3 Rounds For Time: 800 meter Run, 50 Back Extensions, 50 Sit-Ups.
Primary movement: Run/Midline
Michael honors Navy Lieutenant Michael McGreevy, killed in Afghanistan in 2005 alongside the men of Operation Red Wings. The recipe is deceptively simple: 2.4 km of running wrapped around 150 back extensions and 150 sit-ups. It's one of the few benchmarks that targets the midline - the entire front and back of your trunk - at volume, under cardio fatigue. The runs feel strange with a torched core, and the core work feels endless with running legs. Expect 20-30 minutes of honest aerobic work.
| Level (Time) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | 32:00+ | 34:00+ |
| intermediate | 25:00 | 27:00 |
| advanced | 20:00 | 22:00 |
| elite | sub 17:00 | sub 18:30 |
Run at your 10k pace - three 800s with core work between is more aerobic than it looks. Break the back extensions 25-25 or 20-15-15 and keep them smooth and controlled: speed here means a cranky lower back tomorrow. Sit-ups in big steady sets with a rhythm you can breathe in. The transition off the sit-ups to running is the odd moment - take the first 100 m of each run easy while your trunk remembers its job. GHD or floor back extensions both work; pick one standard and note it with your score.
Scaled: 3 rounds of 400 m run, 30 back extensions (or good mornings with a light bar), 30 sit-ups. Beginner: 2 rounds. Supermans substitute for back extensions if no equipment.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.