Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Medium

The moderate dumbbell weight (50/35) combined with partner work-rest format creates manageable intensity. The 150ft farmer's carry and lunge complex will challenge grip and legs, but the built-in rest while your partner works allows recovery. The 14-minute time cap prevents excessive volume accumulation. While the overhead lunges require coordination and the power cleans demand technique, the overall combination remains accessible to average CrossFitters with proper scaling available.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): Farmers carry, power clean and jerks, and overhead lunges create massive grip, shoulder, and leg stamina demands over multiple rounds.
• Endurance (7/10): 14-minute AMRAP with partner rest creates significant aerobic demand, though alternating work periods provide recovery between efforts.
• Power (7/10): DB power clean and jerks are explosive movements requiring hip drive and fast elbow turnover under fatigue.
• Strength (6/10): 50/35lb dumbbells require substantial strength for carries, power movements, and overhead stability, especially during lunges.
• Flexibility (5/10): Power clean and jerks demand full-body mobility, overhead lunges require hip and shoulder flexibility for proper positioning.
• Speed (4/10): Partner format allows recovery, emphasizing consistent effort rather than sprint-pace transitions between movements.

Movements

• Farmer Carry
• Farmers Carry
• Dumbbell Power Clean and Jerk
• Dumbbell Lunge

Scaling Options

Reduce weight to 35/25 or 25/15 lbs for all movements. Substitute regular walking lunges (no DBs overhead) or stationary alternating lunges. Reduce farmer's carry distance to 100ft and lunge distance to 25ft. Consider reducing power clean and jerks to 3 reps or substitute with DB thrusters. Adjust time to 10-12 minutes if movement quality suffers.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if athlete cannot maintain proper form throughout the lunge pattern or struggles with overhead stability. Priority is maintaining the intended moderate intensity - athletes should be breathing hard but able to sustain effort. If completing work segments takes longer than 2 minutes, reduce weight or volume. Goal is 6+ full rounds for the partnership with good movement quality maintained.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate to long time domain partner workout targeting the oxidative energy system with glycolytic contributions. Primary challenge is muscular endurance and grip strength, with secondary focus on unilateral stability and coordination. The alternating work-rest format allows for sustained high intensity while managing fatigue.

Coach Insight

Treat this as a steady, sustainable pace rather than an all-out sprint. Partners should aim to complete their work in 60-90 seconds to allow adequate recovery. Break up the lunges early (25ft segments) to prevent excessive fatigue in the supporting leg. Switch the overhead hand each round as prescribed to prevent imbalances. Focus on maintaining upright posture during lunges and avoid letting the farmer's carry turn into a shuffle. Quick, efficient transitions between partners are crucial for maximizing rounds.

Benchmark Notes

This is a 14-minute partner AMRAP where partners alternate complete rounds. Each round consists of 150ft farmers carry (50/35), 5 DB power clean & jerks (50/35), and 50ft DB lunges with alternating overhead positions. Round breakdown: Farmers carry takes 15-20 sec fresh, power clean & jerks take 10-15 sec (2-3 sec per rep), DB lunges take 25-35 sec. Total fresh round time: 50-70 sec. With transitions and partner coordination, expect 60-80 sec per round fresh. Fatigue multipliers: rounds 1-2 at baseline, rounds 3-4 add 10-15%, rounds 5-6 add 20-25%, rounds 7+ add 30-50%. Partner rest allows some recovery but grip fatigue accumulates from farmers carry and DB work. Elite athletes complete 6+ rounds (720+ sec total work in 840 sec), average athletes complete 4-5 rounds, beginners complete 2-3 rounds. The alternating overhead hand requirement and heavy DB load significantly impacts later rounds.

Modality Profile

3 movements total: Farmers Carry (W), Dumbbell Power Clean and Jerk (W), Dumbbell Lunge (G). Two weightlifting movements with external load and one bodyweight gymnastics movement gives a 67% weightlifting, 33% gymnastics split.