CrossFit Terms, Acronyms, and Jargon

Best Of, CrossFit — By on January 23, 2012 8:59 am

What did you notice the first time you walked into a CrossFit gym?

For me, it was the wall-to-wall white boards, white boards filled with names, times, goals, workouts, etc.  But most of  it was indecipherable, just jargon and acronyms.

CrossFit Terms and Lingo

To help make sense of this unique language, I have compiled a list of 60 CrossFit terms that you are likely to encounter if you workout at a CrossFit gym.

This list is a “work in progress,” so please let me know what needs to be added.

Basic CrossFit Terms:

  • AMRAP:  As Many Repetitions (or Rounds) As Possible – typically in a specified timeframe
  • As Rx’d:  As Prescribed – the suggested parameters for a given exercise (weight for example)
  • PB:  Personal Best
  • PR:  Personal Record
  • Rep:  A repetition or one instance of a given exercise
  • Set:  A group of repetitions
  • WOD:  Workout of the Day

Intermediate CrossFit Terms:

  • Air Squat:  (see video)
  • Box:  A CrossFit gym
  • Box Jump:  An exercise where you jump onto and down from an elevated platform  (see video)
  • BP:  Bench Press (see video)
  • BS:  Back Squat (see video)
  • Burpee:  (see video)
  • BW:  Body weight
  • CFT:  CrossFit Total –  The combined weight of your max squat, press, and deadlift
  • Chipper:  A workout with many reps and many movements (you chip away at it)
  • C&J:  Clean and Jerk (see video)
  • CLN:  Clean (see video) – Additional versions include Hang Clean, Power Clean, and Squat Clean
  • CU:  Chin Up – Bar is held with palms facing you (supinated grip)
  • C2:  Concept II rowing machine
  • CTB or C2B:  Chest to Bar (as in pull ups)
  • DB:  Dumbbell
  • DL:  Dead lift (see video)
  • DOMS:  Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
  • DU’s:  Double Unders – two turns of the jump rope per jump (see video)
  • EMOM:  Every Minute on the Minute
  • FS:  Front Squat (see video)
  • GHD:  Glute-Hamstring Developer (see video)
  • GHR:  Glute-Hamstring Raise
  • Good Mornings:  (see video)
  • Hollow Rocks:  (see video)
  • HSPU – Hand Stand Push-Up (see video)
  • KB:  Kettle Bell
  • K2E:  Knees to Elbows (similar to T2B)
  • Kipping:  (see video)
  • MetCon:  Metabolic Conditioning
  • MOBWOD: Mobility and stretching work
  • MP:  Military Press
  • MU: Muscle Up – A combination of a pull-up and a ring dip (see video)
  • OH:  Overhead
  • OHS:  Overhead squat (see video)
  • Pistols:  (see video)
  • PJ:  Push Jerk
  • PP:  Push Press
  • PU:  Pull Up or Push Up
  • Renegade Rows:  (see video)
  • Rhabdo:  Rhabdomyolysis – A dangerous condition where muscle fibers breakdown at a high rate.
  • RM: Repetition maximum – the most you can lift for a given number of repetitions
  • ROM:  Range of Motion
  • SDHP: Sumo Dead lift High Pull (see video)
  • SJ:  Split Jerk
  • SN:  Snatch (see video) - Additional versions include Hang Snatch, Power Snatch, and Squat Snatch
  • SP:  Shoulder Press
  • SQ:  Squat
  • Stabilize the midline:  Controlling the muscles around the spine to make it stable and strong during an exercise
  • Tabata:  A protocol of 20 seconds of exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest
  • TGU:  Turkish Get Ups (see video)
  • Thrusters:  (see video)
  • TnG:  Touch and Go – No pausing between reps
  • TtB:  Toes to Bar (see video)
  • UB:  Unbroken (perform all in a row or start over at the beginning)
  • Wall Balls:  (see video)

photo credit:  CrossFit Local

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Christmas Abbott – Finding Her Purpose with CrossFit

CrossFit Training – Getting Fit for Life

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About Tim Huntley

A former software entrepreneur, Tim Huntley now spends his time as the editor of My Athletic Life and training for his goal of a sub-60 second 400 meter dash. He is also a part-time farmer and beekeeper.

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