CrossFit is filled with acronyms and plenty of confusing terms that seem to blend together, sound the same or just cause a blank look when reading the whiteboard. Here’s a guide to the most common:
AFAP: As fast as possible.
AHAP: As heavy as possible.Often used during EMOM weight lifting portions of a daily workout.
AMRAP: As Many Rounds (or Reps) as Possible
BBWU4C – Barbell Warm-up for Clean
BBWU4S – Barbell Warm-up for Snatch
BS: Back squat
BW (or BWT): Body weight
CFT: CrossFit Total (A best of three attempts at a 1RM of (Press/DL/BS)
CF: CrossFit
CFHQ: CrossFit Headquarters
CFWU:CrossFit Warm-up
Clicks: Jump rope singles.
CLN: Clean
C&J: Clean and jerk
C2: Concept II rowing machine
DL: Deadlift
DNF: Did Not Finish
DS: Dynamic Stretch, usuall done after a short warm-up and preceeding weightlifitng or a WOD.
DU: Double unders jump rope. The rope passes under the feet twice for each jump.
EMOM: Every Minute on the Minute. Used most frequently during a weightlifting portion of a daily workout. For example, complete 5 reps of BS AHAP EMOM
FS: Front squat
G2OH: Ground to Overhead. Usually done with a plate.
GHD: Glute hamstring developer. A device that allows for posterior chain exercise, such as a hip extension, back extension, sit-ups and glute-ham raises.
GPP: General physical preparedness, aka “fitness.”
HC: Hang Clean
HSPU: Hand stand push up. Kick up into a handstand (use wall for balance, if needed) bend arms until nose touches floor and push back up.
HSC: Hang squat clean. Start with bar “at the hang,” about knee height. Initiate pull. As the bar rises drop into a full squat and catch the bar in the racked position. From there, rise to a standing position
KB: Kettlebell
K2E or KTE: Knees to elbows. Similar to TTBs described below.
K290: Knees to 90 degrees. This is a scaled movement for T2B.
L1: Level 1 athlete. Characterized as a serious very experienced crossfitter, a competitive CrossFit athlete wanting to build strength.
L2: Level 2 athlete. Characterized as a serious crossfitter who is somewhat competitive and wants to improve fitness. Is still working to become completely consistent when doing the Olympic lifts.
L3: Level 3 athlete. Characterized as a beginning crossfit athlete. Working hard to learn the mechanics of Olympic weight lifting.
M: Modify. indicates that a workout was scaled by modifying an exercise within the workout.
MetCon: Metabolic Conditioning workout
MU: Muscle ups. Hanging from rings you do a combination pull-up and dip so you end in an upright support.
OTG: Off The Ground. for example, pick the barbell up from the ground rather than from a rack.
OHS: Overhead squat. Full-depth squat performed while arms are locked out in a wide grip press position above the head.
OYP: Over your partner. Usually refers to jumping over a workout partner.
PC: Power clean
Pd: Pood, weight measure for kettlebells. 1 Pood = 16 kg or about 35#
PR: Personal record
PP: Push press
PJ: Push Jerk
PSN: Power snatch
PU: Pull-ups, possibly push ups depending on the context
Rep: Repetition. One performance of an exercise.
Rx’d or Rx; as Rx’d: As prescribed; as written. WOD done without any adjustments.
RM: Repetition maximum. Your 1RM is your max lift for one rep. Your 10 RM is the most you can lift 10 times. (Commonly found in WOD’s as 1RM/3RM/5RM etc.)
SC: Squat Clean
SDHP: Sumo Deadlift High Pull
Set: A number of repetitions. e.g., 3 sets of 10 reps, often seen as 3×10, means do 10 reps, rest, repeat, rest, repeat.
SPP: Specific physical preparedness, aka skill training.
SN: Snatch
SQ: Squat
Subbed: Substituted. The CORRECT use of “subbed,” as in “substituted,” is, “I subbed an exercise I can do for one I can’t,” For example,if you can’t do a HSPU, you subbed regular push-ups.
T2B or TTB: Toes to bar. Hang from bar. Bending only at waist raise your toes to touch the bar, slowly lower them and repeat.
TGU: Turkish Get Up. Kettlebell exercise.
WAW: With appropriate weight.
WB: Wallball
WO, sometimes W/O: Workout
WOD: Workout of the day
# : Symbol for pounds or lbs.
” : Symbol for inches
‘ : Symbol for feet
* Use this lift to base your 1RM off of.
WTR: With time remaining.
Other Terms:
The “Girls” : A series of benchmark workouts created by CFHQ that are universally known among the CF community.
The “Heroes” : A Hero workout is a tribute workout in honor of a fallen CrossFitter (either Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, Firefighter, Police officer) that died in the line of duty. They are tough and among the most difficult of WOD’s. There are sadly too many of them.
Tabata or Tabata Interval: A workout of 8 intervals alternating 20 seconds of max rep work with 10 seconds of rest. Total is 4 minutes per exercise. Score the lowest interval rep count.
Paleo and Zone: Types of diet and nutrition protocol commonly found in the CrossFit lifestyle.