Lost in CrossFit Lingo? Here’s Your Ultimate Cheat Sheet!
Welcome to Outsiders CrossFit, where every workout is an adventure, sweat is a badge of honor, and our language might sound like a foreign dialect to someone new. If you’ve ever walked into class, read the workout on the screen—“12-minute AMRAP of T2B, HSPU, and DUs”—and found yourself utterly confused, don’t worry, you’re not alone.
We asked our Outsiders CrossFit members what terms confused them the most when they started. Here’s what they said, and here’s your ultimate guide to CrossFit lingo—so the next time someone asks if you RX’d the WOD, you can answer without hesitation.
🔥 The Essentials: Terms You’ll Hear Every Day
🏋️ WOD (Workout of the Day)
Pronounced “wad,” this is the workout programmed for the day. Some WODs are named, like Fran, Murph, or Karen—trust us, they’re all just as brutal as they sound, yet we can’t wait to do them again.
🔥 AMRAP (As Many Rounds/Reps As Possible)
A workout style where you complete as many rounds or reps of a set workout within a given time.
Example: “We’re doing a 10-minute AMRAP of 10 burpees, 15 kettlebell swings, and 20 air squats.”
⏳ EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute)
A workout structure where you perform a set amount of work at the start of every minute, using the remaining time to recover before the next round begins.
🎯 RX (As Prescribed)
If you complete a workout exactly as written, without scaling up or down, you’ve RX’d it. If you adjust the movements, reps, or weights to your ability, that’s called scaling—no shame in that; progress is the goal!
🥵 Metcon (Metabolic Conditioning)
A workout designed to improve endurance and metabolic capacity. Expect a mix of cardio, weightlifting, and gymnastics to keep your body guessing and your intensity high.
⏳ For Time
A workout format where the goal is to complete the prescribed work as fast as possible.
Example: “Fran is a 21-15-9 for time of thrusters and pull-ups.”
🤸 Movements That Sound Like Text Messages
🤸 T2B (Toes-to-Bar)
Hanging from a pull-up bar and swinging your toes up to touch it. Looks simple; feels anything but.
🏃 DU or Dubs (Double Unders)
A jump rope skill where the rope passes under your feet twice per jump.
🤕 HSPU (Handstand Push-Up)
A push-up performed while in a handstand position.
🔄 Other Common Abbreviations:
- KBS – Kettlebell Swing
- OH – Overhead (as in OH Squat or OH Press)
- C&J – Clean & Jerk
- DL – Deadlift
- SDHP – Sumo Deadlift High Pull
- GHD – Glute-Ham Developer (for sit-ups and back extensions)
- Hook Grip – A grip technique used in Olympic lifting where the thumb is wrapped under the fingers for a more secure hold on the barbell.
🏆 Named Workouts: The Benchmark Tests
CrossFit has a series of workouts named after people—some honoring military heroes (Hero WODs), others acting as benchmarks to measure progress.
- Fran – 21-15-9 of thrusters and pull-ups. Short, fast, and painful.
- Murph – 1-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, and another 1-mile run. Typically performed on Memorial Day.
- Cindy – A 20-minute AMRAP of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 air squats.
- Karen – 150 wall balls. Simple, yet devastating.
- Grace – 30 clean and jerks for time. Explosive and taxing.
- Chipper – A workout with a long list of movements and reps, meant to be completed in order, “chipping” away at the reps.
🗣 Coach Speak: What You’ll Hear in Class
- “Full Depth!” – Squat lower. No, lower. Even lower.
- “Get Your Hips Open!” – Use your hips explosively in Olympic lifts or kettlebell swings.
- “Stay Tight!” – Engage your core to maintain stability, especially during lifts.
- “Don’t Redline!” – Don’t burn yourself out too soon. Pace yourself.
- “Strict or Kipping?” – Asking whether you’re doing a movement with strict strength (like a strict pull-up) or using momentum (kipping pull-up).
- “Hook Grip That Bar!” – Reminder to use the hook grip for better barbell control.
- “Tabata Time!” – A high-intensity interval format with 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest, repeated for eight rounds.
💬 CrossFit Culture: Phrases You’ll Hear
- “I PR’d my clean today!” – PR (Personal Record) means you hit a new best. Time to celebrate!
- “What’s the WOD?” – Translation: Should I be excited or should I run away now?
- “I ripped my hands.” – Too many pull-ups or barbell movements left their mark.
- “I can’t sit down.” – Leg day was brutal.
🏠 What Is a “Box” Anyway?
CrossFit gyms are often referred to as “boxes” due to their minimalist, warehouse-like setups. Unlike conventional gyms filled with mirrors and machines, a box typically features barbells, rigs, kettlebells, and open floor space for functional movements. While the term isn’t as common as it once was, some longtime CrossFitters still use it nostalgically.
🏋️♂️ Test Yourself: Can You Read This?
Try to decipher this sample workout:
“3 RFT of 10 KBS, 15 T2B, and 200m run.”
(Don’t worry, you’ll be fluent in no time! 😉)
🎯 Final Thoughts: Welcome to the Club
CrossFit lingo can be overwhelming at first, but stick with it, and soon you’ll be speaking the language fluently. More importantly, you’ll be part of a community that thrives on pushing limits, supporting one another, and celebrating every hard-earned rep.
Now that you’re armed with CrossFit knowledge, no excuses—see you in class! 💪😉
