Benchmark Workouts in CrossFit: A Standard for Fitness and Progress

The enthusiasm for CrossFit has been unbroken for years, and interest is steadily increasing. One of the special features of this training approach is the benchmark workouts, which play a central role in the community. These workouts are not just a collection of exercises, but serve as a standardized yardstick for evaluating and documenting an athlete's progress. In this article, we will delve deeper into the significance of benchmark workouts, explain their various categories, and introduce an example workout.

What are benchmark workouts in CrossFit

Benchmark workouts are specific CrossFit routines designed to test an athlete's physical performance and track it over time. In essence, they are "test workouts" that are repeated at various intervals to determine whether an athlete's fitness has improved.

These workouts often consist of a fixed combination of exercises and repetitions and are designed to challenge different aspects of fitness such as strength, endurance, speed, agility, and technique. They are uniformly recognized both in the global CrossFit community and in individual boxes, which makes them ideal for comparing performances.

What types of benchmark workouts are there

Benchmark workouts can be divided into two main categories: the Girls workouts and the Hero workouts. Both categories have their own significance and history.

Girls Workouts: These workouts are a collection of benchmark workouts named after female first names. These workouts were created by Greg Glassman, the founder of CrossFit, and are an integral part of the CrossFit philosophy. They test various fitness parameters and are designed to push athletes to their limits.

The first benchmark workouts were named after women. These workouts were compared to storms, which traditionally also have female names. The idea behind this was that these workouts could have a similar effect on the body. They can be intense and destructive, but also leave behind clarity and insight once they are over.

Hero Workouts: Hero workouts are named in honor of fallen soldiers, police officers, firefighters, and other public service heroes. These workouts are usually longer and more demanding and serve as a tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of these heroes. A very well-known Hero workout is "Murph", which consists of a 1-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats, and another 1-mile run, often wearing a weighted vest.

Why are benchmark workouts important

Benchmark workouts play a crucial role in a CrossFitter's training routine.

Measuring progress: The primary function of benchmark workouts is to objectively measure an athlete's progress. By regularly repeating a benchmark workout, athletes can determine whether they have become stronger, faster, or more endurant. An improvement in time or the number of repetitions is a clear indicator of progress.

Motivation: Since benchmark workouts are often very intense and challenging, they can be a great source of motivation. The feeling of having mastered such a workout or even having set a new personal best time is extremely satisfying and can give you the drive to keep training hard.

Comparability: Since benchmark workouts are known throughout the CrossFit community, they offer a way to compare performance with other athletes. Whether in your own box or globally, the results of benchmark workouts are a standard that enables comparisons and shows where you stand.

Technical development: Many benchmark workouts consist of fundamental CrossFit movements that require both strength and technique. Repeatedly performing these workouts not only promotes conditioning but also helps you refine your technique in the basic exercises.

Example of a benchmark workout

To better illustrate the concept of a benchmark workout, let's take a look at "Helen".

3 rounds for time:

• 400-meter run
• 21 kettlebell swings (24 kg for men, 16 kg for women)
• 12 pull-ups

Goal: The goal of Helen is to complete the entire workout as quickly as possible. The challenge lies in maintaining a steady pace and making the transitions between exercises quick and efficient.

Tips for Helen:

• Pacing: Do not start the first run too fast, in order to save enough energy for the later rounds.
• Technique: Pay attention to clean technique during the kettlebell swings to work as efficiently as possible.
• Pull-ups: Consider whether you should break the pull-ups into smaller sets to avoid premature muscle failure.

Conclusion

Benchmark workouts are more than just a test. They are an essential part of CrossFit training that gives you the opportunity to objectively measure your progress, refine your technique, and constantly face new challenges. "Helen", "Fran", "Grace," and many other workouts offer a variety of ways to test and improve your own fitness. Regardless of whether you are an experienced CrossFitter or new to it, benchmark workouts are an indispensable tool on the path to better physical performance.