Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

The 225/155 squat clean is heavy for most athletes, requiring near-maximal effort each round. Combined with the sandbag carries creating grip/posterior fatigue and handstand push-ups demanding shoulder strength under fatigue, this creates multiple limiting factors. The 40-second cap forces aggressive pacing, while 80 seconds rest isn't enough for full recovery from heavy singles. Six rounds amplifies the cumulative fatigue significantly.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Strength (8/10): Heavy squat clean at 225/155 and handstand push-ups require significant absolute and relative strength for successful execution.
• Stamina (7/10): Rope pulls and sandbag carries will heavily tax grip and posterior chain stamina, while handstand push-ups challenge shoulder endurance.
• Power (7/10): Squat clean is highly explosive, rope pulls require powerful pulling, and handstand push-ups demand explosive pressing power.
• Flexibility (6/10): Squat clean demands ankle, hip, and thoracic mobility while handstand push-ups require shoulder and wrist flexibility for proper positioning.
• Speed (6/10): 40-second cap creates urgency for quick transitions and efficient movement execution, though rest periods moderate overall speed demands.
• Endurance (4/10): Six rounds with 80-second rest provides moderate cardiovascular demand, but rest periods allow for recovery between intense efforts.

Movements

• Sandbag Rope Pull
• Squat Clean
• Sandbag Carry
• Handstand Push-Up

Benchmark Notes

This is a 6-round workout with a 40-second work cap per round, focusing on handstand push-ups as the scored movement. Each round includes: 30ft sandbag rope pull, 1 squat clean at 225/155, 30ft sandbag carry, then max handstand push-ups in remaining time, followed by 80 seconds rest. The sandbag movements and squat clean are 'buy-ins' that consume time before the scoring movement. Round breakdown: Sandbag rope pull takes 8-12 seconds, squat clean takes 3-5 seconds, sandbag carry takes 8-12 seconds, leaving 15-25 seconds for handstand push-ups per round. Elite athletes can perform HSPUs at 1 rep per 1.5-2 seconds when fresh, getting 8-12 reps per round. As fatigue accumulates, HSPU pace slows significantly due to shoulder fatigue and the demanding nature of the movement. Round 1-2: 10-12 HSPUs, Round 3-4: 8-10 HSPUs (fatigue setting in), Round 5-6: 6-8 HSPUs (significant fatigue). Total for elite: 48-60 HSPUs. Intermediate athletes will get fewer HSPUs per round due to slower buy-in movements and less efficient HSPU technique, averaging 4-6 per round for 24-36 total. Beginners may struggle with HSPUs entirely, getting 1-3 per round for 6-18 total. The 80-second rest allows partial recovery but shoulder fatigue accumulates significantly across rounds. No direct anchor matches this format, but comparing to other HSPU-heavy workouts and considering the time constraints, L10: 240+ reps, L5: 144 reps, L1: 48 reps.

Modality Profile

4 movements total: Handstand Push-Up (G), Sandbag Rope Pull, Squat Clean, and Sandbag Carry (all W). 1 gymnastics movement (25%) and 3 weightlifting movements (75%).