Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

The continuous high-intensity work with minimal rest creates significant fatigue accumulation. Back squats at 65% for 60 seconds will hit 15-20 reps under fatigue, followed immediately by shoulder pressing to near-failure ranges. The 30-second rest windows prevent meaningful recovery between exercises, and four rounds amplifies the cumulative stress. Most athletes will struggle with the rep counts and loads by rounds 3-4.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (7/10): High-rep back squats and shoulder presses in AMRAP format will significantly challenge muscular endurance across multiple rounds.
• Strength (6/10): Back squats at 65% 1RM and moderate load dumbbell presses require substantial force production throughout the workout.
• Endurance (4/10): Four one-minute AMRAPs with short rests create moderate cardiovascular demand but insufficient duration for pure aerobic stress.
• Flexibility (3/10): Back squats demand good hip and ankle mobility; shoulder press requires adequate overhead range of motion.
• Speed (3/10): AMRAP format encourages quick transitions but heavy loads limit cycling speed between reps.
• Power (2/10): Primarily strength-endurance focused with controlled tempo movements rather than explosive power generation.

Movements

• Back Squat
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Scaling Options

Back squat: Reduce to 55-60% 1RM or use bodyweight/goblet squats. DB shoulder press: Use lighter DBs (5-8 RM range) or substitute with push press for assistance. Beginners can extend rest to 45-60 seconds between rounds or reduce to 3 rounds total. Those with mobility issues can use box squats to parallel.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if you cannot maintain quality reps throughout the minute intervals or if technique significantly degrades. Athletes should complete at least 6-8 back squats and 8-10 shoulder presses in the first round. If dropping below these numbers or form breaks down, reduce load. Goal is consistent output across all 4 rounds with challenging but sustainable intensity.

Intended Stimulus

Strength-endurance hybrid targeting both muscular power and anaerobic capacity. The 60-second AMRAPs create glycolytic stress while maintaining moderate to heavy loads. Primary challenge is sustaining rep quality under fatigue across 4 rounds, with insufficient rest creating cumulative fatigue.

Coach Insight

Pacing is critical - start conservatively on round 1 to gauge capacity. For back squats, aim for 8-12 reps per minute depending on strength level. Focus on controlled descent and explosive drive up. For DB shoulder press, choose weight allowing 10-15 reps first round but expect 6-10 by final round. Keep core tight throughout both movements. The 30-second rest will feel short - use it for controlled breathing and light movement.

Benchmark Notes

This workout consists of 4 rounds of two 60-second AMRAPs with 30-second rest between exercises. Round 1: Back squats at 65% 1RM typically allow 2-3 seconds per rep when fresh, yielding 20-30 reps in 60 seconds. DB shoulder press at 8-12RM weight allows 3-4 seconds per rep, yielding 15-20 reps. Total round 1: 35-50 reps. Round 2: Fatigue factor 1.1x reduces performance by ~10%, yielding 32-45 reps. Round 3: Fatigue factor 1.2x reduces performance by ~20%, yielding 28-40 reps. Round 4: Fatigue factor 1.3x reduces performance by ~30%, yielding 25-35 reps. Total across all rounds: Elite (164+ reps), Advanced (152-163), Intermediate (116-151), Beginner (68-115). The 30-second rests are sufficient for partial recovery but cumulative fatigue significantly impacts later rounds. Back squats become more challenging as legs fatigue, and shoulder press becomes difficult as shoulders accumulate volume.

Modality Profile

Both Back Squat and Dumbbell Shoulder Press are weightlifting movements using external load, resulting in 100% weightlifting modality.