For Time
1200/1500m Row
Every 2 minutes: 1 Round of Cindy
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Air squats
Buy-In 35 calorie Bike
15 Dumbbell Hang Clean-and-Jerks - @2x22.5/15 kg (50/35 lb)
15 Dumbbell Front Squats - @2x22.5/15 kg (50/35 lb)
15 Lateral Burpees Over Dumbbells
Buy-Out 800 meter Run
Uncle Johnny is a demanding benchmark workout designed to test strength, stamina, and overall conditioning. This workout consists of three rounds, beginning with a 35-calorie buy-in on the bike, followed by 15 Dumbbell Hang Clean-and-Jerks, 15 Dumbbell Front Squats, and 15 Lateral Burpees Over Dumbbells. The buy-out concludes with an 800-meter run, making this sequence both challenging and rewarding. Each movement targets different muscle groups, ensuring a full-body workout that promotes endurance and power. Athletes will need to manage their energy efficiently to complete this workout successfully, making it more than just a test of strength but also of strategy and pacing.
To effectively tackle Uncle Johnny, begin with a steady pace, especially during the initial buy-in. Try to complete the bike portion in a controlled manner to conserve energy for the demanding movements that follow. Each round of dumbbell exercises should be approached with a focus on maintaining form and minimizing rest to keep momentum. Expect the burpees to be a cardio challenge; breaking them into smaller sets can help maintain intensity throughout. Finally, tackle the 800-meter run with a push, aiming to finish strong and finish the workout in an impressive time. This workout not only honors Uncle Johnny but also serves as a hallmark of resilience and camaraderie.
Buy-In 35 calorie Bike
15 Dumbbell Hang Clean-and-Jerks - @2x22.5/15 kg (50/35 lb)
15 Dumbbell Front Squats - @2x22.5/15 kg (50/35 lb)
15 Lateral Burpees Over Dumbbells
Buy-Out 800 meter Run
Uncle Johnny is a demanding benchmark workout designed to test strength, stamina, and overall conditioning. This workout consists of three rounds, beginning with a 35-calorie buy-in on the bike, followed by 15 Dumbbell Hang Clean-and-Jerks, 15 Dumbbell Front Squats, and 15 Lateral Burpees Over Dumbbells. The buy-out concludes with an 800-meter run, making this sequence both challenging and rewarding. Each movement targets different muscle groups, ensuring a full-body workout that promotes endurance and power. Athletes will need to manage their energy efficiently to complete this workout successfully, making it more than just a test of strength but also of strategy and pacing.
To effectively tackle Uncle Johnny, begin with a steady pace, especially during the initial buy-in. Try to complete the bike portion in a controlled manner to conserve energy for the demanding movements that follow. Each round of dumbbell exercises should be approached with a focus on maintaining form and minimizing rest to keep momentum. Expect the burpees to be a cardio challenge; breaking them into smaller sets can help maintain intensity throughout. Finally, tackle the 800-meter run with a push, aiming to finish strong and finish the workout in an impressive time. This workout not only honors Uncle Johnny but also serves as a hallmark of resilience and camaraderie.

To perform the workout Uncle Johnny, start with a buy-in of 35 calories on the bike, ensuring you maintain a steady pace throughout. Transition smoothly into 15 Dumbbell Hang Clean-and-Jerks, focusing on form and engaging your core during the movement. Keep your back straight and drive through your legs as you lift the dumbbells overhead.
Next, proceed to 15 Dumbbell Front Squats. Hold the dumbbells at shoulder height, keeping your elbows high and chest open. Squat down to parallel or below, then drive up through your heels.
After completing the squats, execute 15 Lateral Burpees Over Dumbbells. Stay low during the burpees and spring over the dumbbells with agility.
Finish the workout with an 800-meter run, maintaining a steady pace to maximize your time. Focus on your breath and stride to condition your endurance.


For the Buy-In, consider reducing the calorie goal on the bike to 20–25 calories, especially if you're new to cardio. Adjust the dumbbell weight for the Hang Clean-and-Jerks to something around 15–25 lbs to maintain good form throughout the workout.
For the Front Squats, decrease the weight to 10–20 lbs, or perform them without weights to focus on technique and endurance.
For Lateral Burpees Over Dumbbells, modify by stepping back into the burpee instead of jumping, or reduce the number of reps to 10 per round.
Finally, adjust the Buy-Out by decreasing the run distance to 400 meters or substituting it with a 5-minute row or bike to meet your fitness level.
Your score for the benchmark workout called Uncle Johnny is calculated by adding the total number of full rounds completed to any additional repetitions after the last full round. Each round consists of a buy-in of 35 calories on the bike, followed by 15 Dumbbell Hang Clean-and-Jerks, 15 Dumbbell Front Squats, and 15 Lateral Burpees Over Dumbbells, finishing with an 800 meter run as the buy-out.
For example, if you completed 2 full rounds and finished 10 reps of the Dumbbell Hang Clean-and-Jerks in your third round, your score would be 2 full rounds plus 10 additional reps, resulting in a total of 2 + 10 = 38 reps.
Keep track of your time as well, as it is essential for comparing your performance with others and measuring your progress over time.


Prioritize your bike warm-up to ensure you’re ready for the intensity of the workout. Aim for a steady pace on the 35 calorie bike, allowing your heart rate to gradually increase.
During the Dumbbell Hang Clean-and-Jerks, maintain a strong core and focus on technique. Break them into manageable sets if fatigue sets in, ensuring form doesn’t deteriorate.
For the 15 Dumbbell Front Squats, keep your elbows high and chest up to protect your back. It’s vital to maintain a steady breathing rhythm.
During the Lateral Burpees, jump over the dumbbells efficiently to minimize time spent on the ground. Finally, on the 800-meter run, pace yourself to finish strong without burning out too early.
For the workout titled Uncle Johnny, which is structured as 'For Time', an optimal completion time is crucial. Intermediate athletes should aim to finish within 15–20 minutes, while advanced athletes should target a time between 12–15 minutes. Elite athletes should seek to complete the workout in under 12 minutes.
A score under 10 minutes indicates exceptional performance, suggesting that the individual has not only mastered the movements but also maintained an impressive pace throughout the workout. A time exceeding 20 minutes may indicate the need for improved efficiency or strength in the exercises included.
Overall, focus on maintaining consistent effort across all rounds, especially during transitions between movements and the buy-out run.


Uncle Johnny is intended to test overall conditioning, muscular endurance, and mental toughness through a mix of cardio and strength movements. The workout begins with a calorie buy-in on the bike, elevating heart rates and priming the body for the demanding exercises ahead.
The combination of dumbbell hang clean-and-jerks, front squats, and lateral burpees challenges athletes to maintain form while enduring fatigue. This diverse range of movements promotes a full-body workout, engaging multiple muscle groups and enhancing functional strength.
The concluding 800-meter run acts as a buy-out, pushing athletes to harness their remaining energy and sustain intensity. This final push reinforces the importance of grit and determination, encapsulating the essence of Uncle Johnny as a true test of fitness.
The world record for the workout titled Uncle Johnny has not been officially documented yet, but top unofficial times within the CrossFit community suggest competitive scores are around 7 to 9 minutes.
Elite athletes in this workout push for efficiency across the 3 rounds, which includes the challenging buy-in and buy-out portions. Given the intensity, maintaining speed during the calorie bike and maximizing output in the dumbbell movements can significantly impact finishing times.
With proper pacing, it's possible for highly trained individuals to complete this workout in under 8 minutes, showcasing their endurance and power under fatigue. However, athletes often aim to complete it as quickly as possible while maintaining form and technique.


The workout "Uncle Johnny" is a tribute to Johnny, a beloved member of the fitness community who inspired many with his dedication and passion for health and wellness.
Known for his positive spirit and unwavering support, he encouraged others to push their limits and strive for personal growth.
This workout encapsulates his energy and commitment, serving as a reminder of the impact he had on his friends and fellow athletes.
In honoring Uncle Johnny, participants reflect on his legacy and celebrate the values he embodied.
air squat workout, pull-up workout, push-up workout, row workout
1200/1500m Row
Every 2 minutes: 1 Round of Cindy
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Air squats
burpee over dumbbell workout, dumbbell clean workout, dumbbell snatch workout, for time workout, knee raises workout, knees to elbows workout, lateral jump over dumbbell workout, pistol squat on bench workout, toes to bar workout
8 DBL DB hang snatch -
8 Burpees over DB
8 Knee raises/knees to elbows/Toes To Bar
Rest 2 min
10 DBL DB hang cleans -
10 Pistol squat on a bench / Pistol squats
30 Lateral jump over DB
TC: 23
box jump over workout, double under workout, for time workout, kettlebell front rack walk workout, kettlebell snatch workout, kettlebell swing workout, row workout
70 Double unders
60 DBL KB russian swings -
50 Bojump overs
40 m DBL KB FR walk
30/40 cal row
20 DBL KB snatch
TC: 15
bar muscle up workout, box jump over workout, burpee pull-up workout, overhead squat workout
20-15-10-5
Overhead squat -
Bojump overs
*After each round: 2 Burpee (banded) pull up / Bar muscle up
TC: 10
burpee box jump over workout, pistol squat workout, ski erg workout, wall ball workout
9 Burpee Box Jump Overs
18 Alt. Pistol Squats
23/30 Cal Ski Erg
18 Wall Balls
9 Burpee Box Jump Overs
Rest 90 sec between rounds
TC: 18
