"Fortitude" [BENCHMARK]
Duration: 30:00
On the Minute x 30:
Minute 1: Row Calories
Minute 2: Burpees
Score: Lowest Row Round + Lowest Burpee Round
AEROBIC POWER [LACTATE THRESHOLD]
STIMULUS
REPEAT FROM 12/30/2024
- Overview: This workout is called “Fortitude” for a reason, and is one of our primary Benchmark workouts to help us assess where your fitness is. Being able to pick numbers to hold for both of these movements for all 15 rounds without giving in to the discomfort is going to require both mental and physical fortitude. Lean into the discomfort and find out what you are capable of.
- Choose rep numbers you see yourself being able to hold for the entire 30 minutes; the best strategy is to aim for consistency across the board. The goal is to hold the highest number of calories and burpees across the entire workout, with your score being the sum of your lowest round of calories and your lowest round of burpees – “lowest” meaning of any round. For example, if your 15th round of burpees and 10th round of rowing were the lowest, combine those two scores.
- Your row calories and burpee reps do not need to match one another, which means you can play to your strengths. If you are a strong rower but struggle with burpees, row hard each round and move steadily on the burpees to catch your breath. Vice versa applies if you are good at burpees, but struggle on the rower. Consistency will be your friend.
- Reset the row monitor every round or set the monitor for 1:00 intervals with 1:00 of rest.
- Intended Intensity: RPE 6-8
- Fitness Attribute Improved: Aerobic Power [Lactate Threshold]
- Target Score: 18-32 Reps (M), 16-28 Reps (W)
STRATEGY
- The first 5 rounds (10 minutes) should require an RPE 6 to maintain your target score. The next 5 rounds (minutes 11-20) will likely require an RPE 7-8, and the final 5 rounds will likely require an RPE 8-9.
- Aim to finish your last calorie/burpee at the same time each round. This should be around the 50-second mark in the first half of the workout and may drop to the 55-57 second mark in the later rounds.
- Don't aim to bank rest by moving faster when you are fresh. This will spike your heart rate, creating fatigue in working muscles early that will make the later rounds harder. You want to keep your heart rate to climb pretty steadily throughout, and sprinting will only cause your heart rate to spike, making it hard to recover and stay in control.
- Everyone wants to let up at minutes 15-20. Remember this at that point and do whatever you can to stick to your numbers!
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Calories on Any Other Machine
- 10-Meter Shuttle Runs
- Box Jump Overs
- Box Jumps
- Air Squats
MOVEMENT PREP
3:00 Easy Row*
*On The Minute (Starting at 0:00):
3-4 Burpees
To help determine about half of the reps you can plan on accumulating, our practice round will be...
At an RPE of 8-9, Complete:
0:20 of Rowing (fast)
0:20 Rest
0:20 of Burpees (fast)
Rest 3:00 Before Starting Workout