What is a benchmark WOD?
A benchmark is a workout used as a reference. Repeating its programme in comparable conditions lets you observe changes in completion time, work performed, load or another stated measure.
Its value rests on repeatability. Changing movements, loads or rest can be useful training, but also changes the comparison. Keep a record of your version.
Girl WODs: named reference workouts
Girl WODs are a well-known family of CrossFit benchmarks. Their names identify programmes; they do not restrict participation by gender or indicate difficulty.
Some combine bodyweight exercises, while others include loads or running. Choose from the complete programme and suitable adaptations rather than the name alone.
Hero and Tribute workouts: programmes with a story
These sessions honour particular people. The reference workout explains its programme and the person commemorated. Hero, Tribute and Memorial can be used differently depending on the author; check the source for the relevant session.
A Hero WOD does not necessarily have a particular duration or format. It can provide a personal reference when you record the conditions, but commemorating someone does not require abandoning appropriate adaptations.
Format, family, prescription and score
The format describes work organisation: fixed time, fixed work or another structure. The family provides context, such as Girl or Hero. The prescription defines movements and loads; the score defines the result requested.
These are separate pieces of information. A benchmark can be For Time, AMRAP or organised differently. Read standards and planned rests alongside its scoring rule.
Choose a few useful references
Start with your aim and familiar movements. A technically unsuitable WOD may mainly measure failed attempts and interruptions. An adapted repeatable version can offer a more useful reference.
You do not need to collect tests. Choose sessions you understand and place them within your wider training. The work between tests matters too.
Compare two attempts
Use the same programme version and scoring convention. Record loads, movement variations and prescribed rests, along with meaningful changes in context.
If an adaptation changes, describe that progress without presenting the scores as strictly equivalent. A result can complement observations about movement consistency, transitions and pacing; it does not describe all your progress.
Frequently asked questions
Must a benchmark be RX? An adapted version can be a personal reference. Record it precisely and distinguish it from the official prescription.
Are all Hero WODs long? No. Read the programme and volume; the family does not fix the duration.
How often should I retest? There is no universal frequency. Discuss its place in your programme, aims and accumulated fatigue with your coach.
Explore further
Compare workout formats · Understand RX and scaled · Find a workout
Girl WODs: benchmark workouts and their programmes
Hero WODs: programmes, tributes and adaptations
RX, scaled and Elite: understand and adapt a WOD