workout

The Pressing Ladder - Crossfit Workout

AMRAP 16

2-4-6-8-10… (add 2 reps per round)

OA Devil’s Press – Intermediate: @15/22.5 | RX: @17.5/25
Pull-ups / Chest to Bar
Dumbbell Overhead Squats
Handstand Push-ups / Parallettes HSPU

The Workout description

Workout Overview

“The Pressing Ladder” is a 16-minute AMRAP featuring a gnarly climb through a series of upper-body-intensive movements. You’ll ascend 2 reps at a time through OA devil’s press, pull-ups or chest to bar, dumbbell overhead squats, and handstand push-ups or parallettes HSPUs. The increasing volume quickly builds fatigue, and the varied movement patterns demand pressing stamina, midline stability, and coordination under stress.

Execution and Focus

Start with control on the devil’s press—use hip extension and stay tight overhead. Pull-ups or C2B should be done unbroken early; break proactively as reps climb. The dumbbell overhead squats require shoulder stability and core control—don’t rush the descent. HSPUs (or parallettes if advanced) cap each round and demand bracing and strict mechanics—kip only if allowed in your setting. Transitions should be quick, but don’t let sloppiness eat into efficiency.

Strategy and Finish

This is a pacing game. Smooth is fast. Aim for unbroken early rounds and break movements intentionally as fatigue sets in. Grip and shoulders will blow up if you rush the devil’s press or pull too hard on C2B. You’ll likely finish the round of 10 or 12—push that pace in the final 4 minutes if you’ve got anything left.

Workouts with the same "amrap" format

The Clean Circuit

AMRAP 19

50 Double Unders
25 Pull-Ups
12 Power Cleans
50 Single Crossovers
25 Toes to Bar
12 Squat Cleans

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Rowing Nowhere

AMRAP 16

Row for meters

E2MOM: alternate between 10 AB-mat sit ups / 4 Burpee over rower

Overhead Grind

2 x AMRAP 6

6 Squat Cleans
4 Burpee Pull-Ups / Bar Muscle-Ups
4 Bar Facing Burpees
6 Pull-Ups

Rest 2 min

High Ceiling Hustle

AMRAP 10

15 meter Farmer Walk
12 KB Swings
12 Hand-Release Push-Ups
12 High Wall Balls @14/20 lbs, 10/11 ft

Crossover Circuit

AMRAP 16

12 KB Clean & Jerks
12 KB Overhead Lunges
12/16 cal Row
40 Single Crossovers / 20 Double Crossovers

Clean Walls & Dirty Legs

4 AMRAP 3

AMRAP 3
Wall balls

Rest 1 min

AMRAP 3
Clean & Jerk -

Rest 1 min

Buy In or Burn Out

AMRAP 14

Buy-in: 40/50 Cal Assault Bike

Then, as many rounds as possible of:

12 Deadlifts (Int: 40/60 kg, RX: 50/75 kg)
4 Wall Walks
16 DB Hang Clean & Jerk (Int: 15/22.5 kg, RX: 17.5/25 kg)

D-Ball Déjà Vu

AMRAP 6

2 Wall walks/10 m. HSW
5 D-ball cleans - lbs
8 Dual KB front rack lunges-

3 min rest

AMRAP 6

2 Wall walks/10 m. HSW
5 D-ball squats- lbs
8 Dual KB snatch -

E2MOM Engine

AMRAP 14

15 Cal Ski Erg

30 Cal Bike Erg

*E2MOM: 2 Wall Walks

Overhead Ambitions

AMRAP 14

12 Double DB Box step ups
6 Shuttle run
8 Ground to overhead
8 OH Squat

Workouts with simliar Tags

chest to bar workout, dumbbell overhead squat workout, handstand push-up workout, one-arm devil’s press workout, parallettes handstand push-up workout, pull-up workout

Barbell Duel

For Time

21-15-9
Pull-ups
Power Cleans

Rest 2 min

21-15-9
Toes to Bar
Burpees Over Bar

19 Minutes to Freedom

For time

50 Air squats
40 Wall balls 14/10 lbs
40 Ab mat sit ups
30 Power cleans - Intermediate: 30/45 RX:
30 Ring rows/pull ups
20 Thrusters
20 Burpee bojump over
200 Single unders/100 double unders

TC: 19

The Eight-Minute Shift

AMRAP 8

6 Knee raises/knees to elbows/T2B
6 Ring rows/pull ups/C2B
12 DB FR Reverse lunges -
12 DB Shoulders to overhead

Rest 3 min

AMRAP 8

12 Power Snatch - Intermediate: 30/45 RX: 35/50
12 Sumo deadlift high pull
18 V-ups
18 Bojumps

Burpee Pull Cluster

EMOM 20

1: 10 Burpee box jump over
2: 6–10 Pull-ups + 6–10 Toes to bar (same number of each)
3: 12 DB Clusters
4: 12–15/15–20 Cal Row
5: Rest

Devil’s Interval

EMOM 20

1: 6-10 Double DB Devils press -
2: 20 Double DB Front squat
3: 12-15 Hand release push ups/10-12 HSPU
4: 10-20 cal Machine (row if possible)
5: Rest

for time workout

Three Levels of Hell

assault bike workout, bar muscle up workout, burpee pull-up workout, chest to bar workout, dumbbell snatch workout, for time workout, hand-release push-up workout, handstand push-up workout, pull-up workout, ring row workout

For time

Buy in: 15/20 cal assault bike
3 rounds of:
12 Ring rows/pullups
8 Hand release push ups/HSPU
10 DB snatch -

1 min rest

Buy in: 15/20 cal assault bike
3 rounds of:
6 (Banded) pull ups/C2B
8 Hand release push ups/HSPU
10 DB snatch

1 min rest

Buy in: 15/20 cal assault bike
3 rounds of:
3 Burpee (banded) pull ups/bar muscle ups
8 Hand release push ups/HSPU
10 DB snatch

TC: 26

Try it

for time workout

Pressurizer

assault bike workout, handstand push-up workout, handstand walk workout, kettlebell swing workout, wall walk workout

4 Rounds for Time

3 Wall Walks / 10m Handstand Walk
10/13 Cal Assault Bike
8 Handstand Push-Ups
12 KB Swings

TC: 13

Try it

for time workout

The Triplet Gauntlet

back squat workout, burpee to target workout, double crossover workout, pull-up workout, shuttle run workout, single crossover workout, ski erg workout

For time

10-8-6-4
Back Squat
Shuttle Runs

Rest 1 min

20-15-10-5
Pull ups
Target Burpees

Rest 1 min

30(36)-20(24)-10(12)
Cal Ski erg
Single crossover / Double crossover

TC: 22

Try it

for time workout

Ladder of the Rig

bar facing burpee workout, bar muscle up workout, bike erg workout, chest to bar workout, ground to overhead workout, pull over workout, pull-up workout, toes to bar workout

For Time – 5 Rounds

15/20 Cal Bike erg
7 Ground to overhead
21/15/9/6/3 Toes to bar → Pull ups → Chest to Bar → Bar muscle Up → Pull overs
7 Bar facing burpees

TC: 19

Try it

EMOM workout

Precision Pistols

chest to bar workout, pistol squat workout, pull-up workout, ski erg workout

E3MOM 15

12 Alt. Pistol Squats
12/15 cal Ski Erg
12 Pull-ups / Chest to Bar

Try it

What is an "amrap" workout?

An AMRAP workout — short for "As Many Rounds (or Reps) As Possible" — is a popular format in CrossFit workouts and functional fitness training. In an AMRAP CrossFit workout, you’re given a set amount of time (e.g., 10, 12, or 20 minutes) to complete as many rounds or repetitions as possible of a specific set of exercises.

This training style is known for being simple, scalable, and highly effective. Whether you're performing a bodyweight circuit or combining barbell and cardio movements, an AMRAP workout pushes your limits and helps build endurance, strength, and mental toughness.

Why Choose an AMRAP CrossFit Workout?

Time-efficient: Great for busy schedules — you know exactly how long the workout takes.
Self-paced intensity: Go as hard as you can or focus on movement quality depending on your goal.
Easy to scale: Modify weights, reps, or movements to fit your fitness level.
Motivating structure: The challenge to beat your previous round count adds a competitive edge.

Whether you're training at home or at your CrossFit box, an AMRAP workout is a fun and functional way to boost your fitness, track your progress, and build resilience. Explore our library of AMRAP CrossFit workouts and get inspired to move!

What kind of exercises are in this workout?

parallettes handstand push-up
Parallettes handstand push-ups are a high-skill gymnastics movement performed with hands elevated on parallettes, allowing for a deeper range of motion. Common in parallettes handstand push-up workouts, this movement builds advanced pressing strength, control, and shoulder stability.
In this workout, parallettes HSPUs target the delts, triceps, traps, and core while increasing midline demand and mobility through a deeper deficit. They’re a powerful progression for athletes looking to develop strict strength, body awareness, and competitive gymnastic capability.
one-arm devil’s press
The one-arm devil’s press is a brutal hybrid movement that combines a burpee, a dumbbell swing, and a snatch—all with a single arm. Common in one-arm devil’s press workouts, it blends cardio intensity with explosive strength and unilateral coordination.
In this workout, the one-arm devil’s press develops posterior chain power, shoulder endurance, and full-body conditioning. The single-arm format increases core engagement and balance demands, making it a perfect choice for high-intensity metcons or minimal-equipment strength training.
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.
chest to bar
The chest-to-bar pull-up is a high-skill gymnastics movement that takes traditional pull-ups further by requiring the chest to make contact with the bar. Common in competitive CrossFit and advanced chest to bar workouts, it builds upper body strength, pulling power, and grip endurance.
In this workout, chest-to-bar pull-ups challenge your lats, arms, core, and coordination—especially under high reps or in combination with other movements. Whether performed strict, kipping, or butterfly, chest-to-bar is a true test of bodyweight control and stamina.
dumbbell overhead squat
The dumbbell overhead squat is a challenging movement that combines mobility, strength, and balance. Often featured in dumbbell overhead squat workouts, it targets the shoulders, core, glutes, and quads, requiring focus and control throughout the full range of motion.
In this workout, dumbbell overhead squats train shoulder stability and midline engagement while developing functional lower-body strength. Whether performed with one or two dumbbells, it’s an excellent test of coordination and body awareness.