Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

Bodyweight front squats without a rack require significant strength and stability, forcing athletes to clean the weight for each set. Combined with handstand push-ups in a 21-15-9 format, this creates a brutal shoulder and leg combination with no built-in rest. The high rep count (45 total of each) under continuous fatigue, plus the technical demands of both movements, makes this accessible only to experienced athletes.

Benchmark Times for BLACKOUT

• Elite: <3:45
• Advanced: 4:15-4:45
• Intermediate: 5:30-6:30
• Beginner: >12:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High volume of front squats (45 total) and handstand push-ups (45 total) will severely test upper body and leg muscular endurance capabilities.
• Endurance (7/10): The 21-15-9 format with minimal rest between movements creates significant cardiovascular demand, especially with the large muscle groups involved in front squats.
• Flexibility (7/10): Front squats demand excellent ankle, hip, and thoracic mobility, while handstand push-ups require substantial shoulder and wrist flexibility for proper positioning.
• Strength (6/10): Bodyweight front squats require significant absolute strength, while handstand push-ups demand considerable upper body and core strength for most athletes.
• Speed (6/10): The descending rep scheme encourages fast transitions and quick movement cycling, though fatigue will limit speed in later rounds significantly.
• Power (3/10): Some explosive drive from the bottom of front squats, but the high volume format emphasizes strength endurance over pure power output.

Movements

• Front Squat
• Handstand Push-Up

Benchmark Notes

This workout follows a 21-15-9 format with front squats at bodyweight (no rack) and handstand push-ups. I'll analyze this by comparing to the closest anchor benchmark - Elizabeth (21-15-9 squat clean 135/95 + ring dip) - and adjusting for movement differences. Movement Analysis: - Front Squat (bodyweight, no rack): This requires holding the bar in front rack position throughout, significantly more demanding than back squats. For a 185lb male, this means 185lb front squats. The 'no rack' element adds setup time and forces athletes to clean the weight to start each set. - Handstand Push-Ups: More challenging than ring dips due to the inverted position and full bodyweight pressing. Round-by-Round Breakdown: Round 1 (21 reps each): - 21 Front Squats: ~3 sec/rep fresh = 63 sec, plus 15 sec for cleaning weight to start - Transition: 5 sec - 21 HSPU: ~4 sec/rep fresh = 84 sec - Total Round 1: ~167 sec Round 2 (15 reps each): - 15 Front Squats: ~3.5 sec/rep (fatigue) = 53 sec, plus 10 sec setup - Transition: 5 sec - 15 HSPU: ~5 sec/rep (fatigue) = 75 sec - Total Round 2: ~143 sec Round 3 (9 reps each): - 9 Front Squats: ~4 sec/rep (heavy fatigue) = 36 sec, plus 8 sec setup - Transition: 5 sec - 9 HSPU: ~6 sec/rep (heavy fatigue) = 54 sec - Total Round 3: ~103 sec Total Elite Time: ~413 sec (6:53) Comparing to Elizabeth anchor (L10: 160-200 sec), this workout should be significantly slower due to: 1. Bodyweight front squats vs 135lb squat cleans (heavier relative load for most) 2. No rack setup adds time and difficulty 3. HSPU vs ring dips (HSPU more challenging) 4. Overall higher skill and strength demands Adjusting Elizabeth's L10 range (160-200 sec) upward by ~140% to account for these factors gives us ~225-280 sec for elite performance. I'm targeting 225 sec for L9 (top tier elite). Final targets: L10: 225 sec, L5: 390 sec, L1: 720 sec

Modality Profile

Two movements: Front Squat (weightlifting with barbell) and Handstand Push-Up (gymnastics bodyweight movement). Equal split between weightlifting and gymnastics modalities.