Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Medium

This is a single-set max effort test with moderate weight dumbbells. While the 50/35lb load is challenging for shoulder press, athletes can rest between reps within their set and choose their own pace. No time pressure or competing movements create interference. Most average CrossFitters can handle this weight for 8-15 reps, making it a solid moderate challenge without being overwhelming.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (7/10): High muscular endurance demand for shoulders and stabilizers to achieve maximum reps in a single unbroken set.
• Strength (6/10): Moderate strength requirement with 50/35lb dumbbells demanding significant overhead pressing strength, especially as reps accumulate.
• Flexibility (3/10): Requires adequate shoulder mobility and thoracic extension for proper overhead positioning throughout the max rep set.
• Power (2/10): Minimal power component as the focus is grinding out maximum reps rather than explosive movement.
• Endurance (1/10): Minimal cardiovascular demand as this is a max rep set with full recovery between attempts, not continuous work.
• Speed (1/10): No speed requirement as athletes can take time between reps within their single set to maximize total count.

Movements

• Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Benchmark Notes

This is a max rep set workout for dumbbell shoulder press at 50/35 lbs, scored as the single best unbroken set (not total reps). Since this is pure strength endurance with moderate loading, I'll analyze based on typical shoulder press capacity under fatigue. A 50 lb dumbbell shoulder press is moderately heavy - roughly equivalent to a 100 lb barbell overhead press when accounting for stability demands. For a single max set: Elite athletes (L10) can typically sustain 25-30+ reps with this loading before muscular failure, especially with the slight momentum allowed in CrossFit-style pressing. Advanced athletes (L5-L7) typically hit 15-25 reps as their shoulders fatigue and form breaks down. Novice athletes (L1-L3) may only manage 5-12 reps due to limited shoulder strength and endurance. The progression follows typical strength endurance curves where each level represents roughly 10-15% improvement in muscular endurance capacity. Unlike time-based workouts, there's no pacing strategy here - it's pure muscular failure, so the spread between levels is more compressed. L10: 40+ reps, L5: 24 reps, L1: 8 reps.

Modality Profile

Dumbbell Shoulder Press is a single weightlifting movement using external load (dumbbells), making it 100% Weightlifting modality.