FAQ’s

WOD is “Workout of the Day.” The great folks at CrossFit post a workout for each day. The common splits are a) as posted, which is 3 days on/1 off, and b) 5 days on, two off.
If you need explanation on doing the WODs, check here or in the discussion board. Likely your question has been asked before.

Some insight and thoughts on sets and reps:
The WOD descriptions are very literal; don’t read into them. If it says “squats” it means bodyweight (aka “air squats”) – no added weight, unless it says back squats or front squats.
A “rep” or repetition is one iteration of a movement. One bench press, one squat. A “set” is a group of reps: 10 reps =10 bench presses, 10 squats. 3 sets is do a group of repetitions, rest, repeat, rest, repeat. So, 3 sets of 10 (reps) is 10/rest/10/rest/10. The rest interval is up to your recovery time, and the goal of the WOD. Obviously, if it’s a timed WOD, you want to rest less.

Also, rest and reps are frequently inverse. Sometimes a WOD says deadlift 3-2-2-1-1-1. This means a set of 3 reps, a set of 2 reps, another set of 2, a “set of one” aka a “single.” This few reps indicates maximal load, and indicates longer rest times.

Back to literal: if the WOD says 21-15-9 reps of bench and pullups in “rounds” (or any two or three exercises as given) you do 21 reps of exercise 1, followed by 21 reps of exercise 2, and 21 reps of exercise 3 if there is a third one. Now do 15 of the first, 15 of the second…9 of the first, 9 of the second.

Most likely you will be breaking the 21′s and 15′s (and maybe the 9′s) into subsets, aka “breakdowns.” This is based on your strength and conditioning. Remember if you need to adjust the weight downward, do so, since these are timed WODs.

Here’s some insight from Coach on the intent of CrossFit:

“CrossFit is in large part derived from several simple observations garnered through hanging out with athletes for thirty years and willingness, if not eagerness, to experiment coupled with a total disregard for conventional wisdom. Let me share some of the more formative of these observations:

1. Gymnasts learn new sports faster than other athletes.
2. Olympic lifters can apply more useful power to more activities than other athletes.
3. Powerlifters are stronger than other athletes.
4. Sprinters can match the cardiovascular performance of endurance athletes – even at extended efforts.
5. Endurance athletes are woefully lacking in total physical capacity.
6. With high carb diets you either get fat or weak.
7. Bodybuilders can’t punch, jump, run, or throw like athletes can.
8. Segmenting training efforts delivers a segmented capacity.
9. Optimizing physical capacity requires training at unsustainable intensities.
10. The world’s most successful athletes and coaches rely on exercise science the way deer hunters rely on the accordion.”

Go to www.crossfitforeverstrong.com. In the bar at the top of the page or in the Right side bar is a section called Categories. In there is theWorkout of the Day, aka the WOD. If you can’t figure it out, read thisFAQ, read the other comments posted, click on any handy links containedin the WOD description, or just ask one of us.

Use a weight that’s manageable to you, or use a percentage of the weight prescribed. Assume the “generic” male crossfitter weighs 175 and the prescribed weight is 95 lbs. Thus, you’d pick a weight that’s approximately 55% of your bodyweight.

Part of the crossfit philosophy includes pursuing/learning another sport or activity, and many crossfitters are also martial artists and competitive athletes in a variety of disciplines.
However, if you work the WODs hard, you will find yourself at an improved level of fitness, and for lots of us, the WOD is our primary “sport.”

If you pursue another activity, you will need to balance your work/rest cycles and be sure to allow for recovery. Sometimes, you will need extra days off or to consider a WOD as “active rest” done at a lower intensity.

The “official” CrossFit Warm-up is in the April 2003 CrossFit Journal.

3 rounds of 10-15 reps of Samson Stretch (do the Samson Stretch once each round for 15-30 seconds)
Overhead Squat with broomstick
Sit-up
Back-extension
Pull-up
Dip

Note that for a workout that’s dip or pullup-centric, you might want to do something else in the warmup.

Now that we’ve established the proper grip and set-up stance (CFJ 50 and 51), the next phase in teaching the Olympic lifts is what has become known as the Burgener warm-up. This warm-up consists of six different sequences that are important for learning to perform the Olympic lifts. The Burgener warm-up is performed with a length of PVC pipe or a dowel and specifically trains the second and third pulls of the snatch. Repetition of these six sequences with little or no weight conditions the body to move properly through the power phases of the snatch and the clean and jerk. In subsequent articles, I’ll cover skill transfer exercises for the snatch, and the positioning pulls (the first pull off the ground and the scoop) for both lifts.

The essence of the Olympic lifts is creating momentum and elevation on the barbell through a range of motion that begins at the floor and finishes with the bar overhead (in the snatch and the jerk) or racked at the shoulders (in the clean). I recommend incorporating the Burgener warm-up into your daily routine regardless of the workout. It is remarkably effective at teaching and reinforcing the basic concepts of performing the Olympic lifts.

BP: Bench press
BS: Back squat
BW (or BWT): Body weight
CFT: CrossFit Total – consisting of max squat, press, and deadlift.
CFWU:CrossFit Warm-up
CLN: Clean
C&J: Clean and jerk
C2: Concept II rowing machine
DL: Deadlift
FS: Front squat
GHR(D): Glute ham raise (developer). Posterior chain exercise, like a back extension. Also, the device that allows for the proper performance of a GHR.
GHR(D) Situp: Situp done on the GHR(D) bench.
GPP: General physical preparedness, aka “fitness.”
GTG: Grease the Groove, a protocol of doing many sub-maximal sets of an exercise throughtout the day
H2H: Hand to hand; refers to Jeff Martone’s kettlebell “juggling” techniques (or to combat).
HSPU: Hand stand push up. Kick up into a handstand (use wall for balance, if needed) bend arms until nose touches floor and push back up.
HSQ: Hang squat (clean or snatch). Start with bar “at the hang,” about knee height. Initiate pull. As the bar rises drop into a full squat and catch the bar in the racked position. From there, rise to a standing position
IF: Intermittent Fasting
KB: Kettlebell
KTE: Knees to elbows. Similar to TTBs described below.
MetCon: Metabolic Conditioning workout
MP: Military press
MU: Muscle ups. Hanging from rings you do a combination pull-up and dip so you end in an upright support.
OHS: Overhead squat. Full-depth squat performed while arms are locked out in a wide grip press position above (and usually behind) the head.
PC: Power clean
Pd: Pood, weight measure for kettlebells
PR: Personal record
PP: Push press
PSN: Power snatch
PU: Pull-ups, possibly push ups depending on the context
Rep: Repetition. One performance of an exercise.
Rx’d; as Rx’d: As prescribed; as written. WOD done without any adjustments.
RM: Repetition maximum. Your 1RM is your max lift for one rep. Your 10 RM is the most you can lift 10 times.
SDHP: Sumo deadlift high pull (see exercise section)
Set: A number of repetitions. e.g., 3 sets of 10 reps, often seen as 3×10, means do 10 reps, rest, repeat, rest, repeat.
SPP: Specific physical preparednesss, aka skill training.
SN: Snatch
SQ: Squat
Subbed: Substituted. The CORRECT use of “subbed,” as in “substituted,” is, “I subbed an exercise I can do for one I can’t,” For example,if you can’t do HSPU, you subbed regular pushups.
Sadly, many illiterate posters get this bass-ackward, and claim that since they can’t do HSPU, they subbed HSPU for pushups. D’oh!
TGU: Turkish get-up (See exercise section)
TTB: Toes to bar. Hang from bar. Bending only at waist raise your toes to touch the bar, slowly lower them and repeat.
WO, sometimes W/O: Workout
WOD: Workout of the day
YBF: You’ll Be Fine (liberally applied in spray form)

Abs (“the core”) work to stabilize and support the body with most CrossFit movements: squats, deadlifts, the O-lifts, burpees, pushups, pullups (especially the kipping variety), etc. These movement patterns place greater emphasis on the abs working in concert with the rest of the body and will result in stronger muscles than the isolation of crunches. Additionally, the standard CF warmup includes 3×10-15 “situps” and those can be whatever you desire, although the full-range glute-ham situp is recommended.

For twenty seconds do as many reps of the assigned exercise as you can – then rest 10 seconds.
Repeat this seven more times for a total of 8 intervals, 4 minutes total exercise.
The score is the least number of reps for any of the eight intervals.

To perform the samson stretch you interlace your fingers and raise them overhead so your palms are facing the ceiling, lifting with your shoulders. Your legs are in a lunge position with the rear leg’s knee touching the ground. Stretch your hands up, and stretch/sink into the lunge. For a more detailed explanation (and pictures), check out the April 2003 issue of the CrossFit Journal.

Jumping pullups (use as much leg push as needed, lower slowly . . . this really keeps the cardio going in a WOD like Fran)
Pure negatives (climb to top position using whatever means necessary, chair, bench, whatever, then lower slowly)
Assisted Pullups: use a Gravitron machine (if you’re lucky enough to have access to one), or, even better, a human spotter to give you a lift. Bend your legs at the knees so that the tops of your feet are facing down, have the spotter support you there to provide some lift.
Assisted pullups 2: Get a large elastic band (surgical tubing works great), loop over the bar, step in it to provide some lift
Reduced load pullups: Suspend a bar (maybe an Olympic bar for weights?) at a height less than overhead . . . maybe about chest high . . . get underneath it with you legs in front and body straight . . . do “pullups” with your legs still on the ground, supporting part of your weight . .

All of these have the advantage that they are neurologically more valuable than the fairly un-natural motion of locking your knees under a pad and moving just your arms . . . in all of these, your arms are going to be drawing your whole body up . . . you will progress toward “full” pullups faster.

But yes, you can do pull-downs, and doing those are infinitely better than skipping this workout.
Courtesy of Dave Wood

Support all or most of your body while working up to HSPU. You can place your hands on the floor, and your legs on a bench or ball or counter (bend at the waist). You can hook your toes over a bar in the power rack or smith machine. You can do partial reps, building up to full range of motion. For example, stack a few books up under your head; lower to the books. Work on removing a book from the pile every workout or so until you are going head to the floor.

You can sub standing presses for HSPU, using absolutely no leg drive, but they are not as good a sub as working toward the actual motion.