You did it. You stepped into the workout jungle. You started CrossFit, joined a boot camp, or signed up for a HIIT class.
Each day we might create our own WOD (workout of the day), look up one in an app, or steal one from the whiteboard.
The workout landscape seems to be constantly evolving, and in reality, a little confusing at times. There is a certain gym-lingo that gets thrown around like walls balls and kettlebells that takes some getting used to. The same goes for the WODs themselves.
After my first couple of months doing CrossFit, I found myself saying ridiculous things like:
I just PR’ed my chipper-AMRAP-for-time!!!
And everyone said:
No, no you didn’t. GET OUT OF MY WAY NOOB! I’M GONNA EAT YOUR IRON FOR MY WARMUP!!!
Well, that didn’t actually happen. But I’m sure you might know a couple of characters that fit that story. Ha!
Without any hesitation, as a data scientist and fitness enthusiast, I have the perfect guide for you…
What does this matter you ask?
Well, we all have those friends that say that they go to the gym and you just wonder what they do there. You see their Instagram sizzle reel, sped up in fast motion. Things are happening, sweat is pouring, body parts are flailing. You just can’t make sense of it.
I mean, it looks like they know what they are doing…
You stand there, observing, counting reps, looking at the clock…attempting to unravel their fitness Da Vinci Code.
You ask yourself:
- Are they taking 5 minutes between sets on purpose?
- Should they be breathing that hard?
- Why are they repeating certain movements?
In this blog, to dispell some confusion and provide a couple teaching moments for the noobs (sorry noobs – we all have to start sometime), I list 5 common workouts approaches and show you how, me – a behavior analyst, might take data on these WODs.
Why data?
(It tells you if all that hard work is actually getting you somewhere)
Knowing these standardized workout structures allows you to better recognize what others are doing in the gym, design your own workouts, and track your gains over time.
Workout type #1 – Personal Record (PR)
Defined: A personal record is often a maximum effort exercise or movement.
WOD Goal: PRs are intended to evaluate how fast, strong, or explosive you are.
How it’s measured: May include one measure of weight, distance, or time.
Common examples:
- Weight (lbs or kgs) – max lift on the bench press, squat, or deadlift
- Distance (feet or meters) – long jump, high jump, standing vertical jump
- Time (seconds, minutes, hours) – 100-meter sprint, mile time, 5K
How you will know you are getting fitter: You can move more weight, jump higher, or run each race faster.
Workout type # 2 – Rounds for Time
Defined: Complete all movements and repetitions. In this workout, you are given a workout and need to finish it as fast as you can
WOD Goal: These WODS are designed to test your engine and typically range from 5 – 30 minutes in duration
How it’s measured: Time = The timers starts after beginning the first rep of the first round and ends when you complete the last rep of the last round.
Example WOD:
3 Rounds for Time
400-meter run
30 Pull-Ups
30 Double-Unders
Example Score: 12:56
How you will know you are getting fitter: You complete all rounds faster than before
Workout type # 3 – AMRAP – (As many rounds or reps as possible)
Defined: Complete as many rounds and reps in the given time. This is different from ‘Rounds for Time’ because….you just…keep…going…until the timer stops. Welcome to the Pain Cave!
WOD Goal: The goal is to complete any many reps and rounds of a set of exercise given a certain time cap.
How it’s measured: Count as many rounds, then reps you complete for each WOD
Example WOD:
“Cindy”
For 20 mins
5 Pull-ups
10 Pushups
20 Air Squats
Example Score: 9 Rounds + 16 reps (5 pullups, 10 pushups, 1 air squat)
How you will know you are getting fitter: You can do more reps the next time you do this WOD
Workout type # 4 – Chipper
Defined: Do all the work prescribed. In this WOD, a set of movements is given with a set rep scheme and you are required to complete all the work. You are not done until every rep is completed.
WOD Goal: To build your workout engine and give you a mental challenge. Chippers are often designed to be a long and grueling WOD that typically last between 20-40 minutes.
How to measure it: Time
Example WOD:
Run 1 mile
60 Box Jumps
50 Calorie Row
40 Double-Unders
30 Front Squats
20 Abmat situps
10 Deadlifts
Run 1 mile
Example Score: 22:43
How you will know you are getting fitter: You can do the same amount of work in less time
Workout type # 5 – EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute or Interval Training)
Defined: Complete an exercise or set of movements at the beginning of each minute.
WOD Goal: EMOMs are often designed to how consistent your strength and explosive power is under fatigue. They also test how well conditioned you are.
How to measure it: This WOD is often measured for completion: either you did it or not, or how long you can last
Example WOD 1:
10 Min EMOM
2 Clean and Jerks
Example Score: All reps completed at RX
Example WOD 2:
EMOM Until Failure
“Death By Pull-ups”
EMOM
Min 1: 1 Pull-up
Min 2: 2 Pull-ups
Min 3 3 Pull-ups
Etc…
(until failure)
Example Score: Completed 9 rounds + 6 pull-ups in round 10
How you will know you are getting fitter: You can do complete all minutes RX, under a heavier load, or last longer in an EMOM Until Failure WOD.
Data in Action
What separates me as a behavior analyst is the continued reliance on standardized data and analysis of sports performance. Take any given workout style, set of movements, under repeated conditions (or a number of times you do a workout), and you may get a lovely chart like this:
Our friend Oscar doubled his work output (from 36 to 72 reps) after completing the same WOD over the course of just 4 weeks! Impressive things can be gained with standardization AND DATA!
Nice work Oscar!
Variety is the Spice of Life!!!
Depending on your goals, the intensity of exercise, and most importantly, the intention of your WOD, workouts will vary. There are countless variations of each of the five WODs that I described. Not only are there unlimited WOD variations, but don’t forget the movements (e.g., squat, sprint, rope climb) vary too! As an added bonus, in CrossFit lingo, you either “scale” a WOD or perform it as “RX” (or prescribed).
It is no wonder that CrossFit boxes find it easy to constantly vary their WODS…each workout is a different workout type, has different movements, and call you to perform WODS as RX (or even RX-plus for the super athletes).
Some days you redline during an AMRAP and other days do you focus on controlled and explosive movements during a PR attempt.
Now when your are with your workout buddies, at the very least, we can use the same gym jargon around the cooler and have the know-how to recognize what is going on at your local barbell club, globo-gym, or CrossFit box.
Keep moving,
Nick
