What is the CrossFit workout of the day? A CrossFit workout of the day (WOD) is a central workout prescribed by the CrossFit coaches in the Box(CrossFit gym) any given day of the week. After warmups, this is the workout that is completed by everyone in the gym that day. There are a variety of ways to scale down or up exercises depending on your fitness level and expertise in CrossFit lifts. If you are new to CrossFit you might want to check out our recent article tailored to CrossFit for Beginners here.
So what does it take to complete a Workout of The Day(WOD)? What should you wear, what are some good things to do before a WOD, and what should you do afterward? This article answers all of your questions!
What is the CrossFit Workout of The Day: With Examples!
A CrossFit workout of the day, or WOD, is a universal language in any CrossFit box(gym) no matter where you are in the world. There are countless WODs that have been created and more every day. You can find some of the more globally recognized, popular WODs on our site here or with a quick google search.
The WOD usually consists of a sequence of exercises that are completed back-to-back with very little rest in between. The goal is to complete as many rounds or repetitions as possible in a set amount of time. The exercises can be scaled to your fitness level by completing fewer rounds with less weight or fewer reps, or by choosing an easier variation of the movement.
A CrossFit workout of the day can be completed using a variety of movements such as squatting, deadlifting, rowing, and overhead pressing just to name a few! What equipment you will need depends on whether it is a weight lifting or cardio-based WOD. No matter what though you will most likely come away dripping in sweat and feeling like a million bucks!
Here is some terminology to be familiar with in order to understand any particular WOD:
- WOD – Workout of The Day
- Box – A CrossFit gym
- AMRAP – As Many Rounds As Possible
- EMOM – Every Minute On the Minute
- Rx – As prescribed; as written. WOD done without any adjustments.
- The “Girls” – A series of benchmark workouts created by CFHQ that are universally known among the CF community.
- The “Heros” – A Hero workout is a tribute workout in honor of a fallen CrossFitter (either Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, Firefighter, Police officer) that died in the line of duty. They are tough and among the most difficult of WOD’s.
- Tabata Interval – A workout of 8 intervals alternating 20 seconds of max rep work with 10-sec rest. Total is 4 minutes per exercise. Score the lowest interval rep count, or sometimes total rep count.
- Paleo and Zone – Types of diet and nutrition protocol commonly found in the CF lifestyle.
Here is a couple of the more popular CrossFit WODs out there:
What to Wear for A CrossFit WOD
The most important thing about what you wear is finding the right kind of shoes. What makes Crossfit different from other sports is that it’s not just running, there are many types of lifts involved like weightlifting and gymnastics movements. These require a more stable shoe.
What you wear on your feet is the first thing that the coach will notice before starting. If it’s not right, then they may ask you to change or start with something else like running shoes. Lifters are popular with hardcore CrossFitters and are a certain type of Weightlifting shoe that has a hard sole, and slightly raised heel. They are typically worn for the snatch, clean & jerk, and weighted squats.
Some other things to keep in mind is that you will be doing some other exercises that require you to be upside down, swing, and hang so wear tops and bottoms that are comfortable but not baggy that will get in the way or get caught on equipment as you are using them.
Some good things to do before a workout?
Before starting a WOD, you will want to do some light warm-ups that get your body moving and increase your heart rate. This might include dynamic stretching, jumping jacks or even a light jog. Make sure to take a few deep breaths and focus on the task at hand!
-EAT: What you eat before a workout is just as important as what you eat after. You don’t want to be working out on an empty stomach or eating something that’s going to make you feel sick while you’re lifting weights or doing cardio. Try to have a light snack about an hour before your WOD.
-HYDRATE: This is important for any kind of workout, Crossfit or not. Drink plenty of water before and during your WOD to stay hydrated.
-WARM-UP: A good warm-up will help loosen up your muscles and get them ready for the workout ahead. The CrossFit coaches usually have a warm-up routine that they have the class do before starting the WOD.
-STRETCH: After your warmup, it’s a good time to stretch out any tight muscles. Don’t forget to stretch after your workout too! It’ll help you cool down and avoid getting injured.
What Should You Do After a CrossFit WOD
After completing your WOD, your body is going to be exhausted and you will want to stretch out all of the muscles that were used. This might include some light yoga poses or a nice walk home! Typically most CrossFit gyms will do a light “cool down” after the main workout and will have some time between classes where athletes can stretch on their own.
One extremely popular piece of equipment used after a WOD is a foam roller. They are relatively inexpensive and help to separate and elongate the muscle tissue fibers in order for them to be in a better state to heal.
More recently the advent of the handheld pulse message guns are starting to become mainstream in gyms across the world as they use a similar concept to what a foam roller accomplishes but in a shorter period of time and a lot more convenient. These message guns, however, can be quite costly so most CrossFitters just starting out usually invest in a foam roller first.
As the same with pre-workout, make sure to hydrate! Virtually all CrossFit workouts do a number on your cardiovascular system causing you to sweat. A lot! Replenish with water and “clean” electrolyte replacement drinks or tablets. Following a Crossfitter diet, try to ingest at least 20 grams of protein within 30 minutes of your workout. You can find an in-depth article on Ready to Drink Protein shakes and some of our top picks here.
Summary
I hope this article gave you more insight into what is a CrossFit workout of the day as well as help you be prepared for what you will encounter on your workout days. Whether you’re just getting started or want to learn about some new ways to take your CrossFit routine to the next level, make sure to check out some of our other articles that give tips and insights into the world of CrossFit.
If you have any additional questions about what exactly constitutes a “CrossFit Workout Of The Day” or how best to recover from one, let us know in the comments below! We would love to help answer your questions.