Think Hyrox Is Too Long? Try the Intense 'Acid Bath' Sprint Workout Instead
The CrossFit WOD ‘Acid Bath’ is a deceptively simple workout, but simple ain’t always easy, and this workout is nothing short of a baptism of fire. It’s a test of raw power, explosive stamina and mental grit designed to push your heart and lungs to the brink. And it’ll also set your quads on fire.
The workout consists of a 500-metre SkiErg effort, a 500-metre row and a 1,000-metre bike sprint — three moves, one mission: go all out and empty the tank. The key stimulus here is lactic acid overload, as your legs and lungs are relentlessly taxed. To perform well, you need explosive starts, resolved pacing under duress and the ability to endure that burning sensation in your quads and lungs as you fight through the final metres.
Well, you’ll be fighting through all of the metres, actually.
Acid Bath made its debut at the 2018 Dubai Fitness Championship Finals and instantly gained notoriety for its brutal simplicity, as well as the state it left the athletes in at the finish line. It was designed to separate the elite from the rest of the pack. In the inaugural event, Roman Khrennikov of Russia claimed victory, completing the workout in a ridiculous 4min 54sec. His performance set the benchmark for the soul-sucking sprint effort, and top CrossFit athletes have been measuring themselves against it ever since.
If you don't have access to any of the machines, sub in any similar piece of conditioning equipment, or throw in a 400m max-effort run, or 40 burpees performed as a sprint.
Think of this one like an F1 race — every second counts, max power is a must, and the margin for error is razor thin. That being said, don’t expect to stand tall at the finish line; most athletes collapse in a heap of lactic-fuelled pain. You’ve been warned.
If you’re looking for a guide on how to do this one, here it is:
GO ALL OUT.
FORM CHECK
A. SkiErg x 500m
With your feet shoulder-width apart reach up and grip the handles with an overhand grip. Drive the handles downward by engaging your core abdominal muscles and bending your knees. Maintain a slight bend in your arms to keep the handles fairly close to your face as you use your bodyweight to help you to pull the handles down towards your pockets. Finish the drive with a slight extension of the arms, before reversing the movement back up to the top and repeating.
B. Row x 500m
Push hard away from the flywheel with your legs. Keep your arms straight until your legs are extended, then lean back slightly and pull the handle into your torso to finish each stroke. Reverse the movement exactly; arms, hips, knees. Repeat.
C. Bike (or air bike) x 1000m
Set up on the bike – your back should be straight and the saddle adjusted so you have a slight bend in the knee at the bottom of your cycle, and only the slightest bend in the arms when your torso is upright. Try not to flail around, keep your breaths long and smooth for as long possible, and upper body still.
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