Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

The 135/95lb hang power cleans are moderately heavy for most athletes, requiring technical proficiency under fatigue. The 21-15-9 rep scheme creates continuous work with no built-in rest, and pull-ups immediately after cleans compounds grip and upper body fatigue. While individual elements are manageable, the combination of moderate-heavy barbell cycling directly into high-volume pull-ups without recovery makes this challenging for the average athlete.

Benchmark Times for WOD

• 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 hang power cleans and pull-ups will severely test upper body pulling stamina and grip endurance throughout the workout.
• Endurance (7/10): The 21-15-9 format with minimal rest creates significant cardiovascular demand, especially as grip fatigue accumulates and breathing becomes labored.
• Power (7/10): Hang power cleans are inherently explosive movements requiring rapid hip extension and bar acceleration from the hang position.
• Strength (6/10): 135/95 lb hang power cleans require moderate strength, while pull-ups demand good relative strength, creating meaningful strength requirements.
• Speed (6/10): Fast transitions between movements and quick cycling of reps are crucial for competitive times in this couplet format.
• Flexibility (4/10): Hang power cleans require hip hinge mobility and overhead positioning, while pull-ups need shoulder and thoracic spine mobility.

Movements

• Hang Power Clean
• Pull-Up

Benchmark Notes

This workout is extremely similar to the iconic Fran benchmark (21-15-9 Thruster 95/65 + Pull-Up), with the key difference being Hang Power Clean 135/95 instead of Thruster 95/65. Using Fran as the primary anchor: L10: 120-140 sec, L5: 320-360 sec, L1: 540-660 sec. The Hang Power Clean at 135/95 is significantly heavier than Fran's Thruster at 95/65 (40lb/30lb increase), and the hang power clean is more technically demanding than the thruster. Movement breakdown: Round 1 (21 reps each): HPC takes ~2.5-3 sec/rep fresh, Pull-ups ~1.5 sec/rep = ~84-94 sec. Round 2 (15 reps): With fatigue multiplier 1.1x, HPC ~3-3.5 sec/rep, Pull-ups ~1.8 sec/rep = ~72-80 sec. Round 3 (9 reps): With fatigue multiplier 1.2x, HPC ~3.5-4 sec/rep, Pull-ups ~2 sec/rep = ~50-54 sec. Total movement time: ~206-228 sec for elite. Adding transitions (3 transitions x 3-5 sec = 9-15 sec) and brief set breaks on pull-ups in later rounds (+15-25 sec), elite total: ~230-268 sec. Due to the heavier load and more complex movement pattern compared to Fran, I'm adjusting Fran's benchmarks upward by approximately 80-90%: L10 becomes 225 sec (vs Fran's 130), L5 becomes 390 sec (vs Fran's 340), L1 becomes 720 sec (vs Fran's 600). Final targets - L10: 225 sec, L5: 390 sec, L1: 720 sec.

Modality Profile

Two movements: Hang Power Clean (Weightlifting) and Pull-Up (Gymnastics). Equal split between W and G modalities.