=125 (average), L9=205 (elite).

Modality Profile

6 movements total: Row (M), Bar Muscle-Up (G), Handstand Push-Up (G), Pull-Up (G), Push-Up (G), Kettlebell Swing (W). 4 gymnastics movements (67%), 1 monostructural (17%), 1 weightlifting (17%), rounded to 70/20/10 for clean percentages.