If you’re looking for a straight forward, tough, and effective workout, the Crossfit named WODs are a perfect, go-to option. Whether you’re benchmarking your performance with the Girl WODs or aiming for something tougher with the Hero WODs, these workouts will deliver exactly what you’re looking for.
Read on to discover the 15 best and most effective Crossfit named workouts as well as all of the benchmarking Crossfit Gir WODs and some of our favorite other Hero WODs.
CONTENTS OF THIS CROSSFIT NAMED WODS LIST
- What are the Crossfit Named WODs
- The Best Crossfit Named Workouts
- All the Other Named Crossfit Workouts you Need to Know
WHAT ARE THE CROSSFIT NAMED WODS
The “Crossfit named workouts of the day” or “Crossfit named WODs” are a list of staple workouts in Crossfit that athletes commonly return to, whether to benchmark and gauge their current fitness level or simply return to a reliably tough workout that tests stamina, strength, or a combination of the two.
Favorite workouts that get repeated often eventually pick up a name and inevitably become part of the reliable rotation of Crossfit workouts in gyms across the globe.
Most named workouts fall into the “Girl WODs” (also called the Benchmark WODs) or the ”Hero WODs” category with a select few others kept in the rotation for their effectiveness and named based on the traits of the workout (e.g., Filthy Fifty, Kettlehell, the Longest Mile etc.)
Scroll on to discover 15 of the best, most notable, and toughest named Crossfit WODs.
Or scroll on to learn more about the Girl WODs and Hero WODs
THE 15 BEST CROSSFIT NAMED WODs
Murph
- For time:
- 1 mile Run
- 100 Pull-ups
- 200 Push-ups
- 300 Squats
- 1 mile Run
Fran
- 21-15-9 Reps For Time
- Thrusters (95/65 lb)
- Pull-Ups
Cindy
- AMRAP in 20 minutes
- 5 Pull-Ups
- 10 Push-Ups
- 15 Air Squats
Nick
- 12 Rounds For Time
- 10 Dumbbell Hang Squat Cleans (45/35 lb)
- 6 Handstand Push-Ups on Dumbbells
Chelsea
- EMOM in 30 minutes
- 5 Pull-Ups
- 10 Push-Ups
- 15 Air Squats
Angie
- For Time
- 100 Pull-Ups
- 100 Push-Ups
- 100 Sit-Ups
- 100 Air Squats
Helen
- 3 Rounds For Time
- 400 meter Run
- 21 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
- 12 Pull-Ups
The Seven | The CIA Seven
- 7 Rounds For Time
- 7 Handstand Push-Ups
- 7 Thrusters (135/95 lb)
- 7 Knees-to-Elbows
- 7 Deadlifts (245/165 lb)
- 7 Burpees
- 7 Kettlebell Swings (75lbs/45lbs)
- 7 Pull-Ups
The Longest Mile
- 4 Rounds for time
- 10 Burpess
- 100 Meter Run
- 10 Air Squats
- 100 Meter Run
- 10 Push-Ups
- 100 Meter Run
- 10 Sit Ups
- 100 Meter Run
Nancy WOD
- 5 Rounds For Time
- 400 meter Run
- 15 Overhead Squats (95/65 lb)
Zeus WOD
- 3 Rounds For Time
- 30 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
- 30 Sumo Deadlift High-Pull (75/55 lb)
- 30 Box Jump (20 in)
- 30 Push Presses (75/55 lb)
- 30 calorie Row
- 30 Push-Ups
- 10 Back Squats (Bodyweight)
The Glen WOD
- For Time
- 30 Clean and Jerks (135/95)
- Run 1 Mile
- 10 Rope Climbs
- Run 1 Mile
- 100 Burpees
The Chief WOD
- Repeat for 5 Rounds with As Many Reps As Possible in 3 minutes
- 3 Power Cleans (135/95 lbs)
- 6 Push-Ups
- 9 Air Squats
- Rest 1 Minute
Filthy Fifty Crossfit WOD
- For Time
- 50 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
- 50 Jumping Pull-Ups
- 50 Kettlebell Swings (1/.75 pood)
- 50 Walking Lunge Steps
- 50 Knees-to-Elbows
- 50 Push Presses (45/35 lb)
- 50 Back Extensions
- 50 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
- 50 Burpees
- 50 Double-Unders
ALL THE OTHER NAMED CROSSFIT WORKOUTS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Beyond the favorites above there are literally hundreds of named Crossfit WODs, but most athletes gravitate back to a select few workouts within the Crossfit girls WODs and the Hero WODs
Keep scrolling for the story behind the Crossfit girl names and the origin of the Hero WODs as well as the toughest (and favorite) workouts of each.
THE CROSSFIT GIRL WODS
The Crossfit “Girl WODs” are named as such because of the workouts names – all names of women – such as Fran or Helen. The founder of Crossfit recognized how tough these workouts are. Athletes finishing these benchmark workouts looked like they’d been hit by a hurricane, so he began giving the workouts women’s names, copying how the World Meteorological organization names hurricanes after women.
All of the Crossfit Girl WODs are tough, taxing, and performance is an excellent indicator of fitness focusing on the core movements in Crossfit and concentrating on either specific fitness modalities in Crossfit (cardio, gymnastics, weightlifting) or multiple modalities at once. Because of how focused yet taxing these workouts are, the Crossfit girls do double duty as great normal workouts and as benchmark WODs.
As benchmark WODs, the Crossfit girls are used to gauge fitness over time. An example would be comparing historical times for the Fran WOD
How to Use the Crossfit Girl WODs in your fitness regimen
First, do the Crossfit Girl workouts whenever you’re just stumped as to what workout to do. These workouts are near perfect, well rounded, and always worth doing
Second, record your performance – whether it be a time, weights, or number of reps – to recognize your improvement, or performance loss, across movements and Crossfit’s fitness modalities.
Ready to start? Click here to jump to the Crossfit Girls
THE ORIGINAL CROSSFIT GIRL WODS
The original girls, also referred to as the “nasty girls” of Crossfit
Annie
- 50 – 40 – 30 – 20 – 10 For Time
- Double Unders
- Sit Ups
Angie
- 100 Pull Ups
- 100 Push Ups
- 100 Sit Ups
- 100 Squats
Barbara
- Repeat All For 5 Rounds
- 20 Pull Ups
- 30 Push Ups
- 40 Sit Ups
- 50 Squats
- Rest 3 Mins
- Repeat until completion of 5 rounds
Chelsea
- Perform Each Set Every Minute On the Minute For 30 Minutes (10 Rounds)
- 5 Pull Ups
- 10 Push Ups
- 15 Squats
Cindy
- As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) in 20 Minutes
- 5 Pull Ups
- 10 Push Ups
- 15 Squats
Diane
- 21 – 15 – 9 Reps
- 225lb Deadlift
- Handstand Push Ups
Elizabeth
- 21 – 15 – 9 Reps
- 135lb Clean
- Ring Dips
Fran
- 21 – 15 – 9 Reps
- Thruster 95lbs
- Pull Ups
Frelen
- 5 Rounds For Time
- Run 800m
- 15 Dumbbell Thruster
- 15 Pull Ups
Helen
- 3 Rounds For Time
- Run 400m
- 21 Kettle Bell Swings 55lb
- 12 Pull Ups
Isabel
- 30 Reps of 135lb Snatch
Jackie
- 1000m Row
- 50 Thruster 45lbs
- 30 Pull Ups
Karen
- For Time
- 150 Wall Balls 20lbs
Kelly
- 5 Rounds For Time
- Run 400m
- 30 Box Jumps
- 30 Wall Balls 20lbs
Linda
- 10 – 9 – 8 – 7 – 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 in Order of:
- 1.5x Body Weight Deadlift
- Body Weight Bench Press
- 3/4x Body Weight Cleans
Lynne
- 5 Rounds for Max Reps
- Bodyweight Bench Press Max Reps
- Pull Ups Max Reps
Mary
- As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) in 20 Minutes
- 5 Handstand Push Ups
- 10 One Legged Squats (Pistols)
- 15 Pull Ups
Nancy
- 5 Rounds for Time
- 400m Run
- 15 Overhead Squat 95lbs
Nicole
- As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) in 20 Minutes –
- 400m Run
- Max Rep Pull Ups
Click here to jump to the full list of Crossfit Girl WODs
THE HERO WODS
The Crossfit Hero WODs are a list of tough WODs worth repeating, all named of military servicemembers and first responders that sacrificed their lives in the line of duty, such as Murph or the Chief
Each commemorating WOD is the favorite WOD of the servicemember or first responder it commemorates, and most are extremely taxing – moreso than normal Crossfit workouts – emphasizing combat ready strength over nearly unreasonable distances and periods.
THE BEST HERO WODS
Murph
- 21-15-9 reps for time of:
- Handstand push-ups
- Ring dips
- Push-ups
Nate
- 21-15-9 reps for time of:
- Handstand push-ups
- Ring dips
- Push-ups
Zeus WOD
- 3 Rounds For Time
- 30 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
- 30 Sumo Deadlift High-Pull (75/55 lb)
- 30 Box Jump (20 in)
- 30 Push Presses (75/55 lb)
- 30 calorie Row
- 30 Push-Ups
- 10 Back Squats (Bodyweight)
Glen WOD
- 30 Clean-and-Jerks (135/95 lb)
- 1 mile Run
- 10 Rope Climbs (15 ft)
- 1 mile Run
- 100 Burpees
JT
- 21-15-9 reps for time of:
- Handstand push-ups
- Ring dips
- Push-ups
Danny
- 21-15-9 reps for time of:
- Handstand push-ups
- Ring dips
- Push-ups
Nuts
- 21-15-9 reps for time of:
- Handstand push-ups
- Ring dips
- Push-ups
Roy
- 21-15-9 reps for time of:
- Handstand push-ups
- Ring dips
- Push-ups
Arnie
- 21-15-9 reps for time of:
- Handstand push-ups
- Ring dips
- Push-ups
Luce
- 21-15-9 reps for time of:
- Handstand push-ups
- Ring dips
- Push-ups
Jag 28
- 21-15-9 reps for time of:
- Handstand push-ups
- Ring dips
- Push-ups
Tom
- 21-15-9 reps for time of:
- Handstand push-ups
- Ring dips
- Push-ups
Click here to jump to the full list of 69 of the best Crossfit Hero workouts
OTHER CROSSFIT WOD LISTS FOR FLEXIBLE FITNESS
- 100 Kettlebell Swings a Day: A simple recipe for functional strength and a tight core
- 69+ Hotel Room WODs
- 101+ Travel WODs
- Chipper for Endurance: Partner WODs, No Equipment WODs, and More
- 27 Ruthless Crossfit Benchmark WODs You Need to Stay Fit
- Fran WOD Guide: Times to beat, strategies, and everything you need to know
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carlos is a nomad, slow traveler, and writer dedicated to helping others live abroad and travel better by using his 7+ years of experience living abroad and background as a management consultant and financial advisor to help other nomad and expats plot better paths for an international lifestyle. Click here to learn more about Carlos's story.