Can you beat Tom Holland's Cindy calisthenics workout score?

Spiderman actor Tom Holland recently revealed his go-to workout is Cindy, a simple but brutal bodyweight workout that can be done anywhere there’s a pull up bar. I love the coverage that this is getting, and it made me wonder – even though Cindy is a named Crossfit workout, can the calisthenics community claim it as one of theirs? And more importantly, how can we all get anywhere close to Tom Holland’s amazing 27 rounds for Condy?

What is the Tom Holland workout?

I’m sure Tom Holland does lots of different workouts, but the one I want to dig into today is “Cindy”. The actor told Men’s Health UK that his go-to workout when he’s travelling or pushed for time is Cindy – a popular Crossfit girls WOD. But let’s look closer at Cindy, because something tells me this Crossfit workout is actually a good old fashioned calisthenics session.

What is Cindy the workout?

Cindy is done as a 20 minute AMRAP (20 minutes to do “as many rounds as possible”) of:

- 5 pull ups

- 10 push ups

- 15 air squats

That’s it. But anyone who’s done 20 minutes of those foundational calisthenics movements over and over again without a break will tell you not to underestimate it.

Is Cindy a calisthenics workout?

Cindy is one of the classic Crossfit “girls” workouts that’s used as a benchmark and regularly programmed in Crossfit gyms. That’s not to say the movements are the property of Crossfit. But if you do them in this sequence, for 20 minutes, that’s Cindy – which is a Crossfit WOD.

But Cindy is a calisthenics workout. It’s three fundamental calisthenics movements – pull ups, push ups, bodyweight squats. Nothing else. That’s calisthenics.

I’ve always said that calisthenics is the basis of every sport and every style of training in history – and this is one example of what I mean! Cindy was first published as an official Crossfit workout in December 2004, but the movements have been around in calisthenics forever.

How to do Cindy workout

• Warm up the movement patterns

• Set a timer for 20 minutes

• Position yourself underneath your pull up bar

• Do 5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 air squats (bodyweight squats).

• Repeat until the 20 minutes is up.

Your score is rounds and reps (for example, if you did 13 full rounds and then got to the end of the push ups, your score would be 13 + 15).

What is a good score for Cindy

What constitutes a good score for Cindy is up for debate. Personally I’d rather see any athlete do good quality reps and pace themselves well, than go out too hot and have their form break down.

If you want a guide, here’s something to aim for:

- Calisthenics beginners: 8-12 rounds (consider scaling to ring rows)

- Calisthenics intermediate: 12-17 rounds

- Calisthenics advanced: 17+ rounds

How does Tom Holland score so high on Cindy

I’ve never seen Tom Holland train so can’t say for sure, but he looks pretty lean and agile. So my guess is that he can score well on Cindy because he finds the pull ups and push ups easier than some people, which would mean he can keep a good pace.

To get 27+ rounds in Cindy, Tom would have to do a complete round in under 45 seconds, consistently, without a break, for 20 minutes. That’s some going.

To get anywhere near 27 rounds, you’d need to:

• Be cardiovascular fit

• Have great technique

• Pace yourself well

• Not burn out early

• Lock in and focus

• Set yourself up smartly (see below)

Tips for getting a good Cindy score

I can’t guarantee my advice will help you get a Tom Holland score on the Cindy workout! But as someone who’s coached and trained with the best calisthenics athletes in the business for many years, I reckon I have some advice worth listening to.

1. Don’t go out too hot

Sprinting the first 3 rounds will never work for anyone, I guarantee you that. All that will happen is your heartrate will shoot up and 2 minutes will feel like an eternity.

2. Stick to a plan

Have a plan in mind and stick to it regardless of what anyone around you is doing. A round a minute? A round every 90 seconds? Whatever it is, stick to it to guarantee even pacing.

3. Have a smart Cindy set up

Top tip I learned from a Crossfit athlete: think about your set up. That means standing underneath the pull up bar, dropping down into a burpee to do your push ups, stepping up out of the final push up and immediately starting your squats on the spot. No wandering around. Do it all in a small area under the bar.

4. Strategic hydration

Another tip from my Crossfit mate. Put your water bottle right next to your feet and use the bottom of a squat to grab it, take a drink during the next squat, then put it down at the bottom of the next squat. Elite!

5. Shake off your arms

The pull ups and push ups will wear you down during Cindy, so use the squats to shake them out and let them hang by your sides.

6. Short breaks

If you must take breaks, be strict with yourself. 3, 2, 1, go.

7. Use the squats to recover

Think of the squats as an opportunity to breathe, get your heartrate down, shake off those arms, and have a word with yourself.

8. Sprint the last 2 minutes

Keep something in the tank so you can pick up the pace towards the end and maybe squeeze out a few extra reps.

What’s your Cindy score? Let me know – I’m tempted to test mine again soon (Tom Holland probably doesn’t have anything to worry about…!)