I experienced Crossfit at the end of 2017 and loved every minute of it – Since joining the local box, following the daily WODs it came to light that you are able to judge your progress on some spicy little benchmark workouts otherwise known as the Crossfit girls.
Crossfit is a registered trademark of Crossfit Inc and I would highly recommend a visit to the main site crossfit.com
The “girls” are apparently named after the founder of Crossfit Greg Glassman quoted
“I think anything that leaves you laying on your back gasping for air wondering what just happened to you should be named after a girl”
The naming scheme is similar to that of storms and was adopted due to how they leave you after they have been completed.
I’ve listed below the main original girls and split them into those that can be completed without equipment and those that require some.
Give them a go and be proud of being able to complete them, they are a challenge
Alora Griffiths
NO EQUIPMENT – LEVEL 1 Crossfit Girls
ANGIE
Complete these as fast as possible – This is an excellent routine that can be completed after you have mastered bodyweight exercises for beginners.
ANNIE
50-40-30-20-10 repartitions for time
- Double unders
- Sit-ups
If you have mastered double unders complete this with twice the number of single skips
BARBARA
- 20 pull-ups
- 30 push-ups
- 40 Sit-ups
- 50 Air Squats
Complete 5 rounds with a 3-minute rest between
This one is going to test all the bodyweight exercises to the max
CHELSEA
- 5 Pull-ups
- 10 Push-ups
- 15 Air Squats
Complete all the above during a single minute for a total of 30 minutes – then rest the remainder of the minute and restart when each new minute starts _ if you do not finish within a minute – rest till the next minute starts and start again – Build till you can complete for 30 mins
CINDY
- 5 Pull-ups
- 10 Push-ups
- 15 Air Squats
Complete as many repartitions for a period of 20 minutes.
MARY
- 5 Handstand push-ups
- 10 single-leg squats
- 15 pull-ups
Complete as many repetitions as you can during 20 minutes – this exercise class is an expert exercise due to the inclusion of handstands push-ups and single-leg squats. I have been working upon each of these exercises and can complete them on occasions – These are both excellent party pieces when you can achieve them.
NICOLE
- 400 meter (1300 feet) run
- Maximum rep pull-ups
Complete as many repetitions as possible in 20 minutes – This is a true gauge of your running speed and your pull-up total
NO BARBELLS – LEVEL 2 Crossfit girls
To be able to complete the below exercises you will need to purchase some equipment or join a gym – the equipment required is very affordable and could be purchased for a few months conventional gym memberships.
- Pull-up bar
- 1.5 Poods, 24 Kg, 54 Lb Kettlebell
- 2 Poods, 32 Kg, 72 Lb Kettlebell
- 24 inch (600 mm) box jump
- 20 Lb (9 Kg) Wallball
EVA
- 800 meter Run
- 30 Kettlebell swings (using a 2 Poods, 32 Kg, 72 Lb Kettlebell)
- 30 Pul-ups
Complete for 5 rounds
HELEN
- 400 meter (1300 feet) Run
- 21 Kettlebell swings (using a 1.5 Poods, 24 Kg, 54 Lb Kettlebell)
- 12 pull-ups
Complete for 3 rounds
KAREN
Complete 150 Wall balls as fast as possible
If you think you are an expert attempt to complete this unbroken – I can currently complete 35 in a row and feel like my lungs need a vacation – This exercise should be completed using a 20 Lb (9 Kg) wall ball which sounds light but will be true feet of mind over matter to complete unbroken.
KELLY
- 400 meter (1300 feet) Run
- 30 x 24 inch (600 mm) box jump
- 30 Wall balls 20 Lb (9 Kg)
Complete 5 rounds as fast as possible
BARBELLS REQUIRED – LEVEL 3 Crossfit Girls
To complete these Crossfit girls you are going to have to purchase some quite expensive equipment but once you purchase them you will have them for life and they will be a great investment.
- Gymnastic rings
- Olympic barbell set
- Row machine
- Bench
- Squat rack
You may benefit from taking an Olympic lifting class because some exercises are fairly complex but will give you greater fitness levels than conventional gym apparatus.
AMANDA
- 9-7-5
- Muscle-ups
- Snatch 135 lb (60 Kg)
Complete 9 repartitions of each then 7 of each and finish with 5 as quickly as possible
DIANE
- 21-15-9
- Deadlift 225 lb (100Kg)
- Handstand push-ups
Complete 21 repartitions of each then 15 of each and finish with 9 as quickly as possible
ELIZABETH
- 21-15-9
- Cleans 135 lb (60 Kg)
- Ring dips
Complete 21 repartitions of each then 15 of each and finish with 9 as quickly as possible
FRAN
- 21-15-9
- Thrusters 95 lb (40kg)
- Pull-ups
This exercise is a foundation exercise and personally my go-to exercise to test my fitness. It has a great crossover toward wall balls and ensures I am progressing with my pull-up strength – Complete as quickly as possible
JACKIE
- 1000 meter (3300 feet)
- 50 Thrusters 45 lb (20 Kg)
- 30 Pull-ups
Complete as fast as possible
LYNNE
- Bodyweight bench press
- Pull-ups
Complete 5 rounds for as many reps as possible
NANCY
- 400 meter (1300 feet) Run
- 15 overhead squats 95 lb (40kg)
Complete 5 rounds as fast as possible – I like overhead squats as they make you think about not falling over – it will show up any limitations in your flexibility.
HEAVY BARBELL – LEVEL 4 Crossfit Girls
GRACE
- 30 clean and jerks as fast as possible using 135 lb (60 Kg)
LINDA
- 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
- Deadlift 1 1/2 body weight
- Bench press body weight
- Clean 3/4 body weight
if you can complete Linda you will have a considerable amount of functional strength and should be very pleased – I am very nearly here and my aim is to defeat this in the next few months.
ISABEL
- 30 Snatches 135 lb (60 Kg) as fast as possible
Conclusion
If you are able to complete all the above Crossfit girls you should be very proud and head on to Hero workouts. I am still working my way through them and adding them to my whiteboard. If you are also able to invest in the required equipment you will also have the makings of a great home gym. I am currently working towards this aim and you can follow my progress in a future post.
Please feel free to ask any questions or leave comments below upon the above post
I hope you have enjoyed this breakdown of the original cross fit girls
Thanks for reading
Short-and-intense.com
Thanks to the below sources for the use of imagery
Crossfit Watsonville
Erin Khoo
Resolutesupportmedia
Owner and author at shortandintense.com , 25 years as a quality and health and safety professional with an in-depth knowledge of functional and corrective exercises. IHoS registered,lead auditor, personal trainer and human movement specialist.
That is a nice variety of workouts. So many programs only offer routines where you have to buy a lot of expensive equipment to get started. These programs have routines for every level. I just started some at home cardio but I will soon try and add some strength and muscle building exercises to my routine, one of these routines would be perfect.
Thank you Anita , yes you are right I always find it more motivating to work with levels ,hope you enjoy them
The inclusion of stages in order of level of difficulty is an innovative move. As the stages progress the intensity of the exercise increase. This helps to move from simple to difficult tasks. The overall cross fit girls stages sounds more enticing as each name carry a sensual feminine tag. Kudos to the innovator .
Yes it is a good tag line too call them after girls , this list is of the originals CrossFit.com has introduced other which I will explain in another post .hope you enjoy them
Brian