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15 minute AMRAP

Iron Scapula Grind

Core under fatigue · Midline Tension · intensity 3 of 5

The workout

As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of:

Overview

Iron Scapula Grind is a 20-second hollow hold, 15 supine floor scapular shrugs, and 20 alternating lunges. The round opens with a 20-second hollow hold. Doing the supine floor scapular shrugs still comes after it, not as a rest earned by the hold.

Muscles worked

Energy systems

These are overlapping contributions. This workout is not assigned to one energy system.

This workout departs from its style on the profile below.

  • Glycolytic: Moderate
  • Oxidative: Moderate
  • Neuromuscular: High

Training effect

Immediate demand

15 minutes, intensity 3 of 5. Today the limiter is the hollow hold before the supine floor scapular shrugs.

Intended stimulus

The style is built so a trunk position has to survive the moving reps. On this workout that is a 20-second hollow hold, 15 supine floor scapular shrugs, and 20 alternating lunges.

Repeated practice

Repeat the same workout and compare the score. What can change over weeks is how long that pace lasts. One time through does not produce that change.

Body-composition context

Body weight changes with the rest of how you eat and train. This workout is one piece of work on one day.

Expected feel

The hold is the start of the round. The next movement still has to be done after it, not as a rest earned by the hold.

Pacing

Anterior hollow into micro-shrugs into lunges. Crush the lumbar on the hollow; arms locked on the shrugs.

Do not shorten the hollow hold to reach the supine floor scapular shrugs. The hold is the start of the round. The next movement still has to be done after it.

The movements

Hollow Hold

Fatigue causes the back to arch. Regress the movement immediately by tucking your knees toward your chest when this happens.

What not to do. Letting the lower back arch away from the floor as the legs tire.

Supine Floor Scapular Shrugs

This is a micro-movement. Your torso will barely leave the floor. If your elbows bend, your triceps are taking over the work. Keep the arms locked and force the scapula to do the job.

What not to do. Bending the elbows so the triceps steal the work from the scapula.

Alternating Lunges

Reverse lunges are superior for AMRAPs. They protect the deceleration forces on the knee and allow for a faster, springier return to the standing position.

What not to do. Letting the front knee travel past the toes as the torso pitches forward.

Why these movements

The round opens with a 20-second hollow hold. Doing the supine floor scapular shrugs still comes after it, not as a rest earned by the hold.

Scaling

Keep a brace or a hollow position in every round. Drop the moving reps before you drop the position that makes the trunk work.

Hollow Hold

  • Knees bent. Bend the knees to shorten the lever. The shorter it is, the lighter it is.
  • Partial range. Move only through the range where you can keep the lower back on the floor.

Supine Floor Scapular Shrugs

  • Shorter lift. Drive into the floor but only lift as high as you can control without the hips or neck cheating.
  • Hold the squeeze. Reach the top and freeze for a count instead of cycling reps. Same drive, less fatigue management.

Alternating Lunges

  • Hold a support. One hand on a wall or chair for balance. The legs still do the work.
  • Shorter range. Drop only as far as you can stand back up from without pushing off your hands.

Mistakes and who it is for

  • Opening the hollow hold at a sprint makes the hollow hold the piece that falls apart.
  • Cutting the hollow hold short to reach the supine floor scapular shrugs removes the hold the round starts with.
  • Spending the first minutes hard leaves the later rounds as a different, slower workout.

Suited to someone who wants 15 minutes through Hollow Hold, Supine Floor Scapular Shrugs, Alternating Lunges.

Scoring and progression

Work through the movements in the order listed, then start the next round. Your score is the number of complete rounds plus any reps of the round you were partway through when the clock hit zero — written as rounds plus reps, so seven full rounds and twelve reps is7+12.

Progression is repeating this workout and comparing that score. The page does not promise a change from one time through.

Related workouts

Run it with friends

Iron Scapula Grind runs on a shared countdown: share a rally link, everyone gets the same 15-minute clock, and the leaderboard updates as people log rounds.

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