"CrossFit begins with a belief in fitness."
The aim of CrossFit is to forge a broad, general and inclusive fitness program. We have sought to build a program that will best prepare trainees for any physical contingency — not only for the unknown, but for the unknowable. After looking at all sport and physical tasks collectively, we asked what physical skills and adaptations would most universally lend themselves to performance advantage. Capacity culled from the intersection of all sports demands would quite logically lend itself well to all sport. In sum, our specialty is not specializing.
CrossFit is many things. Primarily, it’s a fitness regimen developed by Coach Greg Glassman over several decades. He was the first person in history to define fitness in a meaningful, measurable way (increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains). CrossFit itself is defined as that which optimizes fitness (constantly varied functional movements performed at relatively high intensity). CrossFit is also the community that spontaneously arises when people do these workouts together. In fact, the communal aspect of CrossFit is a key component of why it’s so effective. [ www.crossfit.com ]
CrossFit Dictionary
There is a lot of vernacular used only in CrossFit, and we have made a list of abbreviations and terms that are often used. Knowing the language of CrossFit should help reduce confusion and allow you to focus on your performance.
CLN - Clean
DL – Deadlift
HSPU – Hand Stand Push Up. While in a handstand position against the wall or freestanding. You touch your head to the ground and press all the way up until your arms are locked out.
HSQ - Hang squat (clean or snatch). 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
KTE - Knees to elbows. Similar to T2Bs described below.
MP - Military press
MU - Muscle ups. Hanging from rings you do a combination pull-up and dip so you end in an upright support.
OHS - Overhead squat. Full-depth squat performed while arms are locked out in a wide grip press position above (and usually behind) the head.
PC - Power clean
PP - Push press
PSN -Power snatch
PU - Pull-ups, possibly push-ups depending on the context
SDHP – Sumo Deadlift High Pull. Using a wide stance and narrow grip, you pull the bar from the ground up to your chin, keeping the bar close to your body
SN - Snatch
SQ - Squat
T2B - 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
Set - A number of repetitions. For example; 3 sets of 10 reps, often seen as 3×10, means do 10 reps, rest, repeat, rest, repeat.
CFT - CrossFit Total – consisting of max squat, press, and deadlift.
BW - Body weight
Girls – Several classic CrossFit benchmark workouts that are given female names. The names of these workouts are arbitrary and not named after actual girls.
GPP - General physical preparedness, aka “fitness.”
Gymnastics – Historically, the term “gymnastics” is used relatively loosely in CrossFit to describe exercises that involve controlling body movement, typically with no weight other than body weight such as; sit-ups, push-ups, air squats, ring-rows, box jumps, etc.
Heroes – Several CrossFit Benchmark Workouts are named after actual military, law enforcement and firefighters that have died in the line of duty. These workouts are typically very difficult as a way of honoring these heroes. Unfortunately, the list of Hero WODs continues to grow.
Metcon – This is an abbreviation of ‘metabolic conditioning.’ Metcon is training with the intent to enhance performance in the three metabolic pathways that provide energy for all human action. These metabolic pathways are known as the phosphagen pathway (10 seconds or less), the glycolytic pathway (last up to several minutes) and the oxidative pathway (last in excess of several minutes). The term “metcon” is often misunderstood and incorrectly used by CrossFitters as a synonym for longer-duration cardio vascular training.
Pd - Pood, weight measure for kettlebells
REP - Repetition. One performance of an exercise.
RM - Repetition maximum. Your 1RM is your max lift for one rep. Your 10 RM is the most you can lift 10 times.
PR - Personal record
Rx – Or prescribed. Every WOD and movement has standards. Performing a WOD or movement according to the standards is referred to as doing it “Rx’d”; aka as prescribed. If you modify or “scale” a WOD or movement, it is not Rx. Performing a movement with a partial range of motion or with assistance is also not Rx. We urge all of our athletes to attempt both
DNF – Did Not Finish. For WODs with a fixed amount of work and a time cap, it is possible to not finish the prescribed amount of work in the given time. In such cases, the score will be appended with “DNF”.
