BENCHMARK WORKOUTS – THE “GIRLS”

What is your Fran time?  You hear this question asked often among CrossFitter’s.

Fran is the most infamous of the benchmark WOD’s know as the “Girls.”  We use these foundational WODs to test our fitness development over time buy comparing our new results with our past results.

If you improve your Fran time you improve your fitness.  This is one of CrossFit’s basic assertions regarding fitness and improvement.

CrossFitter’s measure their results by setting (or not setting) personal records on lifts, skills, and WOD’s like Fran.

Following is the list of workouts know as “The Girls.” Most of these WOD’s have been around since the beginning of are beautiful works of programming created by the founder of CrossFit Greg Glassman.  These benchmark CrossFit workouts are an integral part of the CrossFit program and culture.

CrossFit’s methodology to fitness is based on measuring results and improving performance based on these results.  If you shave a minute off of your Fran time you have made an obvious and measurable increase in your fitness.

This is why everything we do in CrossFit is timed, or for reps, and documented for later comparison.  What gets measured gets improved…

THE CROSSFIT “GIRLS”

Angie
For time:
100 Pull-up
100 Push-ups
100 Sit-ups
100 Squats

*Complete all reps of each exercise before moving to the next.

Barbara
*5 rounds, time each round.  Rest precisely three minutes between each round

20 Pull-ups
30 Push-ups
40 Sit-ups
50 Squats

Chelsea
Each min on the min for 30 minutes of:
5 Pull-ups10 Push-ups
15 Squats

Cindy
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats

Diane
21-15-9 reps for time of:
Deadlift 225/175
Handstand Push-ups

*For time

Elizabeth
21-15-9 reps for time of:
Clean 135/95
Ring dips

Fran
21-15-9 reps for time of:
Thruster 95/65
Pull-ups

Grace
30 reps for time of:
Clean and jerk 135/95

Helen
3 rounds for time of:
400m Run21x 52/35 Kettlebell Swing
12 Pull-ups

Isabel
30 reps for time of:
Snatch 135/95

Jackie
For Time:
1000m Row
50 Thrusters 45/35
30 Pull-ups

Karen
For time:
150x Wall-ball shots

Linda (aka “3 bars of death”)
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 rep rounds for time of:
Deadlift 1.5 BW
Bench BW
Clean .75 BW

Mary
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
5x Handstand push-ups10x 1-legged squats (or pistols)
15x Pull-ups

Nancy
5 rounds for time of:
400m Run
15x Overhead Squat 95/65

“The New Girls”

Annie50-40-30-20-10 rep rounds for time of:
Double Unders
Sit-ups

Eva
5 rounds for time of:
Run 800m
30x Kettlebell swings 72/52
30x Pull-ups

Kelly
5 rounds for time of:
Run 400m
30x box jump, 24/16 inch box
30 Wall-ball shots, 20/16

Lynne
5 rounds for max reps. No time component to this wod
Bodyweight bench press
Pull-ups

Nicole
As many round as possible in 20 minutes. Note pull-ups completed each round
Run 400m
Max rep pull-ups

Amanda
9-7-5 rep rounds for time of:
Muscle-up
Snatches 135/95

MAKE SURE TO VISIT EACH “GIRL” AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR, MAYBE MORE

CrossFitter’s tend to cherry pick things we are good at and avoid things we are not so good at.

Personally, I have no desire to ever do Fran again.  I’ve done it 8 times in my life. over a 4 year CrossFit career. and I hated every second of each workout.BUT if I want to improve my fitness and work on things I suck at, than I should do Fran on a regular basis (as well as any WOD with running).

If you want realand fast results I suggest you train your weaknesses all the time, especially the modalities that scare you (running or thrusters for me).

Once your weaknesses become strengths you can move on to other weaknesses and focus on them.  Do this within the confines of a basic weightlifting and GPP routine for optimal results.

The “Girls” list is a perfect set of WOD’s that you can choose from based on the things you suck at.  Visit the WOD’s that scare the crap out of you and visit her often!