Top 20 'Engine-Building' Training Routines to try for Blending Elite Endurance with Raw Strength in 2025 - Goh Ling Yong
Are you tired of the age-old debate: strength or endurance? The athlete who can deadlift a truck but gasses out climbing a flight of stairs, or the marathoner who can run for days but struggles to carry in the groceries. For the modern fitness enthusiast, the goal is no longer to live at one extreme. The new frontier is building a powerful, resilient "engine" – the kind that blends elite endurance with raw, functional strength.
Engine-building, or developing your work capacity, is about increasing your body's ability to perform more work, faster, for longer. It’s the powerhouse behind the athlete who can crush a heavy lifting session and then go for a 5k run without missing a beat. This is the essence of hybrid training, a philosophy that creates athletes who are not just specialists, but are robust, versatile, and prepared for anything life throws their way.
As we look ahead to 2025, the focus on this holistic fitness approach is only getting stronger. Whether you're a CrossFit athlete, a HYROX competitor, or just someone who wants to be undeniably fit, you need a toolbox of routines that push both your cardiovascular and muscular systems to their limits. Here are 20 of our favorite engine-building workouts to forge a truly unstoppable you.
1. The "Grip & Go" Farmer's Carry EMOM
What It Is: An EMOM, or "Every Minute On The Minute," workout centered on the farmer's carry. At the start of each minute, you pick up a heavy pair of kettlebells or dumbbells and walk a set distance. The remaining time in that minute is your rest.
Why It Works: This routine is a monster for building grip strength, core stability, and mental toughness. The repeated bouts of carrying a heavy load under time pressure tax your cardiovascular system in a unique way, forcing your heart and lungs to work hard to supply oxygen to your straining muscles. It’s a full-body grinder that builds a rock-solid foundation.
Example:
- EMOM for 15 minutes:
- Carry two 24kg (men) / 16kg (women) kettlebells for 40 meters.
- Pro-Tip: Focus on standing tall, keeping your shoulders back and down, and taking short, quick steps. Scale the weight to something you can carry unbroken for the distance.
2. The Concept2 "Death Row"
What It Is: A brutal but simple interval workout on the Concept2 rower. The structure is an ascending and descending ladder of calories rowed, with a fixed rest period in between.
Why It Works: The rower is arguably the king of full-body cardio machines. This workout forces you to produce explosive power repeatedly, spiking your heart rate and then allowing for a brief recovery. This improves your lactate threshold, teaching your body to clear metabolic waste more efficiently so you can sustain a higher intensity for longer.
Example:
- Row for calories with 1 minute of rest between each set:
- 10 Calories
- 20 Calories
- 30 Calories
- 40 Calories
- 30 Calories
- 20 Calories
- 10 Calories
- Pro-Tip: Don't fly and die. Find a strong, sustainable pace for the middle rounds (30s and 40s) and empty the tank on the final sets.
3. The Barbell Bear Complex
What It Is: A five-movement barbell complex performed without letting go of the bar. One full "rep" of the Bear Complex consists of a Power Clean, Front Squat, Push Press, Back Squat, and another Push Press.
Why It Works: This complex builds muscular endurance, coordination, and a serious engine. Moving a moderate load through multiple movement patterns under fatigue is incredibly demanding on your central nervous system and metabolic pathways. It builds "strength under duress," a key component of a powerful engine.
Example:
- 5 Rounds for Load:
- Complete 7 unbroken sets of the Bear Complex.
- Rest as needed between rounds, and try to increase the weight each round.
- Note: The bar only touches the ground after the 7th full complex is complete.
4. The "Murph Prep" Chipper
What It Is: A "chipper" style workout where you must complete all reps of one exercise before moving to the next. This is a scaled-down, more approachable version of the legendary hero WOD "Murph."
Why It Works: Long-duration, multi-modal workouts like this are the bread and butter of engine-building. It tests your ability to manage pacing and transitions between different movements while your body is screaming for a break. A philosophy we champion here on the Goh Ling Yong blog is that mental toughness is forged in these long, grinding efforts.
Example:
- For Time:
- 800m Run
- 50 Pull-ups
- 100 Push-ups
- 150 Air Squats
- 800m Run
- Pro-Tip: Break up the bodyweight movements into small, manageable sets from the beginning. For example, 20 sets of 5 push-ups is much more sustainable than trying to do huge sets and burning out.
5. The Assault Bike "Tabata Hell"
What It Is: A workout utilizing the infamous Tabata protocol (20 seconds of max effort, 10 seconds of rest) on the Assault Bike (or Echo Bike).
Why It Works: The Assault Bike earns its nickname "the misery machine" for a reason. It's a full-body stimulus that leaves nowhere to hide. The Tabata protocol is one of the most effective ways to boost your VO2 max and anaerobic capacity in a very short amount of time. This is pure, unadulterated engine-building in its most potent form.
Example:
- 3 Rounds of:
- 8 x (20 seconds max-effort biking / 10 seconds rest)
- Rest 2 minutes between full rounds.
- Goal: Try to hold the same number of calories or RPMs for all 8 intervals within a round.
6. The Kettlebell Crusher AMRAP
What It Is: An AMRAP, or "As Many Rounds As Possible," workout that combines two fundamental kettlebell movements: the swing and the goblet squat.
Why It Works: This simple pairing is deceptively brutal. The explosive kettlebell swing jacks up your heart rate and taxes your entire posterior chain, while the goblet squat challenges your legs, core, and upper back. The combination builds incredible muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness with minimal equipment.
Example:
- AMRAP in 20 minutes:
- 15 Russian Kettlebell Swings (24kg/16kg)
- 10 Goblet Squats (24kg/16kg)
- Pro-Tip: Focus on crisp, powerful hip extension in the swing and maintaining an upright torso in the squat. Breathing is key; exhale sharply on the effort of each rep.
7. The Sled Push & Pull Gauntlet
What It Is: A workout focused purely on pushing and pulling a weighted sled. It's low-impact but has a massive metabolic cost.
Why It Works: Sled work is concentric-only, meaning there's no eccentric (lowering) phase of the movement. This results in significantly less muscle soreness, allowing you to train hard and recover faster. It builds incredible leg strength, core stability, and conditioning without beating up your joints.
Example:
- For Time:
- 10 x 50-meter Sled Pushes
- Rest 60 seconds between each push.
- Add a weight that is challenging but allows you to keep moving for the full 50 meters.
8. The "Run-Burpee-Run" Sandwich
What It Is: A classic conditioning structure that "sandwiches" a high-rep bodyweight movement between two runs. The burpee is the perfect choice for the "filling."
Why It Works: This format challenges your ability to recover and maintain form after a significant cardiovascular effort. Running after 75 burpees is a completely different feeling than running fresh. It trains your body to keep working through fatigue, a vital skill for any hybrid athlete.
Example:
- For Time:
- 1 Mile Run
- 75 Burpees
- 1 Mile Run
- Pro-Tip: Pace the first run conservatively. The workout truly begins at the burpees. For the burpees, find a steady, robotic pace you can hold without redlining.
9. The "HYROX Simulation"
What It Is: A workout designed to mimic the demands of a HYROX race, alternating between running and functional fitness stations.
Why It Works: This is the pinnacle of concurrent training. You force your body to adapt to switching between running (a cyclical, aerobic activity) and strength movements (acyclical, anaerobic activities). This builds a uniquely versatile engine that doesn't falter when the stimulus changes.
Example:
- 5 Rounds For Time:
- 500m Run
- 15 Burpee Broad Jumps
- 20m Sled Push
- Pro-Tip: Practice your transitions. The time spent moving from the run to the burpees to the sled is where races are won and lost. Move with purpose.
10. The Long-Cycle Kettlebell Challenge
What It Is: A workout focused on one of the most demanding kettlebell sport movements: the long cycle (a clean and jerk). The goal is to accumulate as many reps as possible in a set time frame.
Why It Works: The long cycle is a full-body power-endurance movement. It requires strength, stability, timing, and an incredible gas tank. Training it for extended periods builds a specific type of endurance that allows you to handle moderate loads for a very, very long time.
Example:
- AMRAP in 10 minutes:
- Kettlebell Long Cycle (Clean + Jerk)
- Use a moderate weight (e.g., 2 x 16kg / 2 x 12kg) and switch hands as needed if using a single bell. The goal is to move continuously without putting the bell(s) down.
11. The "Every 5 Minutes" Grinder
What It Is: A workout structure where you complete a round of work at the beginning of a 5-minute window and rest for the remainder. This is a great way to handle heavier loads or more technical movements in a conditioning setting.
Why It Works: The extended rest period allows for near-full recovery, enabling you to attack each round with high intensity. This is perfect for building strength and power within a conditioning framework, as you're not forced to rush through complex lifts while completely gassed.
Example:
- Every 5 minutes for 30 minutes (6 rounds):
- 400m Run
- 12 Deadlifts (at 60% of 1RM)
- 9 Hang Power Cleans
- 6 Push Jerks
- Note: Use the same barbell for all three lifts.
12. The Wall Ball & SkiErg Couplet
What It Is: A simple, devastating couplet pairing two metabolically demanding movements: the wall ball and the SkiErg.
Why It Works: This combination attacks the body from top to bottom. The wall ball is a full-body squat and press that taxes the legs, shoulders, and lungs. The SkiErg is a full-body pulling motion that focuses on the lats, core, and triceps while demanding a huge aerobic output. Paired together, they leave no muscle untouched and no corner of your engine untested.
Example:
- 5 Rounds For Time:
- 25 Wall Balls (20/14 lbs)
- 25 Calorie Ski
- Pro-Tip: Find your rhythm. On the wall ball, use your leg drive to propel the ball. On the SkiErg, focus on a powerful hip hinge to generate force.
13. The Ruck March
What It Is: Simply walking with a weighted backpack or "rucksack." It's a foundational skill in military and tactical fitness, and an incredible engine-builder.
Why It Works: Rucking is a low-impact form of cardio that simultaneously builds strength in your legs, back, and shoulders. It elevates your heart rate more than regular walking and burns significantly more calories. It's a fantastic way to build a deep aerobic base and mental resilience.
Example:
- Start with: 3-mile ruck with 10% of your bodyweight in a backpack.
- Goal: Build up to longer distances (6-12 miles) and heavier loads (up to 20-25% of bodyweight). Maintain a brisk walking pace (around 15 minutes per mile).
14. The "Devil's Press" Ladder
What It Is: A workout centered on the Devil's Press—a movement combining a burpee with a dumbbell snatch. The ladder format means you increase the reps each round.
Why It Works: The Devil's Press is one of the most taxing single movements you can do. It combines a push, a pull, a hinge, and requires you to move your body from the floor to overhead. It's a true test of grit and conditioning, and programming it in a ladder format quickly becomes a mental battle.
Example:
- Ascending Ladder for 10 minutes:
- 1 Devil's Press (50/35 lbs)
- 2 Devil's Presses
- 3 Devil's Presses
- ...and so on, adding one rep each round until the 10 minutes are up.
15. The "Century Club" Bodyweight Test
What It Is: A simple but humbling test: perform 100 reps of a single, challenging bodyweight movement for time.
Why It Works: This is a pure test of muscular endurance and mental fortitude. It teaches you how to pace, how to break up reps, and how to keep moving when every muscle fiber is burning. This kind of raw capacity is a cornerstone of a well-developed engine.
Example:
- Choose one and complete for time:
- 100 Pull-ups
- 100 Burpee Box Jump Overs
- 100 Toes-to-Bar
- Pro-Tip: Have a rep scheme strategy before you start (e.g., 10 sets of 10, or 20 sets of 5). Sticking to the plan is crucial when fatigue sets in.
16. The "Heavy Sandbag" Odd Object Carry
What It Is: Pick up a heavy, awkward sandbag and carry it for distance or time. No fancy programming needed.
Why It Works: Training with odd objects like sandbags builds a different kind of "real-world" strength. The shifting load forces your stabilizer muscles to work overtime and jacks up your heart rate. It builds a rugged, durable engine that translates directly to functional tasks. The type of strength Goh Ling Yong often speaks about is not just about lifting a barbell, but about being useful and capable in any situation.
Example:
- 4 Rounds:
- 100m Sandbag Bear Hug Carry
- Rest 90 seconds.
- Goal: Use a sandbag that is heavy enough to make you question your life choices by the 75-meter mark.
17. The Triple 3 Challenge
What It Is: A high-volume workout from the CrossFit Games archives that tests three different modalities of endurance.
Why It Works: It's a long-duration effort that tests your proficiency across rowing, double-unders, and running. Each component requires a different skill set and energy pathway, forcing you to be a well-rounded athlete. Completing this is a huge milestone in engine development.
Example:
- For Time:
- 3000m Row
- 300 Double-Unders
- 3-mile Run
- Pro-Tip: This is all about pacing. Go out too hot on the row and you'll pay for it dearly on the run. Settle in for the long haul.
18. The "Air Runner" Interval Sprints
What It Is: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) on a non-motorized, curved treadmill like the Air Runner or TrueForm.
Why It Works: Unlike a traditional treadmill, you are the motor on a curved runner. This forces better running mechanics and engages more muscle, especially the posterior chain. It makes sprints feel significantly harder and provides a massive metabolic punch in a short amount of time.
Example:
- 10 Rounds:
- 30-second max-effort sprint
- 90-second easy walk/recovery
- Goal: Try to cover the same distance on every sprint. The recovery time should feel too short by round 5.
19. The "Box Step-Over" Gauntlet
What It Is: A high-rep, single-movement workout using a weighted vest or dumbbells and a plyo box.
Why It Works: The weighted box step-over is a low-impact, high-return movement. It builds unilateral leg strength, hip stability, and an incredible aerobic base. It's a slow-burn grind that builds the kind of engine that can just go all day long.
Example:
- For Time:
- 300 Weighted Box Step-Overs (24/20 inch box)
- Wear a 20/14 lb weight vest, or hold a pair of light dumbbells.
- Pro-Tip: Focus on a consistent, non-stop pace. Alternate your leading leg on each step to ensure balanced development.
20. The "Fight Gone Bad" Protocol
What It Is: A classic CrossFit benchmark WOD designed to simulate the time and intensity of an MMA fight. It consists of three rounds of five different exercises, working for one minute at each station.
Why It Works: This workout is a masterclass in power endurance. It forces you to maintain a high output across five different movements with no rest between them. Your ability to keep moving and score reps in the final round is a direct measure of your engine.
Example:
- 3 Rounds For Total Reps:
- 1 minute of Wall Balls (20/14 lbs)
- 1 minute of Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls (75/55 lbs)
- 1 minute of Box Jumps (20 inch)
- 1 minute of Push Presses (75/55 lbs)
- 1 minute of Rowing (for calories)
- 1 minute of Rest
- Your score is the total number of reps (and calories on the rower) completed across all three rounds.
Build Your Engine, Build Yourself
There you have it—20 powerful routines to forge an unbreakable engine in 2025. Remember, the key to building elite endurance and raw strength isn't about destroying yourself in every session. It's about consistent, intelligent effort over time. Pick a few of these that excite you, scale them to your current ability, and get to work.
The journey to becoming a truly hybrid athlete is a long one, but it's one of the most rewarding paths you can take. You’ll build not just a bigger gas tank and stronger muscles, but a more resilient and capable version of yourself.
Now we want to hear from you. Which of these workouts are you most excited (or terrified) to try? Do you have a favorite engine-building routine that we missed? Drop a comment below and join the conversation!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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