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Painstorm IX - Crossfit Workout

For Time: 1

400 meter Run
10 Muscle-Ups
20 Handstand Push-Ups
30 Overhead Squats - @20.4/15.9 lb
40 Pull-Ups
50 Thrusters - @20.4/15.9 lb
60 Box Jumps - @24/20 in
70 Push Presses - @20.4/15.9 lb
80 Push-Ups
90 Deadlifts - @20.4/15.9 lb
100 Air Squats
400 meter Run

The Workout description

Execution and Focus

Painstorm IX is a rigorous benchmark workout that challenges athletes with a diverse array of movements designed to enhance endurance, strength, and agility. This workout consists of a 400-meter run followed by a series of demanding exercises including muscle-ups, handstand push-ups, overhead squats, pull-ups, thrusters, box jumps, push presses, push-ups, deadlifts, and air squats, capped off with another 400-meter run. The variety of movements ensures a comprehensive test of fitness while maintaining a focus on speed and efficiency. Athletes must demonstrate mastery of both bodyweight and weighted movements, promoting a well-rounded fitness profile suitable for all levels.

Strategy and Finish

To optimize performance in Painstorm IX, begin with a measured pace during the initial 400-meter run to conserve energy. The subsequent movements should be tackled strategically; aim for unbroken sets of muscle-ups and handstand push-ups early on, but be prepared for potential breaks as fatigue sets in. Maintain a steady rhythm for the overhead squats and pull-ups, utilizing kipping techniques where appropriate. Be conscious of your breathing during the thrusters and push presses, as these exercises can rapidly elevate heart rates. As you approach the final stages of the workout, dig deep during the last 400-meter run—pushing through fatigue is crucial for a competitive time on the leaderboard. Finishing strong can significantly impact your overall performance in this benchmark WOD.

Other crossfit benchmark workouts

air squat workout, box jump workout, Deadlift workout, for time workout, handstand push-up workout, muscle up workout, overhead squat workout, pull-up workout, push press workout, push-up workout, running workout, thruster workout

Incredible Hulk

AMRAP 20

5 Deadlifts
5 Hang Power Cleans
5 Front Squats
5 Push Press
5 Back Squats

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Assault Flatline

For Time: 60

60 calorie Standing Assault Air Bike (remove seat)
50 Squat Cleans
40 GHD Sit-Ups
30 Handstand Push-Ups
20 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
10 Bar Over Burpees

Assault Overhead Complex

AMRAP 20

2 Overhead Squats
4 Squat Snatches
6 Overhead Walking Lunges
8 Burpees
10 calorie Assault Air Bike

Blackjack (Assault)

AMRAP 21

21-18-15-12-9-6-3
21 Calorie Assault Air Bike
21 Kettlebell Swings
21 AbMat Sit-Ups

Harvest

EMOM for 6 minutes

4 Muscle-Ups
20 Wall Ball Shots

Hope For Refugees

3 Rounds For Total Reps

17 minutes:
1 min 8m Shuttle Runs
1 min Dumbbell Snatches
1 min Calorie Bike
1 min Dumbbell Box Step-Ups
1 min Strict Burpees
1 min Rest

Painstorm I

For Time: 3 Rounds

400m Run
21 Kettlebell Swings
12 Pull-Ups

Escalating

Pull-Ups, Swings, Push-Ups, and Runs

AMRAP 10

Single-Arm Kettlebell Snatches

Assault Pyramid

For Time: 3-6-9-12-15-12-9-6-3

Clean-and-Jerks
Burpees
Knees-to-Elbows
Calorie Assault Air Bike

Sugar Daddy

For Time: 21-15-9

Deadlifts
400 meter Run

1 Rep Max Front Squat

For Time: 1

1 Rep Max Front Squat @Load
Time Cap: 12 minutes

How do you perform the Painstorm IX workout

Learn how to crush this benchmark workout

To perform the benchmark workout for Painstorm IX, start with a 400 meter run to elevate your heart rate. Transition smoothly into 10 muscle-ups, utilizing a strong pull and a controlled dip. Follow this with 20 handstand push-ups, focusing on maintaining a tight core and proper form.

Next, complete 30 overhead squats, ensuring your shoulders are engaged and your back is straight. Move on to 40 pull-ups, using a full range of motion. After that, perform 50 thrusters, blending a front squat with an explosive push overhead.

Continue with 60 box jumps, achieving full hip extension at the top. Complete 70 push presses before tackling 80 push-ups, keeping your elbows close to your body. Finish the workout with 90 deadlifts, emphasizing form over weight, and culminate with 100 air squats before returning to a final 400 meter run.

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How do you scale the workout

The benchmark wod "Painstorm IX" can be done by everyone

For the benchmark workout Painstorm IX, consider scaling the distances and movements to fit your fitness level. Instead of running 400 meters, you can jog 200 meters or walk a distance that feels comfortable.

For muscle-ups, substitute with assisted variations or perform 10 ring rows if necessary. Reduce the number of handstand push-ups to 5 or opt for pike push-ups on a box to decrease the difficulty.

Lower the weight of overhead squats to a manageable load, such as an empty barbell or a light kettlebell. If pull-ups are challenging, use a resistance band or perform negative pull-ups.

For thrusters, decrease the weight to something you can manage for 10 reps without breaking form, or switch to bodyweight squats. Box jumps can be modified to step-ups or a lower box height.

Complete fewer push presses and deadlifts, adjusting to 5 to 10 reps as needed, and finish with a manageable number of air squats. This structured scaling allows you to complete the workout effectively while ensuring safety and maintaining intensity.

How do you score the WOD

See if you beat your friends in the benchmark wod "Painstorm IX"

To score the benchmark workout Painstorm IX, you need to tally the total number of full rounds completed. Each round consists of the entire sequence of exercises, starting and ending with the 400-meter run.

As you progress through the workout, keep track of how many complete rounds you finish. After your last full round, count any additional reps you complete before time runs out.

Your final score is the total number of complete rounds added to any extra reps from the last round. For example, if you complete 8 rounds and finish 10 push-ups, your score would be 8 plus 10, equating to a total of 78 reps.

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What are the tips and strategy to use

Here is how to gain an edge in the "Painstorm IX"

Approach Painstorm IX strategically to maximize your performance. Begin with a steady pace on the 400-meter run, ensuring you conserve energy for the subsequent rounds.

During the muscle-ups, focus on controlled movements, allowing for brief rests if needed to maintain form. For the handstand push-ups, consider using a wall for assistance, which can help stabilize your kick-up and prevent early fatigue.

Keep transitions between exercises seamless to minimize downtime. For the overhead squats, focus on depth and form to avoid injury, and use a moderate weight that allows for consistency. On pull-ups, employ a kipping technique if it benefits your speed.

Hydrate well between sets, and maintain a strong mental focus to push through the final 400-meter run effectively.

What is a good score for the Painstorm IX workout

Check out how you did in the "Painstorm IX"

A good score for the workout Painstorm IX, which is a 'For Time' workout, is crucial to gauge performance. Generally, a time of under 20 minutes indicates a solid effort for intermediate athletes.

Advanced athletes should aim for a time between 15 to 18 minutes, reflecting impressive speed and endurance.

Elite competitors typically finish in under 15 minutes, showcasing their exceptional pacing and muscular stamina.

Achieving a time beyond 12 minutes can indicate a strong workout, particularly in terms of pacing throughout the various movements.

Overall, focusing on maintaining steady output across different exercises while minimizing rest will contribute significantly to achieving a competitive score.

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What is the intended stimulus for the Painstorm IX workout

What part of your body is being challenged in the "Painstorm IX"

Painstorm IX is designed to test overall endurance, strength, and mental toughness through a series of demanding movements. Each segment of the workout is structured to challenge different muscle groups while maintaining a high heart rate, simulating a grueling competition environment.

This benchmark workout emphasizes the ability to transition quickly between exercises while managing fatigue. Athletes will experience a mix of aerobic and anaerobic efforts, requiring strategic pacing and efficient movement patterns to complete the workout in a timely manner.

As the repetitions increase, so does the challenge, making Painstorm IX an effective measure of an athlete's resilience and grit. It ultimately serves as a valuable tool for tracking progress in functional fitness and performance over time.

What is the World record for the Painstorm IX workout

What is the fastest score for "Painstorm IX"

The world record for Painstorm IX, a highly challenging workout, is reported to be around 18 minutes. This intense sequence includes a variety of movements designed to test strength, endurance, and coordination.

Elite athletes have shown exceptional performance in this workout, often completing it with astonishing speed and efficiency. This record requires not only physical prowess but also mental toughness to maintain pace over the duration.

With a mix of running, bodyweight exercises, and weighted movements, participants need to strategize their transitions to achieve optimal results. Painstorm IX remains a benchmark for those looking to push their limits in the fitness community.

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Who are we honoring with the benchmark wod "Painstorm IX"

Why are we doing the "Painstorm IX" workout?

Painstorm IX is a benchmark workout that honors the legacy of those who push their limits and challenge themselves consistently. It is a tribute to the spirit of perseverance and dedication in the face of adversity.

This workout serves as a reminder of the resilience required to overcome obstacles, celebrating the commitment to fitness and personal growth. Each movement in the workout symbolizes the struggle and triumph experienced by athletes who continuously strive for excellence.

Ultimately, Painstorm IX pays homage to the unwavering determination found within the fitness community, inspiring all to keep forging ahead.

What kind of exercises are in the Painstorm IX The benchmark workout?

push press
The push press is a powerful overhead movement where the athlete uses a dip-drive of the legs to assist in pressing a weight overhead. A mainstay in push press workouts, it blends lower-body drive with upper-body pressing strength.
In this workout, push presses build shoulder endurance, triceps power, and explosive leg extension. The movement teaches efficient energy transfer and is ideal for conditioning, barbell cycling, or building overhead capacity in strength blocks.
handstand push-up
The handstand push-up is a high-skill bodyweight movement that builds shoulder strength, balance, and core control. Common in advanced handstand push-up workouts, it challenges your upper body like few other movements.
In this workout, handstand push-ups develop pressing power and gymnastic control under fatigue. Whether performed strict or kipping, the handstand push-up is a true test of body awareness and upper body stamina.
Pull up
The pull-up is a foundational bodyweight movement that builds upper body strength, focusing on your back, shoulders, arms, and core. A staple in almost every pull-up workout, it's key for developing gymnastics capacity and functional pulling power.
In this workout, pull-ups challenge your grip, coordination, and endurance — especially under fatigue. Whether strict, kipping, or butterfly, the pull-up remains one of the most effective and scalable exercises in CrossFit.
Deadlift
The deadlift is one of the most effective strength movements in any fitness program. It targets the posterior chain — including your glutes, hamstrings, back, and core — making it a cornerstone of any deadlift workout.
In this workout, deadlifts develop raw strength, posture, and pulling power. Whether you're lifting light for speed or going heavy for strength, the deadlift builds a solid foundation for both performance and injury prevention.
Box jump
The box jump is a plyometric movement that builds explosive power, coordination, and lower body strength. It’s a key component in many high-intensity box jump workouts, often used to develop speed, agility, and stamina.
In this workout, box jumps challenge your legs, core, and cardiovascular system, while also training quick reaction and balance. Whether performed at a moderate pace or in sprint intervals, the box jump is a powerful tool for improving athletic performance.
thrusters
The thruster is a full-body compound movement that combines a front squat with an overhead press, making it one of the most demanding and effective exercises in any thruster workout.
In this workout, thrusters develop leg drive, shoulder endurance, and core stability, all while elevating your heart rate. Whether using a barbell, dumbbells, or kettlebells, the thruster is a powerful tool for building strength, power, and conditioning — fast.
push up
The push-up is a foundational bodyweight movement that strengthens the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. A staple in any push-up workout, it’s effective, scalable, and requires no equipment — making it perfect for all fitness levels.
In this workout, push-ups develop upper body endurance, stability, and control, especially under fatigue. Whether performed strict, hand-release, or elevated, the push-up is a timeless movement that builds strength and resilience.
air squat
The air squat is a fundamental bodyweight movement that builds lower body strength, mobility, and endurance. As a key component of many air squat workouts, it targets the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core—all without equipment.
In this workout, air squats help develop proper squat mechanics, balance, and muscular stamina, making them perfect for warm-ups, high-rep conditioning, or scaling strength-based movements.
overhead squat
The overhead squat is a high-skill movement that develops full-body strength, mobility, balance, and core control. A key lift in many overhead squat workouts, it involves holding a barbell locked overhead while performing a deep squat — challenging both stability and flexibility.
In this workout, overhead squats train shoulder stability, midline engagement, and leg strength, making them a valuable tool for improving movement quality and preparing for Olympic lifts like the snatch.
running
Running is one of the most effective ways to build cardiovascular endurance, leg strength, and mental toughness. A foundational element in many running workouts, it adds intensity and pacing challenges to both short sprints and longer distances.
In this workout, running boosts your engine, footwork, and recovery capacity, especially when paired with strength or skill-based movements. Whether you're hitting meters or minutes, running is essential for building a well-rounded fitness base.