CrossFit Glossary of Terms
Wut.
CrossFit has a large amount lingo that can take some getting used to, so we thought we’d make things easier with this list!
Types of workouts:
WOD: “Workout Of The Day” This describes the daily workout we will be doing at CrossFit City Line. Each day is programmed for us and is constantly varied. The workout will be the same each class we come to throughout the day, but will change for the next day!
AMRAP: “As Many Rounds/Reps As Possible” In this style workout, there is a designated time frame and in that time we cycle through the movements as many times as we can. Our score for the whiteboard will be how many full rounds we got, plus any extra reps in the next round we completed.
RFT: "Rounds For Time" This type of workout has a designated amount of work to be completed as fast as possible.
BW: “Bodyweight” This workout has no external weights. We'll be using our own bodyweight to get fit!
EMOM/EMOTM: “Every minute on the minute” A clock is set to beep at the end of every minute. We will complete designated movements and repetitions in the minute- if we finish early, we have rest time, if we do not finish, we move on regardless of when the minute strikes.
Intervals: These workouts have a specific work : rest ratio. During the "work" time, we are working at max effort. During the "rest" time, we fully rest. Common intervals are "Tabata," which is 8 rounds of 0:20 work/0:10 rest, 0:30/0:30, and 0:40/0:20.
Metcon: “Metabolic Conditioning Workout” There can be many pieces to a class including skill work, strength work, and metcon. The metcon is most similar to the common phrase cardio and will have us working on our engines!
Different movements:
BS: “Back Squat” The squat is essential to human movement. It's a proven performance enhancer and a gateway movement to the best exercises in strength and conditioning. The movement starts standing tall, at the bottom of the squat the hip crease is below the knees and returns to full extension to complete the movement.
The Back Squat
C&J: “Clean and Jerk” This is one of the two Olympic lifts (performed in Olympic weightlifting, along with the snatch). The clean brings weight from the ground to our shoulders, and the jerk brings weight from our shoulders to overhead. It is the most efficient way to move heavy weight overhead.
DL: “Deadlift” The deadlift, like the squat, is essential functional movement and carries a potent hormonal punch. This is core training like no other. For the movement, think - pick things up and put things down.
G2OH: "Ground to Overhead" This means that we are moving weight from the ground to the overhead position. It could be a plate, a sandbag, a medball, dumbbells, or a barbell.
HSPU: “Handstand Push Ups” A variation of push ups, this movement has us inverted, or upside down! Performed against the wall, we kick up to a handstand position, bend our arms until our head touches the ground, then press back up to a locked out position.
KBS: "Kettlebell Swings" Kettlebell swings are a critical part of training the hip hinge, and they teach and train our explosive movement. Unless otherwise specified, KBS are American swings, meaning the movement is complete when the kettlebell is overhead. "Russian" KBS are to eye-level.
OHS: “Overhead Squats” The overhead squat is an important stretch, perfect for warm ups, integral to the snatch, and will expose most functional inflexibility, instability in the midline or shoulders, and any mechanical deficiency in your squat.
S2OH: "Shoulder to Overhead" This means that we are moving weight from our shoulders to overhead. It includes the strict press, the push press, and the jerk variations.
T2B/TTB: “Toes to Bar” One of the more difficult core movements, this involves hanging on a pull up bar and lifting our legs all the way up until our toes hit the bar.
MU: “Muscle Up” One of the most technical gymnastics movements performed in CrossFit, this starts at a full hang on the rings. A combination of pulling ourselves up to the rings, then turning over to be on top of the ring and pressing out to hold ourselves in a support position, this movement requires equal parts strength and technique!
WB: "Wall Balls" The wall ball is a movement where we hold a medball, squat with it, then stand quickly to jump and toss it to a target.
Other:
DB: "Dumbbell"
DBs are fun!
ME: "Max Effort" Max effort means go big or go home. CrossFit is all about high intensity, so days where we see "ME" mean that we are training at our highest possible intensity. There is typically a time component, so "1 minute ME" means that it is one minute of high intensity, all out effort.
PR: “Personal Record” These are accomplishments! Performing a new movement for the first time, completing a new time record, or doing more weight than we’ve previously done. Keeping a log book will enables us to track this progress and document when we achieve a personal record!
RM: "Rep Max" Seen with a number before it, i.e.: 1RM, 3RM. This means that we are finding the highest weight that we can perform that number of reps with for a specific movement. If we see 5RM Deadlift as the WOD, we know that we'll be lifting to find our heaviest possible set of 5 deadlifts.
RX: “As Prescribed” For any WOD, the weights and movements on the board will be what everyone is striving for that specific day. If you complete the movements as is, without modifying and, you have done the WOD RX and that is an amazing feat! Bear in mind that our coaches expect us to move safely, with great technique, and meet the intended stimulus of the workout before we try to Rx. The most important thing is that you get your best workout.