CrossFit Glossary of Terms
If you’re new to CrossFit, then you may be seeing many phrases or acronyms coming up that are unfamiliar to you. Here are the top terms and exactly what they mean so that you know exactly what to do when you see them!
CrossFit:
CrossFit is a lifestyle characterized by safe, effective exercise and sound nutrition. CrossFit can be used to accomplish any goal, from improved health to weight loss to better performance. The program works for everyone — people who are just starting out and people who have trained for years.
Source: https://www.crossfit.com/what-is-crossfit
MetCon:
Short for metabolic conditioning, metcon describes a type of workout that most commonly combines strength and cardio conditioning, as well as both anaerobic and aerobic exercises. During a metcon workout, you moderately to intensely exert yourself for a prolonged amount of time. You will see this abbreviation on my app a lot.
Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/metcon-workout
WOD:
This is the acronym for “Workout of the Day”. You will see this often on my app when describing workouts!
EMOM:
An acronym for “every minute on the minute,” EMOM workouts challenge you to complete an exercise for a certain number of reps in less than 60 seconds. The remaining time within the minute serves as your recovery. The recovery time is crucial and you shouldn't skip it.
AMRAP:
AMRAP is an acronym for the phrase “as many rounds as possible.” AMRAP workouts involve doing as many repetitions of an exercise as possible during a set amount of time, without resting (or with very limited resting). This could also mean something like “as many reps as possible” or “as many xxx as possible” with the “xxx” being a certain movement or exercise (think burpees, snatches, etc).
Source: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/amrap-guide
Rx or rx’d:
Rx stands for “as prescribed.” When you complete a workout “as prescribed,” it means you did the exact amount of weight, reps, and rounds that the workout called for, with no scaling or modifications.
Source: https://contendercrossfit.com/common-crossfit-terms-defined/
Scaled/scaling:
A scaled workout or movement is when you adjust the weight or amount of reps in the workout. For example, if you haven't progressed to full pull ups and you can only do jumping or banded pull ups, you're completing a scaled version of the workout if the workout has pull ups written in it. This is very normal! This is something that will happen if you are working on a specific movement but don’t have it at full-force/full movement yet. So don’t EVER feel bad doing this. I highly encourage it, especially so you don’t get hurt.
Source: https://www.crookedrivercrossfit.com/the-difference-between-a-rx-and-scaled-workout-in-crossfit/
Modify/Modifications:
Modifying a movement in CrossFit means replacing it with a different movement altogether, which is different than scaling. This usually occurs when there's an injury or mobility issue. Modifying is our go-to when we need to work around something and make sure someone is getting the best workout for them and hits the right workout stimulus.
Source: https://glenburniefitnessandnutrition.com/the-difference-between-scaling-and-modifying-in-crossfit/
Hero WOD:
A Hero WOD (workout of the day) is a tribute to a fallen first responder or member of the military who died while serving honorably in the line of duty.
Source: https://wodwell.com/wods/category/hero-wods-workouts/?feeds=none&sort=popular
Girl WOD:
These "girls" are the names of specific workouts, although they are named after specific women. They are designed to push you to your limits as you challenge your personal fitness strengths, weaknesses, and capacity.
In a single word, The CrossFit Girl workouts are benchmarks. They're designed to take a snapshot of your current fitness level as related to the areas of fitness each workout is designed to test. To be clear, each Girl WOD is designed to test your fitness in slightly different ways. For instance, one Girl workout might focus on cardiovascular capacity, while another tests power, speed, strength, or flexibility.
Source: https://www.verywellfit.com/what-are-crossfit-girl-wods-4120951
Midline Conditioning:
Midline stability refers to the capacity to maintain a neutral spine UNDER LOAD through full range of motion when performing a movement. It takes awareness and control of all these muscles to keep the spine stiff and stable, from the top of the head to the lower lumbar (sacrum).
A midline conditioning workout is something that purposely works the midline to strengthen it thoroughly.
Source: https://www.crossfit1808.com/wod/2015/11/17/whyicqyvtgna54xghopdbmui0t27ih
For Time:
When a workouts is scored as “For Time,” the goal is to complete the prescribed amount of work as fast as possible (AFAP). This is also known as a “task priority” (as opposed to “time priority“) workout, because the workout is done when the athlete completes the defined task, however long it takes.
Source: https://wodwell.com/wods/score_type/for-time-workouts/?sort=newest
GHD:
This is a glute-hamstring-developer that is performed on a GHD machine. It can usually be found in the corner of the gym, inconspicuously tucked away. Though it may resemble some sort of medieval torture device, the GHD is one of the most under-appreciated, undervalued and misunderstood pieces of equipment found in a CrossFit box. I definitely recommend looking up what one of these looks like and watching videos on how to perform various exercises on it! I will be going through some on my app as well!
Source: https://boxlifemagazine.com/understanding-the-ghd/
Kipping:
Kipping is a way of swinging your body to gain momentum. A kipping pullup is when you use that momentum to create a “power swing” that drives your chin up and over the bar.
For those involved in CrossFit competition, the value of the kipping pull-up is obvious: it allows you to get more reps without stopping, and get them quicker while fatiguing the upper body much less.
Sources: https://www.healthline.com/health/kipping-pull-ups and https://www.t-nation.com/training/kipping-pull-ups-the-truth/
RFT:
Rounds for Time, or RFT, is a workout structure where you have to complete X rounds of a prescribed set of exercises as fast as you can. In this case, the athlete does the prescribed reps/rounds/movements until they have finished or the cap time runs out and the workout stops.
Source: https://wodreview.com/crossfit-glossary
Dubs/Double Unders:
Double-unders, or dubs, as they are also known, is a way of jumping rope but instead of the rope passing under the feet once for each jump, it passes under twice. The speed of the jump remains the same, but the speed of the rope must be much quicker to execute these.
Source: https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/double-unders/
Chipper:
A chipper involves a number of different movements (usually between five and 10), performed at high volume, in succession, until the workout is completed. In other words, you spend the workout “chipping away” at the exercises, while trying not to keel over.
Crossfit Open:
The CrossFit Open is a five-week worldwide competition that allows any and every athlete in the world to compete in specific workouts designed for the everyday CrossFitter that can still challenge even the most elite athletes. More than 272,000 athletes sign up for the Open, ranging from 14 to 86 years old. The Open is also the first stage qualifier of the “season,” which culminates at the CrossFit Games every July. However, for most people, the Open is not about qualifying for Regionals or making it to the Games. It’s a true test to see how far you’ve come and where your strengths and weaknesses lie. It’s also an exciting and fun time to be a CrossFitter. You’ll notice a different energy and buzz in the gym as CrossFitters cheer each other on to reach new levels in their fitness.
Source: https://crossfitwinterpark.com/the-beginners-guide-to-the-crossfit-open/