CrossFit Lingo and Acronyms

Deadlift bars ready to roll out
CrossFit is filled with TLA (Three Letter Acronyms) and plenty of confusing terms that seem to blend together, sound the same or just cause a blank look when reading the whiteboard. Here’s a guide to the most common:

  • AMRAP: As Many Rounds (or Reps) as Possible
  • BS: Back squat
  • BTWB: Beyond the Whiteboard. A website for tracking your WOD’s.
  • BW (or BWT): Body weight
  • CFT: CrossFit Total (A best of three attempts at a 1RM of (Press/DL/BS)
  • CF: CrossFit
  • CFHQ: CrossFit Headquarters
  • CFWU:CrossFit Warm-up
  • CLN: Clean
  • C&J: Clean and jerk
  • C2: Concept II rowing machine
  • DFL: Dead F’ing Last
  • DL: Deadlift
  • DNF: Did Not Finish
  • EMOM: Every Minute on the Minute
  • FS: Front squat
  • GHD: Glute hamstring developer. A device that allows for posterior chain exercise, such as a hip extension, sit-up or a back extension.
  • GPP: General physical preparedness, aka “fitness.”
  • HC: Hang Clean
  • HSPU: Hand stand push up. Kick up into a handstand (use wall for balance, if needed) bend arms until nose touches floor and push back up.
  • HSC: Hang squat clean. 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
  • IF: Intermittent Fasting
  • KB: Kettlebell
  • KTE: Knees to elbows. Similar to TTBs described below.
  • MetCon: Metabolic Conditioning workout
  • 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 the head and in line or slightly behind the ears.
  • PC: Power clean
  • Pd: Pood, weight measure for kettlebells
  • PR: Personal record
  • PP: Push press
  • PJ: Push Jerk
  • PSN: Power snatch
  • PU: Pull-ups, possibly push ups depending on the context
  • Rep: Repetition. One performance of an exercise.
  • Rx’d; as Rx’d: As prescribed; as written. WOD done without any adjustments.
  • RM: Repetition maximum. Your 1RM is your max lift for one rep. Your 10 RM is the most you can lift 10 times. (Commonly found in WOD’s as 1RM/3RM/5RM etc.)
  • SC: Squat Clean
  • SDHP: Sumo Deadlift High Pull 
  • Set: A number of repetitions. e.g., 3 sets of 10 reps, often seen as 3×10, means do 10 reps, rest, repeat, rest, repeat.
  • SPP: Specific physical preparedness, aka skill training.
  • SN: Snatch
  • SQ: Squat
  • Subbed: Substituted. The CORRECT use of “subbed,” as in “substituted,” is, “I subbed an exercise I can do for one I can’t,” For example,if you can’t do a HSPU, you subbed regular push-ups. 
  • TTB: Toes to bar. Hang from bar. Bending only at waist raise your toes to touch the bar, slowly lower them and repeat.
  • WO, sometimes W/O: Workout
  • WOD: Workout of the day
  • # : Symbol for Lbs. or Pounds
  • ” : Symbol for Inches

Other Terms:

  • The “Girls” : A series of benchmark workouts created by CFHQ that are universally known among the CF community. 
  • The “Heroes” :  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. There are sadly too many of them. Read here for a great explanation of them.
  • Tabata Interval: A workout of 8 intervals alternating 20 seconds of max rep work with 10 seconds of rest. Total is 4 minutes per exercise. Score the lowest interval rep count.
  • Paleo and Zone: Types of diet and nutrition protocol commonly found in the CF lifestyle. 

CF FAQ:

  • Here are the most common questions people have when starting CF workouts: FAQ Page 

Deadlift bars ready to roll out
CrossFit is filled with TLA (Three Letter Acronyms) and plenty of confusing terms that seem to blend together, sound the same or just cause a blank look when reading the whiteboard. Here’s a guide to the most common:

  • AMRAP: As Many Rounds (or Reps) as Possible
  • BS: Back squat
  • BTWB: Beyond the Whiteboard. A website for tracking your WOD’s.
  • BW (or BWT): Body weight
  • CFT: CrossFit Total (A best of three attempts at a 1RM of (Press/DL/BS)
  • CF: CrossFit
  • CFHQ: CrossFit Headquarters
  • CFWU:CrossFit Warm-up
  • CLN: Clean
  • C&J: Clean and jerk
  • C2: Concept II rowing machine
  • DFL: Dead F’ing Last
  • DL: Deadlift
  • DNF: Did Not Finish
  • EMOM: Every Minute on the Minute
  • FS: Front squat
  • GHD: Glute hamstring developer. A device that allows for posterior chain exercise, such as a hip extension, sit-up or a back extension.
  • GPP: General physical preparedness, aka “fitness.”
  • HC: Hang Clean
  • HSPU: Hand stand push up. Kick up into a handstand (use wall for balance, if needed) bend arms until nose touches floor and push back up.
  • HSC: Hang squat clean. 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
  • IF: Intermittent Fasting
  • KB: Kettlebell
  • KTE: Knees to elbows. Similar to TTBs described below.
  • MetCon: Metabolic Conditioning workout
  • 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 the head and in line or slightly behind the ears.
  • PC: Power clean
  • Pd: Pood, weight measure for kettlebells
  • PR: Personal record
  • PP: Push press
  • PJ: Push Jerk
  • PSN: Power snatch
  • PU: Pull-ups, possibly push ups depending on the context
  • Rep: Repetition. One performance of an exercise.
  • Rx’d; as Rx’d: As prescribed; as written. WOD done without any adjustments.
  • RM: Repetition maximum. Your 1RM is your max lift for one rep. Your 10 RM is the most you can lift 10 times. (Commonly found in WOD’s as 1RM/3RM/5RM etc.)
  • SC: Squat Clean
  • SDHP: Sumo Deadlift High Pull 
  • Set: A number of repetitions. e.g., 3 sets of 10 reps, often seen as 3×10, means do 10 reps, rest, repeat, rest, repeat.
  • SPP: Specific physical preparedness, aka skill training.
  • SN: Snatch
  • SQ: Squat
  • Subbed: Substituted. The CORRECT use of “subbed,” as in “substituted,” is, “I subbed an exercise I can do for one I can’t,” For example,if you can’t do a HSPU, you subbed regular push-ups. 
  • TTB: Toes to bar. Hang from bar. Bending only at waist raise your toes to touch the bar, slowly lower them and repeat.
  • WO, sometimes W/O: Workout
  • WOD: Workout of the day
  • # : Symbol for pounds or lbs.
  • ” : Symbol for inches
  • ‘ : Symbol for feet

Other Terms:

  • The “Girls” : A series of benchmark workouts created by CFHQ that are universally known among the CF community. 
  • The “Heroes” :  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. There are sadly too many of them. Read here for a great explanation of them.
  • Tabata Interval: A workout of 8 intervals alternating 20 seconds of max rep work with 10 seconds of rest. Total is 4 minutes per exercise. Score the lowest interval rep count.
  • Paleo and Zone: Types of diet and nutrition protocol commonly found in the CF lifestyle. 

CF FAQ:

  • Here are the most common questions people have when starting CF workouts: FAQ Page