You can read about how and why to start with Cross Training and how to compile a training plan in our article: Cross Training: How to start and how to prepare a training plan. Today, we''ll go a little deeper, give concrete examples of Cross Training workouts, and explain a few terms that are widely used in the Cross Training community and in which beginners are often struggling.

WOD

The first acronym that most newcomers to Cross Training will encounter is "WOD". WOD, or workout of the day, means a workout that is prescribed in a given gym for a given day. Everyone who comes to the group lesson will do this workout.

The beautiful thing about Cross Training is that everyone can manage all workouts. Whether you are a high school student, a professional triathlete, IT person, a teacher, or a mother, every WOD is suitable for you. Only the variant of the given training and modifications of prescribed exercises will differ. As an example, if there are push-ups in a WOD, the well-trained individual will practice the classic push-ups from plank position, while an overweight older woman might go for the kneeling version of the push-ups. When there'll be exercises with the Olympic barbells, kettlebells or dumbbells, everyone will choose the weight that is suitable for them. This way you can modify all the exercises that you'll find in Cross Trainings.

METCON, AMRAP, EMOM?

The first time we visit a Cross Training class, we are often confused by the writing on the board, which seems like a random and confusing jumble of letters. Don''t worry though, each acronym has its own logic and meaning, and you''ll soon remember them all, especially after you try out their meaning in practice. :)

Abbreviations related to workouts:

METCON – „Metabolic conditioning“ means any workout that challenges your fitness, shortens your breath and is about doing as many repetitions in a given time window or catching a prescribed workout in the shortest possible time, all of course, while maintaining the correct technique for all movements.
AMRAP – „As many repetitions and rounds as possible“ means there is a predefined time window (so-called timecap: time for which we perform the workout) and a set of exercises with the number of repetitions. You try to repeat the given set of exercises in the timecap as many times as possible. (For example: "AMRAP 10 ': 5 pull-ups, 5 box jumps, 5 sit-ups" means that for 10 minutes you''ll keep doing 5 pull-ups, 5 box jumps, 5 sit-ups over and over again.)
EMOM – „Every minute on the minute“ is a prescribed set of exercises for which you have a maximum of 1 minute to complete. If you finish before the minute is up, you rest for the remaninder of the minute. You do this for a certain amount of minutes. (For example, "EMOM 6 ': 20 squats + 5 push-ups" means that you will repeat the EMOM 6 times, so it will take 6 minutes, and you will do 20 squats and 5 push-ups every minute.)
Chipper – A long workout containing a large number of different exercises with a large number of repetitions. (For example 100 wall balls, 90 sit-ups, 80 air squats, 70 box jumps, 60 double unders, 50 pull-ups, 40 walking lunges, 30 push presses, 20 dips, 10 overhead squats.)
Ladder – is a Pyramid. Increasing or decreasing number of repetitions or weights on the bar. (Like WOD "Annie: 50-40-30-20-10 double unders & sit-ups", where you do 50 double unders, 50 sit-ups, 40 double unders, etc. Or "5-4-3-2-1 clean & jerk, weights: 50-60-70-80-90" where you start with 5 clean & jerks with 50 kg, then you add weight and continue with 4 clean & jerks with 60 kg, and you end with one clean & jerk with 90 kg.)
1RM – „One rep maximum“ is the maximum weight for one repetition. (For example, 1RM back squat.)
PR – „Personal record“. For example: 500 m on a rowing machine completed in 1:30 or 10 strict pull-ups in a row.
No rep – „No repetition“. A repetition that is recognized as invalid. (For example, squat depth too small.)
RX – Workout performed as prescribed. (Without reducing the prescribed weight, modification of exercises.)
Scaled – Workout performed in a modified variation. (Lighter weight on the bar, lighter variantion of exercises.)
Time cap - Time limit for the task or workout. (A time cap of 30 minutes means you'll workout for 30 minutes.)
Skills – Indicates the training of skills such as handstands, exercises on the bar, pistol squats, etc.

BENCHMARKS

Some Cross Training workouts have their own names or titles. These are workouts that are constantly trained in the same form, with the same exercises, number of repetitions and time caps, and it is good to record your result after their completion. Why?

1. They are made to evaluate an athlete''s progress, so you can see how you're getting better if you practice them repeatedly.

2. Your results can be compared with results of Cross Training community from all over the world.

Benchmark workouts are not done very often due to their great difficulty. You only have to go through some of them once a year, and this is often the case in most official Cross Training gyms. The best-known benchmarks are probably "The Girls" (WOD bearing girl's names) and "The Heroes" (workouts named after fallen soldiers, police officers, rescuers, and firefighters in honor of their memory). Benchmarks are also divided according to what we need to perform them: only bodyweweight, barbell, kettlebell, etc.

EXAMPLES OF BENCHMARK WODS FOR BEGINNERS

If I got your attention with the benchmarks description and you want to try some, here are a few examples that are suitable for Cross Training beginnners, because they don't contain exercises that are more demanding on technique.

CINDY

5 Pull-Ups
10 Push-Ups
15 Squats

WOD, which is probably best for beginners as it tests basic bodyweight movements.

ANNIE

50-40-30-20-10
Double Unders
Sit-Ups

One of the basic elements of Cross Training is jumping rope. Double unders are one of the easiest skills to learn. If you still can't handle double unders, you can do twice the number of single unders.

MURPH

1-Mile Run
100 Pull-Ups
200 Push-Ups
300 Squats
1-Mile Run

Murph is suitable for anyone who is at least a little in shape and wants to practice workout with only their own body. When choosing the right variant of exercises, everyone can make it.

LESI

5 Rounds For Time:
30 Burpees
20 Back Squats, 50/30 kg
10 Strict Pull-Ups
200 m Run
1 Legless Rope Climb

Lesi is special because it was created in honor of the fallen Czech soldiers of the Foxtrot platoon. Try this workout and honor their memory.

You can include WOD in your training program / split even if you do not do Cross Training. You'll improve your conditioning, kick your calorie burning and release a lot of endorphins!