For Time: 300 meter Run, 5 Rounds of Cindy, 300 meter Run, 4 Rounds of Cindy, 300 meter Run, 3 Rounds of Cindy, 300 meter Run, 2 Rounds of Cindy, 300 meter Run, 1 Round of Cindy, 300 meter Run, *1 Round of Cindy consists of 5 Pull-Ups, 10 Push-Ups, and 15 Air Squats.
Primary movement: Cindy/Run
The Payne Train is a descending Cindy-plus-running pyramid: run 300 m, then 5 rounds of Cindy (5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 air squats), run 300 m, 4 rounds of Cindy, and so on down to 1 round and a final 300 m run. That's 15 total rounds of Cindy (450 reps) broken up by six runs. The structure is merciful on paper - each block shrinks - but the accumulating push-up volume and repeated run transitions make it a 25-40 minute grinder.
| Level (Time) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | 38:00+ | 40:00+ |
| intermediate | 30:00 | 32:00 |
| advanced | 24:00 | 26:00 |
| elite | sub 20:00 | sub 22:00 |
The 5-round Cindy block at the start is the danger zone: pace it like the middle of a 30-minute workout, not the start. Break push-ups 5-5 from the beginning. Use the 300 m runs as rolling recovery - smooth, not slow. The blocks of 3, 2 and 1 are where you accelerate. Track your rounds carefully within each block; the changing structure makes miscounting easy.
Scaled: same pyramid with ring rows and knee push-ups. Beginner: start the pyramid at 3 rounds of Cindy (3-2-1) with 200 m runs. Keep moving; cap at 35 minutes.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.