CrossFit lingo alert!
Need help understanding the lingo? CrossFitters march to the beat of a different drum, they even speak an entirely different language. Coaches and athletes use jargon and abbreviations to describe exercises and techniques. Heres a list of word you are likely to hear in the box.
What is an AMRAP?
As Many Reps/Rounds as Possible,” that is, given a specific time period. Often lasting 10, 20, or 30 minutes (though it’ll feel a LOT longer) AMRAP workouts challenge athletes to complete as many rounds of a series of movements in the allotted time. Just be careful not to lose count…
What is Ass to Grass?
Get low! Also called “Ass to Ankles,” or ATG for short, this term denotes a full-depth squat. (Wondering if that last rep was deep enough means it probably wasn’t.)
What is a For Time Workout?
Think you’re fast? See how you stack up with the rest of the CrossFit world by measuring the time it takes to complete a prescribed workout. Though not all CrossFit workouts have a timed component, the protocol is famous for pushing athletes to race against each other and the clock.
What is a CrossFit Affiliate?
An affiliate is a gym, or “box,” that’s officially affiliated with the CrossFit brand (and thus given CrossFit Headquarters’ blessing to spread the brand’s gospel). In order to become an affiliate, gyms must have CrossFit-certified trainers on staff.
What are the 10 General Physical Skills of Fitness in CrossFit?
CrossFit workouts are designed to improve this list of skills, believed to encompass the full spectrum of fitness: cardiovascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, accuracy, agility, and balance. Too bad “appetite” didn’t make the cut.
What are the CrossFit Games?
The sport of fitness has arrived (or so claims Reebok, the official sponsor of the CrossFit Games). Each summer the CrossFit Games test participants with a barrage of physical challenges and workouts, ranging from swimming and running to pull-ups and handstand walks. Participants accrue points over the events, and the male and female winners are crowned World’s Fittest Man & Woman. The Open and Regional qualifiers narrow the field before the annual Games Weekend.
What is the CrossFit Open?
A sort of virtual CrossFit Games, the Open allows athletes to register online and compete on their own or at local CrossFit boxes. Everyone competes in the Open and its a big deal!
What is CrossFit HQ?
Previously owned and operated by founder Greg Glassman, the first CrossFit gym is located in Santa Cruz, CA. Currently owned by Eric Roza and headquartered in Bolder Colorado
What is the CrossFit Journal?
The Journal is CrossFit’s internal publication featuring information on workouts, movements, inspirational stories, and news. Updated daily, the online publication charges readers $50 a year for unlimited access to research, articles, videos, and more.
Who is Greg Glassman?
A former gymnast, Glassman developed CrossFit out of his Santa Cruz, CA gym in order to prepare clients for the “unknown and unknowable.” A prominent figure in CrossFit media and special events, Glassman continues to coach and train instructors across the country. Stepped down in 2020.
Who is Eric Roza?
Current owner of CrossFit Inc June 2020
What is a CrossFit Games Competitor?
These athletes aren’t in it just for fitness. They’re hell-bent on success at CrossFit’s highest level, prepping hard (and sometimes working out multiple times a day) to hone their skills, increase their stamina, and build their strength to blast away the competition. Check out Rich Froning, Matt Fraser, Annie Thorisdottir, Katrin Davidsdottir and more!
Who is Pukie the clown?
An unofficial (and undeniably gross) mascot, Pukie symbolizes what happens when athletes push a bit too hard for their own good (and digestive systems).
Who is Uncle Rhabdo?
Another unofficial CrossFit mascot, Uncle Rhabdo represents perhaps the CrossFitter’s worst nightmare: rhabdomyolysis, a rapid breakdown of muscle fibers that can occur when the body is pushed too hard. If left untreated, rhabdo can lead to serious long-term kidney and muscle damage.
What is a burpee?
One of the most dreaded moves in fitness, burpees make up a cornerstone of CrossFit workouts. Starting from standing, athletes bend down and plant their hands, kick back into a plank position, and perform a push-up. The legs are then brought back in, and the movement culminates with a slight jump up and hands clapped overhead. (The feet have to leave the ground for it to count!) Now repeat 100 times, just for funsies.
What are Double Unders?
This ain’t your mama’s double-dutch. A double under is when a jump rope passes under an athlete’s feet twice with only one jump. Don’t think it sounds much harder than normal jump rope? Try 50 (or heck, even 15) of these bad boys in a row and see if there’s any breath left to complain.
What is an air squat?
Standing straight up, an athlete squats down until their hips are below their knees, then stands back up until the hips are once again fully extended. Expect upwards of 150 bodyweight squats in many CrossFit workouts, and remember, keep that chest up!
What are knees to elbows?
Hang on! In this movement, athletes hang from a pull-up bar and then shoot their knees up toward the torso until the elbows and knees touch. For a harder version, try bringing the toes all the way to the bar.
What are kipping pull-ups?
Watch almost any video on CrossFit and you’ll likely see people swinging from bars like sweaty, fitness-oriented orangutans. But there’s a rhythm to that swinging, letting athletes transfer horizontal motion to vertical force and allowing for more (and quicker) pull-ups.
What is a pistol squat?
Also known as single leg squats, pistols require half the legs, but twice the effort.
What is a banded pull-up?
Forget fancy machines. CrossFitters who can’t quite get all the way up loop stretch bands over the bar and use them as a low-tech (and cheaper) alternative to assisted pull-ups.
What is a walking lunge?
sing bodyweight, a barbell on the shoulders, or a weight plate held directly overhead, athletes step forward with one foot and bend both legs until their back knee taps the ground. Repeat for the reps prescribed or until the legs turn to jelly— whichever comes first.
What is a rope climb?
Couldn’t get enough of high school gym class? Grab on tight and shimmy upwards with this staple of CrossFit workouts.
What is a sumo deadlift high pull?
In this movement, athletes take a wide stance over a barbell and explosively pull from the ground upward until the bar comes up to shoulder height— no 400-pound wrestlers required.
What is a Thruster?
One of CrossFit’s most deceptively tiring movements, the thruster is— “simply”— a front squat straight into a push press. Try them once and prepare to cringe next time they show up on the schedule.
What is a handstand pushup?
These are a basic movement for gymnasts— but a real challenge (and an awesome bar trick) for most regular folks. In most CrossFit workouts, athletes can kick up to a wall for stability while they perform this movement. Just remember these don’t count unless the head touches the ground at the bottom and arms are fully locked at the top.
What is a muscle up?
In one of the most advanced CrossFit movements, athletes hang from gymnastic rings and explosively pull their chest above the rings to the bottom of a dip position. From there they push up until the arms are fully locked (of course, the tricky part is figuring out how to get down from there).
What is a GHD Sit-up?
Don’t underestimate this super sit-up, one of the main culprits behind workout-induced rhabdomyolysis. Sitting face-up on a glute-ham developer (see GHD entry below), athletes reach back until their hands graze the ground, then explosively extend their legs and sit up.
What is a box jump?
No running starts allowed. Athletes jump up onto a box of a given height from a two-footed stance. Pro tip: Pretend your legs are springs (or consider investing in some Kangoo shoes).
What is a snatch?
Get your mind out of the gutter. The snatch is one of two Olympic lifts where athletes explosively lift a weighted barbell from ground to overhead in one movement, often squatting under the bar and then standing up— or “recovering”— to allow for heavier weights.
What is a clean & jerk?
The other Olympic lift, the clean & jerk actually encompasses two separate movements. Athletes start by explosively lifting a weighted barbell from the ground to the shoulders, often squatting under and then standing to recover. After a brief pause, athletes take a shallow dip and then drive upward to propel the bar overhead, often landing in a split position and then bringing their feet back in line.
What is a ring dip?
It’s just like a conventional bodyweight dip, only on gymnastic rings. The rings are unstable, making it harder to keep the hands close to the body (like dips needed to be any harder).
What is a wall ball?
Holding a 20-pound (for men) or 14-pound (for ladies) medicine ball, athletes squat down and explosively stand up, throwing the ball toward an eight- or 10-foot target above their heads.
What is a WOD?
The “Workout of the Day” is the workout CrossFitters perform on a given day. Many individuals and affiliates follow CrossFit.com’s WODs, though others do their own programming (or “bro”-gramming, for the muscle lovers out there).
What is the CrossFit Total?
The total is CrossFit’s benchmark strength workout in which athletes have three attempts each (in order, please!) to find their max back squat, standing press, and deadlift. It’s the most exhausting nine reps anyone could ask for.
What is a CrossFit Hero Wod?
Named after military servicemen, police, or firefighters who have died in the line of duty, these difficult workouts are intermittently programmed in CrossFit to provide an extra challenge and reminder of their sacrifice.
What is a CrossFit Metcon?
Short for “metabolic conditioning,” metcons are designed to train stamina, endurance, and conditioning. Unlike WODs— which can also include purely strength or skill-based workouts— metcons generally include some sort of timed component performed at high intensity.
What is Fran?
Don’t let the sweet name fool you. Perhaps CrossFit’s most famous workout, Fran is a 21-15-9 rep scheme of thrusters (95 pounds for men, 65 for women) and pull-ups. For those keeping track at home, that’s 21 thrusters and 21 pull-ups, followed by 15 thrusters and 15 pull-ups, and so on. Elite CrossFitters can finish this monstrosity in less than three minutes, but don’t expect to break twice that during the first try.
What is Murph?
One of CrossFit’s toughest WODs, this workout consists of a one-mile run followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 bodyweight squats. Oh, and then another one-mile run. Yeah, have fun with that.
What is Grace?
Athletes must complete 30 clean & jerks at 135 pounds (95 for women) as fast as possible. Think of it like a sprint with a barbell.
What is Isabel?
These ladies won’t let up. This one’s the same as Grace, only 30 snatches for time instead of clean & jerks.
What is the Filthy 50?
For time: 50 Box Jumps, 50 Jumping Pull-ups, 50 Kettlebell Swings (35 lbs), 50 Walking Lunges, 50 Knees to Elbows, 50 Push Press (45 lbs), 50 Back Extensions, 50 Wallballs, 50 Burpees, 50 Double Unders. Phew!
What is a GHD?
A medieval looking device that also resembles a Transformer, the Glute Ham Developer is used for a variety of movements including glute-ham raises, GHD sit-ups, and back extensions.
What are paralettes?
Portable parallel bars around eight inches high. For those who’ve mastered regular handstand pushups, try performing them on paralettes for an added challenge/ego bruiser.
What is a Concept2 Rower?
Don’t expect to find any ellipticals in this dojo (er, gym). But do expect to find the C2, the rowing machine of choice for many CrossFit athletes.
What are gymnastic rings?
While they likely won’t be going for Olympic gold, CrossFitters regularly use gymnastic rings for a wide range of movements including dips, rows, muscle-ups, and just hangin’ around.
What is an ab-mat
A contoured foam wedge placed behind the back during sit-ups, the abmat allows for a greater range of motion while providing some padding against the hard ground.
What are bumper plates?
CrossFitters love to drop weights, and these rubberized barbell plates allow them to do just that. Watch out!