Quick answer: The best CrossFit WOD for today is one you can perform with sound movement, steady effort and the equipment you actually have. Start with Cindy for a classic bodyweight benchmark, Fran for a short barbell-and-pull-up test, or the 8-minute bodyweight AMRAP below when you need a simple no-equipment workout.
This guide includes established benchmark WODs plus clearly labeled WOD Fever workouts. Use the quick chooser to match the session to your time, equipment and training goal, then scale the reps, load or movement before intensity breaks your technique.
New to the movement names? Use our CrossFit exercise and movement guide to review equipment, scaling options and practical progressions.
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Choose a CrossFit workout quickly
Best first benchmark
Cindy
20 minutes · Pull-up bar
Simple movements and easy scaling.
Short and intense
Fran or Grace
Usually under 12 minutes · Barbell
Reduce the load before chasing speed.
No equipment
8-minute bodyweight AMRAP
8 minutes · Floor space
Push-ups, squats and burpees.
One dumbbell
Single-dumbbell AMRAP
12 minutes · One dumbbell
Snatches, goblet squats and sit-ups.
Long challenge
Murph
High volume · Run and pull-up bar
Scale volume and skip the vest when needed.
Cardio only
Row 5 × 500 meters
Intervals · Rower
Repeatable work-to-rest structure.
WOD terms you need to know
- WOD: workout of the day.
- AMRAP: complete as many quality rounds or reps as possible in a fixed time.
- EMOM: begin the assigned work at the start of each minute; the remaining time is rest.
- For time: finish a fixed amount of work as efficiently as possible while maintaining the required movement standards.
- Rounds for time: repeat the listed sequence for a fixed number of rounds.
- Rx: the prescribed version. It is a reference point, not a requirement. Scaling should preserve the intended training effect.
10 classic CrossFit benchmark WODs
Benchmark workouts are useful because the work stays fixed. Record your load, movement version and score so that a later retest is a valid comparison.
1. Cindy
20-minute AMRAP: 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 air squats.
Scale it: Use ring rows or band-assisted pull-ups, incline push-ups and a squat target. Keep the sets small enough to move consistently for the full 20 minutes.
2. Fran
21-15-9 reps for time: thrusters and pull-ups. The published Rx loads are 65 lb for women and 95 lb for men.
Scale it: Select a thruster load that allows the opening set to be completed in one or two controlled sets. Replace pull-ups with ring rows or another appropriate pulling variation. CrossFit's official Fran guide includes intermediate and beginner versions.
3. Helen
3 rounds for time: 400-meter run, 21 kettlebell swings, 12 pull-ups.
Scale it: Shorten the run, reduce the kettlebell load and use ring rows. The goal is repeated fast rounds, not a grip failure contest.
4. Grace
For time: 30 clean and jerks. The published Rx loads are 95 lb for women and 135 lb for men.
Scale it: Use a load you can cycle safely for multiple reps. Athletes still learning the lift should slow down, drill the movement and reduce the load sharply. See CrossFit's official Grace archive and scaling notes.
5. Annie
50-40-30-20-10 reps for time: double-unders and sit-ups.
Scale it: Use single-unders, reduce each round or perform controlled step-overs of the rope. Avoid multiplying single-under reps so aggressively that the scaled version becomes a much longer workout.
6. Diane
21-15-9 reps for time: deadlifts and handstand push-ups. The published Rx deadlift loads are 155 lb for women and 225 lb for men.
Scale it: Lower the deadlift load and substitute pike push-ups or dumbbell presses. Stop the set before spinal position or pressing control deteriorates.
7. Karen
For time: 150 wall-ball shots.
Scale it: Reduce the ball weight, target height or total reps. A planned set structure is better than reaching failure early and turning the final half into singles.
8. Fight Gone Bad
3 rounds: one minute each of wall-ball shots, sumo deadlift high pulls, box jumps, push presses and rowing for calories; rest one minute after each round.
Scale it: Lower the loads and box height so you can work through each minute. Record total reps and calories across all three rounds.
9. Murph
For time: 1-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, then another 1-mile run. The full prescribed version may include a weighted vest.
Scale it: Start with quarter or half volume, use assisted pulling and omit the vest. High repetition counts make this a poor place to improvise beyond your current capacity. Review the complete Murph workout guide for standards, partitioning and pacing, then use the weighted-vest workouts from beginner circuits to Murph for progression.
10. Michael
3 rounds for time: 800-meter run, 50 back extensions, 50 sit-ups.
Scale it: Shorten the run and reduce the trunk volume. Choose a back-extension variation you can control rather than racing through an unfamiliar setup.
5 bodyweight CrossFit workouts
These WOD Fever workouts require only floor space unless noted. They are not official CrossFit benchmark prescriptions.
11. Eight-Minute Bodyweight AMRAP
8-minute AMRAP: 8 push-ups, 12 air squats, 6 burpees.
Scale it: Use incline push-ups and step-back burpees. Beginners can work for six minutes and add time later.
12. Running Sandwich
For time: 400-meter run, 40 air squats, 30 sit-ups, 20 burpees, 10 pull-ups, 400-meter run.
Scale it: Use 200-meter runs and ring rows, or remove the pull-ups when no secure bar is available.
13. Ten-to-One Triplet
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps for time: reverse lunges per leg, push-ups and sit-ups.
Scale it: Count lunges as total reps instead of per leg and use incline push-ups.
14. Legs and Lungs
5 rounds for time: 200-meter run, 20 air squats, 10 alternating reverse lunges.
Scale it: Walk or shorten the run and reduce lower-body reps to preserve smooth movement.
15. Bodyweight EMOM
15-minute EMOM: minute 1, 12 air squats; minute 2, 8 push-ups; minute 3, 6 burpees. Repeat for five cycles.
Scale it: Pick rep counts you can finish in roughly 30 to 40 seconds, leaving time to reset before the next minute.
For more no-equipment sessions, see the dedicated bodyweight WOD guide. If you are new to this style of training, use the beginner CrossFit workouts and four-week plan instead of stacking random hard days.
5 dumbbell and kettlebell WODs
One weight is enough to add loading without needing a complete garage gym. The following are WOD Fever workouts, not official benchmark prescriptions.
16. Single-Dumbbell AMRAP
12-minute AMRAP: 10 alternating dumbbell snatches, 10 goblet squats, 10 sit-ups.
Scale it: Use a load that keeps the snatches crisp and the squats unbroken.
17. Dumbbell Thruster Couplet
21-15-9 reps for time: single-dumbbell thrusters and ring rows. Switch the working arm as needed.
Scale it: Reduce the load and use 15-12-9 reps. Keep the pulling variation consistent for the entire workout.
18. Kettlebell Triplet
5 rounds for time: 15 kettlebell swings, 10 goblet squats, 5 burpees.
Scale it: Use Russian-height swings or deadlifts if overhead range or swing technique is not ready.
19. Dumbbell Clean-and-Press Ladder
10-minute ascending ladder: 2 dumbbell hang cleans per side, 2 shoulder presses per side, then add 2 reps to each movement every round.
Scale it: Keep the load fixed and stop adding reps once the sets no longer fit comfortably inside the remaining time.
20. One-Weight Chipper
For time: 40 goblet squats, 30 alternating dumbbell snatches, 20 front-rack reverse lunges, 10 burpees over the weight.
Scale it: Cut the reps in half or step over the dumbbell instead of jumping.
5 cardio and conditioning WODs
These sessions are useful when you want conditioning without high-skill barbell or gymnastics work. For a larger progression, use the CrossFit cardio workout guide. For timed work-to-rest sessions, see our HIIT workouts for beginners, home and gym.
21. Row Repeats
5 rounds: row 500 meters, then rest two minutes. Record every interval.
Scale it: Row 250 meters or work for 60 to 90 seconds. Try to keep the slowest interval close to the fastest.
22. Air-Bike Power Intervals
10 rounds: 30 seconds hard, 60 seconds easy.
Scale it: Start with six rounds. The easy minute should be active recovery, not another sprint.
23. Rope and Row
12-minute AMRAP: 50 double-unders, 250-meter row.
Scale it: Use 75 single-unders or 45 seconds of controlled rope work. Need a rope that fits your setup? See the speed-rope comparison.
24. Run-Row Couplet
4 rounds for time: 400-meter run and 500-meter row.
Scale it: Use 200-meter runs and 250-meter rows. Keep the first round conservative enough to avoid a major pace collapse.
25. Five-Kilometer Run
For time: run 5 kilometers.
Scale it: Use a shorter distance or planned run-walk intervals. Record the course and conditions so future comparisons mean something.
How to scale a CrossFit WOD without changing its purpose
- Identify the intended duration. A four-minute sprint and a 30-minute endurance workout should not become the same session.
- Reduce technical difficulty first. Substitute a movement you can perform consistently before adding speed.
- Adjust load and reps. Use a load that supports the planned set size. Reduce total volume when returning after a break or encountering unfamiliar repetition counts.
- Preserve the movement pattern when practical. Ring rows are a closer pull-up substitute than adding unrelated leg work.
- Record the version. Note load, reps, assistance and range of motion before comparing scores.
Warm up with easy versions of the exact movements you will use. Stop if you experience sharp pain, dizziness or loss of movement control. This guide provides general training information, not individualized coaching or medical advice.
Equipment that unlocks the most WODs
You do not need a complete home gym. The highest-utility additions are a secure pull-up setup, one versatile weight and a jump rope. Add specialized equipment only when it opens training you will repeat.
A workout list is not a complete training plan
Use individual WODs to test a benchmark, fill a travel day or add variety—not as a substitute for coherent progression. A sound week balances strength, skill, conditioning and recovery instead of selecting the hardest-looking workout every day.
CrossFit publishes a current Workout of the Day with scaling guidance. WOD Fever is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by CrossFit, LLC.