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20 Challenging AMRAP Barbell Shoulder Workouts to Bulletproof your Body

Raise your game with these AMRAP Barbell Shoulder Workouts. 

The shoulder is a complex ball-and-socket joint comprising the head of the humerus, the clavicle (collarbone), and the scapula. The shoulder’s main motions are flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, internal rotation, and external rotation.

Shoulder workoutsSource: Photo courtesy of CrossFit Inc

Movement and stability of the scapula are equally important to shoulder function. Proper scapula movement is important for providing a stable base for the glenohumeral joint. When raising the arm overhead, shoulder elevation comes from both the humerus moving on the glenoid and the scapula rotating upward. The scapula should move approximately 1 degree for every 2 degrees of humeral movement. This upward rotation of the scapula comes from a balance of muscle activity between the upper trapezius, lower trapezius and serratus anterior muscles. Proper functioning of these muscles is important for lifts such as overhead presses. Other exercises, such as rowing, and proper posture rely on strength in the rhomboids and traps, which produce scapular retraction

Imbalances of the Shoulder Complex

Shoulder imbalances can decrease an athlete’s performance and increase risk of injury. Imbalances can place unnecessary levels of stress on tissues; therefore, it is vital that an athlete maintain a stable muscular base around the shoulder while also maintaining adequate mobility in order to decrease the risk of injury. The need to address both mobility and stability cannot be emphasized enough.

Mobility issues should be addressed before stability. But after gains in mobility, stability work should follow. If mobility is not improved, stability problems should be examined. Oftentimes, lack of mobility can actually be the result of a stability problem as the body decreases mobility in an attempt to create artificial stability. An easy example can be seen in a standing hamstring stretch. An athlete’s mobility in this movement can often be improved by having him or her squeeze a ball between the knees. This squeeze increases core activity (stabilization) and often allows the person to reach farther.

AMRAP Barbell Shoulder Workouts

AMRAP Barbell Shoulder Workouts

Choose your next workout.

1. FIGHT GONE BAD

3 Rounds For Total Reps in 17 minutes
1 minute Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
1 minute Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls (75/55 lb)
1 minute Box Jumps (20 in)
1 minute Push Press (75/55 lb)
1 minute Row (calories)
1 minute Rest
Perform 1 minute of work at each of the 5 stations. Move immediately to the next station after 1 minute. The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. One-minute break is allowed before repeating each round. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower where each calorie is one point.

Score is the total cumulative number of repetitions completed of all movements in all 3 rounds.

Good Score for “Fight Gone Bad”
– Beginner: 150-250 reps
– Intermediate: 250-350 reps
– Advanced: 350-450 reps
– Elite: 500+ reps

Source: Photo courtesy of CrossFit Inc.

Tips and Strategy

While there is often a lot of strategy and gaming in workouts like this, today we are looking to simply find a balance of constantly moving while not hitting a wall of muscular fatigue. It will be slightly different for each athlete, but the goal is to move as much as possible within each 5-minute round and save rest (to the extent possible) for the designated rest periods.

Rather than trying to keep track of reps at each station, athletes can keep a running count. For example, if athletes get 20 Wall Balls in the first minute, they can count their first couple Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls as 21, 22, 23…and so on.

Intended Stimulus

“Fight Gone Bad” is meant to be light and fast. You should keep the intensity high so you feel breathless throughout the WOD. If you’re asking yourself what your name is after time is called, you did it right.

Scaling

Most athletes should be able to stick with the interval pattern. Beginners should reduce the loading and height of the box. Intermediate athletes can handle the prescribed loading in this workout.

Beginner
Men: 10-lb. ball to 9-ft., 45-lb. SDHP and press, 15-in. box
Women: 6-lb. ball to 9-ft., 35-lb. SDHP and press, 12-in. box

2. Ricky

AMRAP in 20 minutes
10 Pull-Ups
5 Dumbbell Deadlifts (75/55 lb)
8 Push-Presses (135/95 lb)

3. CHRISTINA

AMRAP in 20 minutes

9 Pull-Ups
9 Squat Cleans (95/65 lb)
9 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
9 Toes-to-Bar
9 Push Presses (95/65 lb)
9 Burpees

AMRAP Barbell Shoulder WorkoutsSource: RX'd Photography

4. INCREDIBLE HULK

AMRAP in 20 minutes

5 Deadlifts (115/75 lb)
5 Hang Power Cleans (115/75 lb)
5 Front Squats (115/75 lb)
5 Push Press (115/75 lb)
5 Back Squat (115/75 lb)
On a 20-minute clock, as many rounds and repetitions as possible (AMRAP) perform the prescribed work in the order written.

Score is the total number of rounds and repetitions completed before the 20-minute clock stops.

5. PAINSTORM XIX

AMRAP in 40 minutes

5 Deadlifts (70/50 lb)
5 Hang Power Cleans (70/50 lb)
5 Front Squats (70/50 lb)
5 Push Presses (70/50 lb)
5 Back Squats (70/50 lb)
On a 40-minute clock, perform as many rounds and repetitions as possible (AMRAP) of the prescribed work in the order written.

Score is the total number of rounds and repetitions completed before the 40-minute clock stops.

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