The 21 Insane Crossfit Girls WODS for Strength & Endurance

It’s time to talk about CrossFit, the group workout of choice in gyms across the country. And, I’m going to warn you up front – this approach to health and fitness is not for the casual gym goer, it’s all about getting ripped (especially when it comes to the “crossfit girls”).

CrossFit is a lifestyle filled with cardio and strength training that includes everything from functional movements to Olympic lifts and gymnastics. And, it even has its own vocabulary that features words like WOD, EMOM, AMRAP, and “The Girls.”

But one of the primary reasons Crossfit actually works to build muscle and endurance is because your abilities are constantly being tested. These tests are referred to as benchmark workouts.

In this blog post, you’re going to discover:

• What the heck is a “WOD” and how benchmark WODS lead to predictable, long-term muscle gains
• Who are “The Girls?” (and why is there such a love-hate relationship)
• The details of the most brutal CrossFit workouts so you can test your strength and endurance progress

What is a CrossFit WOD and a Benchmark WOD?

One of the first words you will hear when entering a Crossfit gym is “WOD,” or workout of the day. Crossfit combines many elements to improve your endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, agility, and power. And, one of the key elements in the lifestyle is the “workout of the day.”

When it comes to the WOD there are two approaches. The first approach is AMRAP, which means “as many reps as possible” in a specific amount of time, and the second is a complete circuit done as fast as you can.

A Benchmark WOD is a workout that is used as a baseline to measure progress, and they are known as “The Girls” because each workout has a female name.

Who are The CrossFit Girls?

In 2003, Crossfit launched the very first benchmark WODs:

• Angie
• Barbara
• Chelsea
• Diane
• Elizabeth
• Fran

And, over the past fifteen years they have introduced:

• Grace
• Helen
• Amanda
• Annie
• Cindy
• Eva
• Isabel
• Jackie
• Karen
• Kelly
• Linda
• Lynne
• Mary
• Nancy
• Nicole

Each of “The Girls” workouts focus on different muscle groups, have different numbers of sets and reps, and sometimes they require equipment.

The 21 Insane Crossfit Girls Workouts

1. Crossfit Amanda

A mixture of bodyweight and gymnastics movements combined with barbell movements.

• Muscle Ups: 9-7-5 reps x 3 sets
• Snatches: 135 pounds 9-7-5 reps x 3 sets

Equipment: Barbell, Gymnastics Rings

2. Crossfit Angie

Common calisthenics done for time, which means you will complete all reps of each exercise as fast as you can before moving on to the next.

• 100 Pull-Ups
• 100 Push-Ups
• 100 Sit-Ups
• 100 Squats

Equipment: Pull-Up Bar

3. Crossfit Annie

You will need a jump rope to do this WOD, and it is done for time.

• Jump Rope Double-Unders: 50-40-30-20-10 reps x 5 sets
• Sit-Ups: 50-49-30-20-10 reps x 5 sets

Equipment: Jump rope

4. Crossfit Barbara

When it comes to Crossfit the girls wouldn’t be complete without Barbara. Here’s another WOD that features a common calisthenics circuit that is done for time. Complete the full circuit as fast as you can, and do it five times.

5 Rounds with 3 minutes rest between rounds:

• 20 Pull-Ups
• 30 Push-Ups
• 40 Sit-Ups
• 50 Squats

Equipment: Pull-Up Bar

5. Crossfit Chelsea

This is an EMOM workout, which means “every minute, on the minute.” So, do each circuit as fast as you can at the start of each minute for a total of 30 minutes. The faster you get each circuit done, the more rest you get in between.

EMOM for 30 minutes:

• 5 pull-ups
• 10 push-ups
• 15 squats

Equipment: Pull-Up Bar

6. Crossfit Cindy

Now,you might be deceived by the simplicity of this workout compared to the other CrossFit girl wods. This is an AMRAP WOD, which means “as many reps as possible” in a specific amount of time. For twenty minutes you will repeat this circuit as many times as you can.

20 minute AMRAP:

• 5 pull-ups
• 10 push-ups
• 15 squats

Equipment: Pull-Up Bar

7. Crossfit Diane

This WOD is done for time, and it combines weightlifting and calisthenics that will work your entire body.

• Deadlift: 21-15-9 Reps x 3 Sets
• Handstand Push-Ups: 21-15-9 Reps x 3 Sets

The recommended equipment for this WOD is a barbell loaded with 225 lbs, but if you’re a beginner, feel free to use a lighter weight.

There’s a lot that goes into mastering this workout and making good time (we understand that!) That’s why you should check out CrossFit WOD Diane: Workout Details & Scaling Tips so you have a proven plan for dominating this specific WOD.

8. Crossfit Elizabeth

Do this WOD as fast as you can and perform all of your sets before moving on to the next exercise.

• Cleans: 21-15-9 Reps x 3 Sets
• Ring Dips: 21-15-9 Reps x 3 Sets

Equipment: Barbell loaded with 135 pounds, Gymnastics Rings

9. Crossfit Eva

Do five Rounds of this circuit as fast as possible.

• Run 800 meters
• 30 Kettlebell Swings
• 20 Pull-Ups

Equipment: Kettlebell – 2 pood (pood is a kettlebell measurement. 2 pood is 72 lbs)

10. Crossfit Fran

This is a circuit workout that you will do as fast as you can, one exercise at a time.

• Thrusters: 21-15-9 Reps x 3 Sets
• Pull-Ups: 21-15-9 Reps x 3 Sets

Equipment: Barbell loaded with 95 lbs, pull-up bar

https://youtu.be/pz9pXeLsmQk

11. Crossfit Grace

Only one exercise in this WOD, so do this as fast as possible.

• 30 Clean and jerks

Equipment: Barbell loaded with 135 lbs

I’ll tell you what — Grace is one of the most deceptively simple benchmark workouts, so you definitely shouldn’t take it for granted. That’s why you should visit CrossFit WOD Grace: Workout Details & Scaling Tips so you’re fully prepared to kill it on this workout.

12. Crossfit Helen

Do three rounds – fast.

• Run 400 meters
• 21 Kettlebell Swings
• 12 Pull-Ups

Equipment: Kettlebell – 1.5 pood, pull-up bar

What makes this benchmark WOD so great is it’s ability to scorch through body fat. If you check out CrossFit Helen: Best Workouts to Burn Fat, you can discover the best times for this workout, but how to easily decrease your finish time (and make your gym buddies jealous :p)

13. Crossfit Isabel

Another single exercise WOD.

• 30 Snatches

Equipment: Barbell loaded 135 lbs

Taking a quick look at Isabel, you probably think “Hmm, that looks pretty simple.” — but you’d be wrong. Make sure you check out CrossFit WOD Isabel: Workout, Muscles Worked, & Exercise Tips so you’re completely ready to take on this WOD like a pro.

14. Crossfit Jackie

Get through these exercises as fast as you can.

• Row 1,000 meters
• 50 Thrusters, 45 pounds
• 30 Pull-Ups

Equipment: Rowing machine, barbell loaded with 45 lbs, pull-up bar

Jackie is a unique combination of cardio, barbell, and bodyweight training. That’s why you should check out CrossFit WOD Jackie: Workout Strategy & Average Times to learn some solid tactics for killing this workout and leveling up your muscle-building game.

15. Crossfit Karen

One exercise, done for time.

• 150 wall ball shots, 20 pounds

Equipment: 20-pound weighted ball

16. Crossfit Kelly

Do five rounds of this circuit as fast as possible.

• Run 400 meters
• 30 Box Jumps (24 inches)
• 30 Wall Ball Shots, 20 pounds

Equipment: box 24 inches high, 20-pound weighted ball

Since you’ll be doing a fair amount of cardio and box jumps, you need to make sure you have supportive shoes that’ll boost your performance. If you want to know what we think the best CrossFit shoes are for men, you’ll wanna check this out.

17. Crossfit Linda

You will do ten sets of each exercise, each time with a decreasing amount of reps from 10 to 1. Similar to other CrossFit girls wods, this workout is straight-up brutal since your working weight is a pretty high percentage of your body weight. Don’t be afraid to lower the weight if you’re a beginner.

• Deadlifts: 1½ x body weight – 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 Reps x 10 Sets
• Bench Press: 1 x body weight – 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 Reps x 10 Sets
• Cleans: ¾ x body weight – 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 Reps x 10 Sets

Equipment: Barbell, various weight

18. Crossfit Lynne

Do five rounds of each exercise for max reps. Good luck, this will kill your arms and you should reach complete muscle failure.

• Bench Press: 1 x body weight
• Pull-Ups

Equipment: Barbell, Various Weight, Pull-Up Bar

19. Crossfit Mary

This is a 20-minute AMRAP workout. So, do as many circuits as you can in that amount of time.

• 5 Handstand Push-Ups
• 10 Pistols (one-legged squats, alternating)
• 15 Pull-Ups

Equipment: Pull-Up Bar

20. Crossfit Nancy

Do five rounds of this WOD as fast as you can.

• Run 400 meters
• 15 Overhead Squats, 95 pounds

Equipment: Barbell loaded with 95 pounds

21. Crossfit Nicole

Another 20-minute AMRAP workout.

• Run 400 meters
• Max reps Pull-Ups

Equipment: Pull-Up Bar