Barbara
5 Rounds of 20-30-40-50 with 3-Minute Rests
Get a link for your group. Everyone's score also counts on the all-time Barbara leaderboard.
The workout (Rx)
5 rounds, each for time, of
- 20 pull-ups
- 30 push-ups
- 40 sit-ups
- 50 air squats
Rest exactly 3 minutes between rounds. Score is the total of your five round times, rest not included.
Scaling Barbara
Keep the intent of the workout and pick the version you can finish moving well.
SC Scaled
5 rounds, each for time, of: 20 jumping pull-ups or ring rows 30 push-ups (knees as needed) 40 sit-ups 50 air squats Rest exactly 3 minutes between rounds. Score is the total of your five round times, rest not included.
Beginner
3 rounds, each for time, of: 10 ring rows 15 push-ups (knees or hands on a box) 20 sit-ups 25 air squats Rest 3 minutes between rounds.
Barbara times by level
| Level | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Beginner | Over 35:00 |
| Intermediate | 25:00–35:00 |
| Advanced | 18:00–25:00 |
| Elite | Under 18:00 |
Approximate Rx totals of the five round times, rest not included, from community results.
All-time leaderboard
7 scoresEvery score from FitClash challenges linked to Barbara.
About Barbara
Barbara is one of the original "Girls" benchmark workouts. It's a bodyweight workout with a twist: each round is timed on its own and followed by exactly three minutes of rest.
The rest is long enough to recover a little but not enough to start the next round fresh, so Barbara tests how well you can repeat a hard effort five times.
Tips for Barbara
- Treat each round as its own effort, but aim for round times within about 30 seconds of each other.
- Break the pull-ups and push-ups into planned sets before they fail.
- Write down each round time as you go. Your score is the five added together.
Barbara questions
What is the Barbara workout?
Barbara is 5 rounds of 20 pull-ups, 30 push-ups, 40 sit-ups and 50 air squats. Each round is done for time, with exactly 3 minutes of rest between rounds.
How is Barbara scored?
On FitClash, add up your five round times and leave out the rest periods. For example, five rounds of 4:30 is a score of 22:30.
What is a good Barbara score?
A total under 25 minutes at Rx is a strong score, and under 18 minutes is elite. Most people new to it total 35 minutes or more.
How do I scale Barbara?
Use jumping pull-ups or ring rows and knee push-ups, or do 3 rounds with smaller rep counts.
Who's fastest at Barbara?
Create the challenge, drop the link in your group chat, and settle it on the leaderboard. No app or account needed to submit a score.