Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Medium

While 65% back squats and moderate DB presses are individually manageable, the AMRAP format creates continuous work with minimal rest. The 30-second breaks prevent full recovery between efforts, leading to fatigue accumulation across 8 total minutes of work. However, the loads remain moderate and movements are fundamental, making this challenging but accessible to average CrossFitters without requiring scaling.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Strength (8/10): Back squats at 65% 1RM and shoulder press at 8-12RM loads represent significant strength demands throughout the workout.
• Stamina (7/10): Sixty-second AMRAPs of compound movements will heavily tax muscular endurance, especially in shoulders and legs across multiple rounds.
• Endurance (4/10): Four rounds with short rest periods create moderate cardiovascular demand, but the strength focus limits pure aerobic stress.
• Flexibility (3/10): Back squats require good ankle and hip mobility, while overhead pressing demands adequate shoulder and thoracic spine range of motion.
• Speed (3/10): AMRAP format encourages steady pacing rather than sprint cycling, with built-in rest periods reducing transition speed requirements.
• Power (2/10): Minimal explosive demand as both movements are performed under load in a grinding, strength-endurance fashion rather than explosively.

Movements

• Back Squat
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Benchmark Notes

This workout consists of 4 rounds alternating between back squats at 65% 1RM and DB shoulder press at 8-12RM weight, with 60-second AMRAPs and 30-second rests. Movement analysis: Back Squat at 65% 1RM: This is a moderate load allowing for continuous reps. Elite athletes can maintain 12-15 reps per minute, intermediates 8-12 reps, beginners 5-8 reps. DB Shoulder Press at 8-12RM: This is a challenging load. Elite athletes might achieve 10-12 reps per minute, intermediates 6-9 reps, beginners 4-6 reps. Round-by-round breakdown with fatigue: Round 1 (fresh): Back squat 12-15 reps, DB press 10-12 reps = 22-27 total. Round 2 (slight fatigue): Back squat 10-13 reps, DB press 8-10 reps = 18-23 total. Round 3 (moderate fatigue): Back squat 8-11 reps, DB press 6-8 reps = 14-19 total. Round 4 (high fatigue): Back squat 6-9 reps, DB press 5-7 reps = 11-16 total. Total rep ranges: Elite (L9-L10): 280-300 reps, Intermediate (L5): 200 reps, Beginner (L1-L2): 120-140 reps. The 30-second rests between movements allow partial recovery but accumulate fatigue across rounds. This is primarily a strength-endurance test with moderate loads. No direct anchor matches this format, but the rep ranges align with typical AMRAP strength workouts. Final targets - L10: 280+ reps, L5: 200 reps, L1: 120 reps.

Modality Profile

Both Back Squat and Dumbbell Shoulder Press are external load movements using barbells and dumbbells respectively, making this 100% Weightlifting with no Gymnastics or Monostructural components.