Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

The 50% bodyweight shoulder press becomes increasingly difficult as fatigue accumulates across 6 rounds, while the weighted bear crawl creates significant grip and core fatigue that directly interferes with pressing ability. The continuous nature with no built-in rest, combined with the compound fatigue from alternating upper body strength and full-body crawling, creates a challenging workout that will force most athletes to scale weight or take extended breaks.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): Max rep shoulder press followed immediately by bear crawls will heavily tax shoulder and core muscular endurance across multiple rounds.
• Endurance (7/10): Six rounds of continuous work with weighted bear crawls creates significant cardiovascular demand and tests aerobic capacity throughout the workout.
• Strength (6/10): Shoulder press at 50% bodyweight provides moderate strength demand, while weighted bear crawl adds significant load-bearing strength requirements.
• Speed (5/10): Transitions between movements and maintaining pace across six rounds becomes important, though not the primary limiting factor.
• Flexibility (4/10): Bear crawl position requires good shoulder mobility and hip flexion, while shoulder press demands overhead range of motion.
• Power (2/10): Minimal explosive movement; shoulder press and bear crawl are both controlled, strength-endurance based movements rather than power expressions.

Movements

• Shoulder Press
• Bear Crawl

Benchmark Notes

This workout is scored by total reps of shoulder press completed across 6 rounds, with weighted bear crawls serving as active recovery between press sets. Movement analysis: Shoulder Press at 50% bodyweight (~75-85lbs for males, 50-60lbs for females) will allow for moderate rep sets initially but will degrade significantly due to shoulder fatigue. Round 1-2: 8-12 reps per round (fresh shoulders, moderate load). Round 3-4: 6-10 reps per round (fatigue setting in, 1.2x time penalty). Round 5-6: 4-8 reps per round (significant fatigue, 1.4x time penalty, frequent set breaks). The 40ft weighted bear crawl (50/35lbs) between rounds provides active recovery but also taxes the shoulders and core, contributing to press degradation. Each bear crawl takes 15-25 seconds and provides minimal shoulder recovery. No direct anchor matches this format, but using Cindy (bodyweight gymnastics AMRAP) as reference for rep-based endurance work: Cindy L10: 25-30 rounds, L5: 15-18 rounds, L1: 6-8 rounds. This workout has higher loading (50% BW press vs bodyweight movements) but only 6 rounds vs 20 minutes, suggesting lower total volume. Scaling from Cindy: Elite athletes might achieve 30-35 total presses, average 18-22, beginners 8-12. Adjusting for the specific loading and format: L10: ~32 reps, L5: ~20 reps, L1: ~8 reps. Final targets: L10: 32 reps, L5: 20 reps, L1: 8 reps.

Modality Profile

Shoulder Press is a weightlifting movement with external load, Bear Crawl is a bodyweight gymnastics movement. Two modalities split evenly.