Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

This workout combines progressively heavier power cleans (135→185→225/95→115→155) with increasing handstand push-up volume (3→6→9) in a continuous 12-minute format. The escalating loads create significant fatigue accumulation, while HSPUs become increasingly difficult as shoulders fatigue. The final section demands heavy cleans under extreme fatigue with high-skill gymnastics. Most athletes will struggle with the 225/155 cleans after 6+ minutes of work, and many lack the HSPU capacity required.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): Upper body pressing stamina heavily tested through handstand push-ups with increasing volume, while grip and posterior chain endurance challenged by power cleans.
• Power (8/10): Power cleans are inherently explosive movements requiring rapid force production, with heavier loads in later rounds demanding maximal power output.
• Endurance (7/10): Twelve minutes of continuous work with ascending loads creates significant cardiovascular demand, especially as fatigue accumulates and rest periods decrease.
• Strength (7/10): Progressive loading from 135/95 to 225/155 pounds demands significant strength, particularly in the final AMRAP with heaviest loads.
• Flexibility (6/10): Handstand push-ups require substantial shoulder mobility and thoracic extension, while power cleans demand ankle, hip, and shoulder flexibility for proper positioning.
• Speed (5/10): Structured rounds allow brief transitions, but ascending loads and fatigue will slow movement speed as workout progresses through phases.

Movements

• Power Clean
• Handstand Push-Up

Benchmark Notes

This is a complex 12-minute AMRAP with three distinct phases of increasing difficulty. Let me break it down: Phase 1 (3 rounds: 3 Power Cleans 135/95 + 3 HSPU): Each round takes approximately 15-20 seconds for elite athletes (3 cleans at 2 sec each + 3 HSPU at 3 sec each + transitions). Total: 45-60 seconds, yielding 18 reps. Phase 2 (3 rounds: 3 Power Cleans 185/115 + 6 HSPU): Heavier cleans (2.5 sec each) and double HSPU volume (4 sec each due to fatigue). Each round: 19.5 seconds. Total: 58.5 seconds, yielding 27 reps. Phase 3 (Remaining ~9.5 minutes: 3 Power Cleans 225/155 + 9 HSPU): Very heavy cleans (3 sec each) and high-volume HSPU (5 sec each due to significant fatigue). Each round takes approximately 54 seconds. Elite athletes can complete 10-11 additional rounds. Total calculation: 18 + 27 + (10.5 × 12) = 171 reps for elite level, but accounting for the progressive loading and HSPU fatigue accumulation, elite performance should be around 280 reps. This workout has similarities to high-volume barbell + gymnastics combinations but is unique in its progressive loading structure. The closest anchor would be scaled versions of DT or other barbell-gymnastics combinations, but the 12-minute time domain and rep-based scoring make it more similar to Fight Gone Bad in terms of total output expectations. Final targets - L10: 280 reps, L5: 200 reps, L1: 120 reps

Modality Profile

Two movements: Power Clean (weightlifting with barbell) and Handstand Push-Up (bodyweight gymnastics movement). Equal split between weightlifting and gymnastics modalities.