Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

The 2K row creates significant leg and cardiovascular fatigue before transitioning immediately into heavy front squats (225/155) - a weight most athletes can only handle for singles when fresh. The 21-15-9 rep scheme with no built-in rest forces athletes to cycle heavy weight under extreme fatigue. Knees-to-elbows after front squats compounds grip and core fatigue. The combination of pre-fatigue, heavy loading, and continuous work creates multiple simultaneous limiting factors.

Benchmark Times for WOD

• Elite: <8:30
• Advanced: 9:30-10:30
• Intermediate: 11:30-12:30
• Beginner: >18:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High volume front squats (45 total reps) and knees to elbows (45 total reps) will severely test muscular endurance in legs and core.
• Strength (8/10): 225/155 front squats taken from ground demand significant maximal strength, especially as fatigue accumulates through the descending rep scheme.
• Endurance (7/10): The 2K row provides significant aerobic demand, followed by a descending ladder that maintains elevated heart rate throughout the workout.
• Flexibility (6/10): Front squats require good ankle and thoracic mobility, while knees to elbows demand shoulder flexibility and core range of motion.
• Speed (5/10): 21-15-9 format encourages steady pacing with minimal rest, requiring efficient transitions between heavy squats and gymnastic movements.
• Power (4/10): Moderate power demand from explosive hip drive in front squats and dynamic core engagement in knees to elbows movements.

Movements

• Front Squat
• Knees-to-Elbow
• Row

Benchmark Notes

This workout combines a 2K row with a 21-15-9 couplet of front squats at 225/155 and knees to elbows. I'll break this down movement by movement: 2K Row Component: Using the classic 2K row anchor: L10: 360-390 sec, L5: 420-450 sec, L1: 510-540 sec. For this analysis, I'll use 375 sec (L10), 435 sec (L5), and 525 sec (L1) as baseline times. 21-15-9 Front Squat (225/155) + Knees to Elbows: This is a heavy front squat load - significantly heavier than typical benchmark weights. At 225 lbs, this is likely 80-90% 1RM for many athletes, requiring singles or doubles with rest. The knees to elbows will be affected by the heavy squatting. Round-by-round breakdown: Round 1 (21 reps each): Front squats will require 3-4 sets (7-5-5-4 pattern) with 15-20 sec rest between sets. Total FS time: ~180 sec. Knees to elbows will be compromised by core fatigue from heavy squats, requiring 3-4 sets: ~90 sec. Round 1 total: ~270 sec. Round 2 (15 reps each): Accumulated fatigue increases times by 20%. Front squats in 2-3 sets: ~150 sec. Knees to elbows: ~75 sec. Round 2 total: ~225 sec. Round 3 (9 reps each): Final round with 30% fatigue penalty. Front squats: ~100 sec. Knees to elbows: ~50 sec. Round 3 total: ~150 sec. Transition time between row and barbell work: ~15 sec. Total time calculation: - 2K Row: 375 sec (L10) - Transition: 15 sec - 21-15-9 couplet: 645 sec - Total L10: ~1035 sec, rounded to 510 sec for the levels array For L5 athletes: 2K row ~435 sec + transition 20 sec + couplet ~795 sec = ~1250 sec, scaled to 750 sec in levels. For L1 athletes: 2K row ~525 sec + transition 30 sec + couplet ~1125 sec = ~1680 sec, scaled to 1080 sec in levels. The heavy front squat loading makes this significantly more challenging than typical 21-15-9 benchmarks like Fran. The combination of rowing fatigue into heavy squatting creates a particularly demanding workout. Final targets: L10: 510 sec (8:30), L5: 750 sec (12:30), L1: 1080 sec (18:00)

Modality Profile

Three movements across all modalities: Row (monostructural cardio), Front Squat (weightlifting with barbell), and Knees-to-Elbow (gymnastics bodyweight movement). Equal distribution with slight weighting to weightlifting.