Get started with Crossfit - 5 Benchmark Workouts for Beginners

Have you been curious about trying CrossFit, but are unsure where to start? Then we recommend you read today’s post.

Within CrossFit, there are a variety of classic workouts. These workouts have a specific standard for how they should be performed and are widely known among CrossFit athletes. Most people who have been doing CrossFit for a while have tried these workouts at some point. This makes the training method so rewarding, as you can quickly relate to athletes around the world who have trained the same workouts. These classic workouts are called Benchmark Workouts.

Today, we have selected five Benchmark Workouts that are perfect for beginners who want to get started with high-intensity functional training and want clear measurement points for their progress in endurance and strength.

We recommend that you start by testing these workouts, even if you haven’t yet made CrossFit a habit, and then test them again in six months. This makes it easy to track the progress you are likely to see.

All of these workouts are scalable. With the right adjustments, they can suit different fitness levels and abilities.

1. Cindy

First up is Cindy, one of the simplest and most effective workouts. All you need is a bar for pull-ups. Cindy consists of a 20-minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) with:

5 pull-ups
10 push-ups
15 squats

Scaling for Cindy:

Pull-ups: If you can’t do pull-ups yet, these can be scaled with resistance bands, jumping pull-ups, or hanging ring rows.
Push-ups: If needed, regular push-ups can be replaced with inclined push-ups on a plyobox.
Squats: Perform squats with your own body weight. If you have limited mobility, work within your range of motion and focus on good technique.

The goal is to maintain a steady pace and complete as many rounds and reps as possible within 20 minutes. This workout tests both endurance and conditioning. If you scale any of the exercises, make a note of the scaling in your result.

2. Fran

Next up is the intense Fran – a quick workout that challenges both strength and conditioning. The rep scheme is 21-15-9 of:

Thrusters (43 kg for men, 29 kg for women)
Pull-ups

This means you first do 21 reps of both exercises, then 15, and finally 9 – three rounds with decreasing reps.

Scaling for Fran:

Thrusters: If the weight feels too heavy, reduce it or switch to a push press if it’s difficult to perform deep squats.
Pull-ups: Scale pull-ups with resistance bands, jumping variations, or reduce the number of reps.

Fran should be done with high intensity; beginners can aim to complete it within 8 minutes.

3. Helen

Helen is a classic conditioning and strength workout with three rounds for time of:

400 meters running
21 kettlebell swings (24 kg for men, 16 kg for women)
12 pull-ups

Scaling for Helen:

Running: Halve the distance to 200 meters or substitute with 400 meters of rowing or cycling if running is not possible.
Kettlebell swings: Reduce the weight or perform the swings to eye level instead of overhead.
Pull-ups: Scale with resistance bands or jumping pull-ups.

A good goal is to complete Helen in under 15 minutes.

4. Grace

Grace is a strength workout consisting of 30 clean and jerks for time, with the weights 61 kg for men and 43 kg for women.

Scaling for Grace:

Weight: If the weight is too heavy, reduce it to a manageable level so you can do 5-10 reps at a time.
Technique focus: For beginners, it is important to prioritize technique over speed to avoid injury.

Grace should be performed quickly and intensely, with the goal of completing it in under 5 minutes. If the workout takes more than 10 minutes, it’s a sign that you should lower the weight.

5. Annie

Last but not least, we have Annie, a bodyweight and conditioning workout that focuses on core strength and endurance. The rep scheme is 50-40-30-20-10 of:

Double-unders
Sit-ups

Scaling for Annie:

Double-unders: If you have trouble with double-unders, switch to single-unders and double the number of reps. Alternatively, you can double the number and do jumping jacks.
Sit-ups: Perform these with strict technique, aiming to pass your shoulders over your hips with each rep. If necessary, reduce the number of reps.

Annie is a workout where the goal is speed without compromising technique.

Final Thoughts: Test and Retest

These five benchmark workouts are excellent for beginners as they are simple, scalable, and effective in testing various aspects of your physical ability – strength, endurance, and technique.

The most important thing is to test yourself, record your results, and come back in a few months to track your progress. The goal is not just to complete these workouts, but to complete them with good technique so that you have fair measurements to compare yourself to in the future.