Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Medium

These are simply running sprints with built-in rest periods. The ladder format (10-40 yards) creates moderate intensity bursts but the ~1.5 minute rest allows nearly full recovery between efforts. While 8 rounds accumulates some fatigue, the work-to-rest ratio heavily favors recovery. No technical skills, weights, or movement interference - just basic running capacity. Most CrossFitters can complete this as prescribed.

Benchmark Times for WOD

• Elite: <5:00
• Advanced: 6:00-7:00
• Intermediate: 8:00-9:00
• Beginner: >13:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Speed (10/10): This workout is fundamentally about speed - sprinting at maximum velocity with minimal rest, directly testing anaerobic speed capacity.
• Power (9/10): Sprint intervals are pure explosive efforts requiring maximum power output, especially on the 40-yard sprints in each round.
• Endurance (8/10): Eight rounds of sprint intervals with short rest creates significant cardiovascular demand, challenging aerobic power and recovery between high-intensity efforts.
• Stamina (4/10): While sprints are short, the cumulative fatigue from repeated efforts and increasing distances per round will test leg muscular endurance.
• Flexibility (3/10): Running mechanics require basic hip flexion, ankle mobility, and stride length; longer sprints may demand greater range of motion.
• Strength (2/10): Running requires minimal strength demands beyond bodyweight movement; primarily tests relative strength endurance in legs.

Movements

• Ladder Sprint

Benchmark Notes

This workout consists of 8 rounds of ladder sprints (10m, 20m, 30m, 40m) with ~1.5 minute rest between rounds. Each round totals 100m of sprinting distance. Base times per sprint: 10m=2-3sec, 20m=4-6sec, 30m=6-9sec, 40m=8-12sec. Fresh round time: 20-30sec of sprinting + transitions (5-10sec) = 25-40sec per round. With 1.5min rest between rounds, athletes recover well, so minimal fatigue accumulation. Total active time: 8 rounds × 30-35sec = 240-280sec base time. Adding slight fatigue (5-10% by final rounds) and individual speed variations: Elite athletes (L10) complete in ~5min, while recreational athletes (L1) take ~13min. The long rest periods keep this primarily speed/power dependent rather than metabolic conditioning.

Modality Profile

Ladder Sprint is a monostructural cardio movement involving running/sprinting patterns, making it 100% monostructural with no gymnastics or weightlifting components.