While we’re already proud to boast the title of one of the fittest cities in the country, from now until August 5 we will be known as the “Home of the Fittest on Earth.” The city of Madison will welcome hundreds of athletes and thousands of spectators from all over the world for the 2018 Reebok CrossFit Games (wow, that’s a whole lot of new #ActiveBadgers).
CrossFit has been spreading like wildfire around the world, including Madison. In 2008 there was only one CrossFit gym in town, and now there are 12 (and growing!).
You’ve probably heard someone you know talking about CrossFit and wondered: “What the heck are they talking about?” We don’t blame you, there is a lot to take in. CrossFit is a workout consisting of constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. All CrossFit workouts are based on functional movements reflecting the best aspects of gymnastics, weightlifting, running, rowing, and more.
Let’s be real, though. CrossFit terms can be confusing. With acronyms like WODs, AMRAPS, EMOMs, it can get overwhelming. But whether you’re off to the nearest “box” or watching this year’s CrossFit Games, we have you covered. Check out our quick guide below, perfect for any CrossFit newbie.
“WOD” – Workout of the Day is the daily workout CrossFitters perform. Some people choose to follow WODs from websites like CrossFit.com or choose to follow their own programming.
“Box” – While some Crossfitters train at home or at non-CrossFit gyms, boxes have all the equipment needed for all WODS.
“AMRAP” – As Many Reps As Possible in a specified time. AMRAP workouts challenge individuals to finish as many rounds of a series of exercises in a given time.
“EMOM” – Every Minute on The Minute. Athletes perform a movement or set of movements at the start of every minute.
“T2B” – Toes to Bar is a gymnastic movement which starts with hanging from a bar. Athletes then bring their toes to touch the bar before bringing them back down.
“Hook Grip” – In Olympic weightlifting, the hook grip is a method of holding a barbell by gripping the thumb between the barbell and the remaining fingers.
“The Girls” – Benchmark workouts in CrossFit including Fran, Grace, Nancy, are also called The Girls. Greg Glassman, the CrossFit Founder, named the benchmark workouts after girls in a similar way that storms are named by the National Weather Service. He felt that because these workouts are so physically demanding, they leave you feeling as though a storm hit you.
“RX” – This refers to an athlete completing a workout “as prescribed” without scaling any weights or modifying movements. A great thing about CrossFit is all WODs can be scaled down to meet all fitness levels, but the goal is to get to a weight where the RX is challenging, but still doable.
“HSPU”- Hand Stand Push Up can be a real challenge for many athletes. Crossfitters can only count the push up if their head touches the ground at the bottom and arms are fully locked at the top.
“PR” – You’ll hear PR when Crossfitters achieves their personal record on an exercise.
Now that you’re a CrossFit expert, this year’s Reebok Crossfit Games will be a great opportunity to try out any new lingo you learned. If you’re interested in learning more about the festival and want to purchase tickets, check out their website!