The 12 Labours of Deadly Dozen: Movement Breakdown & Strategy
The runs are the spine of Deadly Dozen, but the Labours decide your day. Here is how to read each station, scale it, and stop bleeding time between the runs.
Deadly Dozen looks simple on paper, and that is the trap. Twelve 400m runs, each paired with one functional Labour, back-to-back in a single continuous effort. No sleds, no ergs, no wall balls. Just bodyweight, kettlebell, dumbbell, and weight plate work that turns brutal under fatigue, which is exactly why knowing how to pace and scale each Labour is worth minutes.
Below we walk through all twelve Labours in the standard Track order, what each one tests, the common mistake, and how to train it. Loads and finer details can shift between events and divisions, so always confirm the official standards on the day. For the full race overview, see our Deadly Dozen Vancouver race guide.
Watch the movements
The 12 Labours on video
Official movement breakdowns for every labour, in race order. Tap a labour to watch its clip, plus a couple of primers on how the race works.
How the race works
Video credit
Deadly Dozen(opens in a new tab)
The official introduction to the race from founder Jason Curtis: where Deadly Dozen came from, why the twelve-runs-twelve-Labours format works anywhere, and what race day actually looks like.
Video credit
Martin Boyce(opens in a new tab)
A 5-minute primer on the Deadly Dozen format, the labour stations, and what makes it different from other fitness races.
Video credit
Katie Garrison Fitness(opens in a new tab)
A clear walk-through of how the labours, divisions, and race-day strategy actually work.
The 12 Labours, in race order
1. Farmers carry (kettlebell, 240m)
Tests: grip, posture, and core under load. Mistake: gripping too hard too early and burning out the forearms. Strategy: tall posture, relaxed but secure grip, steady walking pace, breathe. Plan one or two set-downs rather than dropping in a panic. Train it: loaded carries of all kinds, every week.
2. Deadlift (kettlebell, 60 reps)
Tests: posterior chain and grip endurance. Mistake: rounding late and going to failure early. Strategy: hinge from the hips, flat back, break the 60 into planned sets with short pauses before you fail. Train it: kettlebell and barbell deadlifts for higher-rep sets.
3. Lunge (dumbbell, 60m)
Tests: legs, balance, and grip while loaded. Mistake: long, wobbly steps that drain you. Strategy: short controlled steps, stay tall, steady breathing, keep the dumbbells quiet at your sides. Train it: weighted walking lunges for volume.
4. Dumbbell snatch (60 reps)
Tests: power and shoulder endurance. Mistake: muscling it with the arm. Strategy: drive from the hips, relaxed grip, alternate arms smoothly and settle into a repeatable cadence. Train it: light, fast dumbbell snatches in conditioning pieces.
5. Burpee broad jump (bodyweight, 60m)
Tests: full-body endurance and rhythm. Mistake: rushing the jump and stalling on the floor. Strategy: smooth, repeatable cadence over speed, soft landings, keep breathing. Train it: short burpee intervals and broad jump practice.
6. Goblet squat (kettlebell, 60 reps)
Tests: legs, lungs, and patience. Mistake: big unbroken sets that redline you. Strategy: break into planned sets, use a tall front-rack position to keep the torso upright, breathe at the top. Train it: interval goblet squats paired with running.
7. Front carry (weight plate, 240m)
Tests: grip, upper back, and core over distance. Mistake: hugging the plate too low and rounding forward. Strategy: plate high on the chest, elbows in, tall posture, steady pace. Train it: front-loaded carries and plate holds for time.
8. Push press (dumbbell, 60 reps)
Tests: shoulder power and overhead endurance. Mistake: pressing with the arms and gassing the shoulders. Strategy: use a small dip and leg drive on every rep, break into planned sets before fatigue wrecks your form. Train it: dumbbell push press in short, repeatable sets.
9. Bear crawl (bodyweight, 120m)
Tests: shoulders, core, and coordination under fatigue. Mistake: hips too high and racing until the shoulders fry. Strategy: low flat back, short opposite hand-foot steps, steady breathing. Train it: crawl intervals for distance, especially after leg work.
10. Clean and press (weight plate, 60 reps)
Tests: full-body power and overhead stamina. Mistake: letting the plate drift away from the body. Strategy: keep the plate close, drive from the hips, exhale on the press, plan your sets. Train it: ground-to-overhead complexes with plates and dumbbells.
11. Overhead carry (weight plate, 180m)
Tests: overhead stability, grip, and midline. Mistake: soft, bent arms that let the plate crash down. Strategy: lock the arms, plate stacked over the shoulders, ribs down, walk with intent. Train it: overhead carries and holds to build lockout endurance.
12. Devil press (dumbbell, 20 reps)
Tests: everything you have left. Mistake: sprinting the first few and blowing up at the finish. Strategy: one smooth, unbroken tempo, drive the dumbbells overhead with the hips, breathe at the top of each rep. Train it: devil press intervals at the end of tired sessions.
Putting it together
No single Labour is hard in isolation. The challenge is doing all twelve with a 400m run between each, which adds up to 4.8km of running, 720m of loaded carries, and 320 weighted reps. That is exactly why simulation training matters. Our 12-week training plan builds the strength endurance and pacing to handle every station on tired legs.
Train the Labours at CrossFit BC
Carries, kettlebell and dumbbell work, squats, presses, burpees, and crawling are already woven into our weekly CrossFit classes, and we run race-specific prep for hybrid events too. A coach scales each movement to you, so you train the real demands of Deadly Dozen in a community that makes the hard parts fun. New here? Try 3 classes free or start at the Deadly Dozen Vancouver hub.