Which WOD should you choose as a beginner?
Start with movements you understand and a workload you can manage. A famous workout is not automatically a beginner session: some of the options below require substantial scaling. An adapted Baseline is a useful first introduction. Nicole needs accessible running and pulling variations; Blackjack needs less equipment but has a large full volume. Donny and Mote require previous barbell practice.
| Workout | Reference equipment | Main consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Baseline | Rower and pull-up bar | Scale pulling and push-ups |
| Nicole | Pull-up bar and running route | Manage hanging volume |
| Blackjack | No equipment required | Reduce push-up volume |
| Donny | Barbell and plates | Deadlift load and repetitions |
| Mote | Barbell, plates and jump rope | Learn the lifts before timing them |
Baseline: a straightforward first structure
One pass through rowing, squats, sit-ups, push-ups and pull-ups introduces several movement patterns. The name does not impose a minimum time you must achieve.
Wodball starting adaptation: 250 m row, 20 air squats, 15 sit-ups, 10 knee push-ups and 5 ring rows. The rings replace the pull-up bar and need a suitable installation. Confirm your variations before starting. This is an editorial adaptation, not the RX benchmark.
Nicole: alternate running and pulling
The benchmark alternates running and pull-ups for twenty minutes. Its reference score is the total pull-up count. Record the pulling variation so that a later attempt can be compared meaningfully.
Wodball adaptation: for 10 minutes, alternate 200 m running or walk-running with 5 ring rows. Fixing the pulling repetitions avoids an opening maximum set. This changes the protocol, so record it separately from Nicole RX.
Blackjack: no weights, substantial volume
The full version contains 210 push-ups and 210 sit-ups. An easy-to-read sequence can still be demanding; do not begin with all twenty rounds if these movements are new to you.
Wodball adaptation: five stages of knee push-ups and sit-ups: 5/1, 4/2, 3/3, 2/4 and 1/5. That gives 15 repetitions of each movement. Aim for consistent execution before chasing a reference time.
Donny: learn the deadlift first
Donny combines deadlifts and burpees in a descending then ascending ladder. The RX programme contains 90 repetitions of each movement with a loaded barbell; it is not a starting prescription.
Wodball adaptation: three rounds of 6 deadlifts at a learning load and 6 burpees, stepping the feet in and out if needed. Choose the load with your coach. If the deadlift is still unfamiliar, practise it separately without time pressure.
Mote: a coached technical option
Mote combines deadlifts, power cleans, shoulder-to-overhead work and skipping. The clean and overhead phase need practice, so this would not be my first choice for an unsupervised beginner session.
Wodball adaptation after learning the movements: 8 minutes at a controlled pace, repeating 4 deadlifts, 4 hang power cleans, 4 push presses with a suitable light load and 30 single-unders. The movements and volume differ; record this as an adaptation of Mote. Choose adapted Baseline instead if the lifts are not established.
Scale before starting and track the details
Agree movements, load and volume before starting the timer. Warm up and rehearse a few repetitions. Leave room for breaks and technical corrections during the session.
Record the exact duration, repetitions, load and variations. Compare identical versions rather than an adapted finish against an experienced athlete's RX result. These five workouts are options for separate days, not a five-workout session or a weekly programme.
Read about RX and scaled workouts, explore no-equipment sessions or choose a hotel workout. Each embedded workout links to its full English programme.
No-equipment WODs: Cooper, Bert and a Riley variation
Hotel WODs: three short workouts for travelling
RX, scaled and Elite: understand and adapt a WOD