Today is a descending ladder that starts heavy and gets lighter with every round. You'll move through burpees, squats, reverse lunges, and burpees again, dropping the rep count each time. Show up, start the clock, and get to work.

Today's WOD — 50-40-30-20-10

  • 15 BURPEES
  • 20 SQUATS
  • 20 REVERSE LUNGES
  • 15 BURPEES

How this format works

The 50-40-30-20-10 format means you complete five rounds of the same movement list, but the rep count for each movement drops each round. Round one is 50 reps of every movement, round two is 40, then 30, 20, and finally 10. For today, that means round one is 50 burpees, 50 squats, 50 reverse lunges, and 50 burpees before you move on. Work at a steady pace and rest only as needed, treating this as a for-time effort. Move through all four movements in order before starting the next round.

How to attack it

The first round is the biggest chunk of work, so resist the urge to sprint out of the gate. Break the burpees into small manageable sets early, like sets of 10 with a short pause, so you protect your pace for the squats and lunges that follow. Most people slow down in round two once the initial energy fades, so plan short, planned breaks rather than long stalls. Keep your breathing steady on the squats and lunges to recover for the next set of burpees. By the time you reach the 20 and 10 rounds, you should have enough left to push the tempo home.

Form cues

  • 15 BURPEES — Chest to floor, then jump up and reach overhead.
  • 20 REVERSE LUNGES — Step back, lower the back knee, drive up through the front heel.
  • 15 BURPEES — Chest to floor, then jump up and reach overhead.

Scale it

Newer to this: Beginners can cut every rep count in half and follow a 25-20-15-10-5 progression instead. Swap standard burpees for step-back burpees with no jump, and reduce the reverse lunges to 10 per side total in the top round. Rest as long as you need between movements to keep quality reps.

Want more: Advanced athletes can add a push-up at the bottom of every burpee and a tuck jump at the top for extra work. Aim to keep transitions under 10 seconds between movements and complete the first two rounds unbroken. If you want more volume, tack on a 20-burpee finisher after the round of 10.

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