THE Ultimate Cheat Sheet To Talking To A CrossFitter

What is CrossFit?

CrossFit is defined as:

"Functional movement constantly varied and performed at high intensity. "

Most of the people who go to the gym don’t want to be talked to, they wear headphones, and they want to get in and get out.

CrossFit is a fitness craze sweeping the nation and allowing anyone to become a coach or affiliate (we’ll cover what affiliate means later). CrossFit is a highly technical sport in which you do extremely high intensity (past exhaustion) highly technical exercises.

Note: Highly technical exercises done past the point of exhaustion…We’ll touch base on that later.

Why is CrossFit so popular?

CrossFit is so popular to the masses because it’s more of a fad and hot trend than it is sound training. The ability to jump in and start making results is great; the hard part is finding a good coach.

Boxes (CrossFit gyms) are popping up everywhere because they are extremely lucrative. Ever wonder why some of your hardcore bodybuilder and powerlifter YouTubers and personalities are hopping on the CrossFit bandwagon? It’s $$$$$.

Signing up for CrossFit is costly and extremely time-consuming. There comes a huge boost of purpose and a real sense of achievement when you do start seeing results. That alone should be enough, right?

Another great thing about CrossFit is you get to learn new moves. Not only are they new, but they are highly technical. You can slap on what looks like 800 pounds but in reality, it’s closer to 135 and sling it around like a savage. It would be pretty satisfying.

So why are you making fun of CrossFit?

CrossFit supposedly is very stringent on making the sport safe, but I would have to disagree with that. The level of experience a CrossFit coach is relatively low, and then you get to listen to him tell you to keep going even when you are not performing the exercise correctly.

Lifting, in general, can cause injuries; hell even walking down the street can leave you paralyzed… the thing I’m trying to point out here is that there are many, many reasons why CrossFit gets made fun of and makes many hardcore lifters (not in it for the money) roll their eyes.

CrossFit in its most basic reason for existing is great – getting people healthy and active. What comes with that (money, more money, injuries, and money) is what ruins it. You start up a CrossFit gym and you start raking in the money. Hire a good coach? Screw that.

CrossFit Terms To Know

• Affiliate – AKA Owners. They joined because they see the $$$.
• Air Squat – Squat without weight
• AMRAP – As Many Repetitions/Rounds As Possible. Go until you get hurt, die, or make time.
• As Rx’d – As Prescribed. This is hippie lingo so use it sparingly.
• Ass to Grass/Ground (ATG) – The way you’re supposed to squat every time.
• Back Squat – (Barbell) back squat
• Bacon Sizzle – When you have completed a WOD or whatever and you can’t get comfortable on the ground.
• Beast – Someone who didn’t get injured or die that day.
• Box – The term used for these exclusive CrossFit gyms.
• Box Jump – You jump up onto a box and jump down. Usually trying to juggle or do something stupid.
• Burpee – They suck
• BW – bodyweight
• C&J – Clean and jerk. Lifting movement of moving weight to rack position (clean) and then moving weight above head (jerk).
• C2 – Concept 2 rowing machine. Supposedly the only rowing machine allowed to be sold to CrossFit.
• CFT – CrossFit Total. The combined weight of your max squat, press, deadlift.
• Chalk – Helps with grip… you know, powerlifters and other people use it too.
• Chin Up – Bar is held with palms facing you (supinated grip). Pull body up to where chin crosses the bar. Only counts if you cheat rep it.
• Chipper – a workout with many reps and many movements. You chip away at it or go to the hospital… whatever comes first
• Clean (CLN) – Olympic exercise that CrossFit has butchered in order to get out as many reps as possible.
• Coach – the loosely used title of a CrossFit “trainer”
• CrossFit – The Cult of Fitness
• CrossFitter – Someone allowed into their cult
• CrossFit Games – Annual CrossFit competition championship where everyone gathers and talks about how they CrossFit.
• CrossFit Journal – CrossFit’s internal publication featuring information on workouts, movements, stories, and news. Annual subscription allows unlimited access to info about cult gatherings and new ways to make money.
• CrossFit Lung – name for hacking cough and lung-burning sensation one sometimes gets after a particularly hard workout. AKA You’re probably not going to make it.
• CrossFit Open – Initial round of the CrossFit Games. Open to any who completes and doesn’t break something.
• CrossFit Regionals – regional qualifying competitions for CrossFit Games
• CTB/C2B – Chest to bar pull up. Pull body up so that chest crosses the bar.
• DFL – Dead Effing Last (at least you didn’t dislocate a shoulder)
• DNF – Did not finish (probably in the hospital)
• DNS – Did not start (smartest move yet)
• DOMS – Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. You know, what you feel a couple of days after lifting.
• Double Unders – Two turns of the jump rope per jump.
• EMOTM – Every Minute on the Minute
• Front Squat – (Barbell) front squat.
• Firebreather – a top-notch athlete that manages to not get injured that day
• GHD – Glute-Hamstring Developer. Intense workout that focuses on the glute-hamstring region.
• GHR – Glute-Hamstring Raise
• Girl Workout – Naming structure by CrossFit HQ for WOD’s
• Globo Gym – Term used to talk down about a lowly “regular gym”
• Goat – Movement or lift that you are not good at. (most of the exercises hardly taught how to be done)
• Gorilla – Someone who is able to muscle through workouts but dumb enough to keep going.
• GPP – General physical preparedness (what CrossFit doesn’t teach)
• Greg Glassman – Founder of CrossFit AKA God
• Hang Clean – Olympic Lift. Barbell starts by hanging from your hips and end in the front squat position. Usually not taught by a coach… just wing it.
• Hang Snatch – Olympic lift. Barbell starts by hanging from your hips and ends up over your head. Usually not taught by a coach… just wing it.
• Hero WODs – Naming structure by CrossFit HQ for WOD’s honoring those who have fallen in the line of duty.
• HQ – Refers to CrossFit Headquarters AKA Heaven
• HSPU – Handstand Push Up (doesn’t count unless you use your legs to help you)
• K2E – Knees to Elbows. While hanging from pull up bar, raise knees up to touch your elbows.
• Kettle Bell – a common CrossFit weight. Measured in 16lb increments called Pood’s
• Kipping – a rocking motion to help use momentum to complete a pull-up or any exercise that you’d like.
• Level 1 Certification – encompasses sufficient understanding of CrossFit’s methods, concepts, and movements to continue independent and successful development as a CrossFit trainer or athlete. You’re in the door.
• Level 2 Certification – designed for those who are interested in advancing their training skills by demonstrating, and being evaluated on, their ability to teach CrossFit concepts and movements. The Level 2 Certifications include education on nutrition, programming, the movements, and teaching the movements to others. Also covered are some of the intangibles of training and the business of training. Prerequisites for Level 2 are completion of the Level 1 course, and training others using CrossFit movements and concepts for at least 6 months is recommended. You’re definitely making money now.
• Level 3 Certification – highest level certification. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to train other trainers by attending a CrossFit Level 1 Certification as an intern. It also requires in-depth study of the key components of CrossFit’s programming through attending at least 5 of the CrossFit Specialist Certifications. You have made it into the Cash Cow known as CrossFit.

• MetCon – Metabolic Conditioning aka Conditioning…
• MWOD – Mobility and stretching work
• Muscle Up – A combination of pull-up and ring dip.
• Overhead Squat – squat with barbell held overhead.
• Paleo Diet – following a diet routine of only eating what paleolithic humans ate. Diet excludes any grains and processed food.
• PB – Personal Best.
• Pood (Pd) – Russian weight measure for kettlebells. 1 pood = 16kg/35lbs.
• Pistol – One-legged squat. Otherwise known as a Pistol Squat for those who aren’t trendy enough to just use “pistol.”
• Power Clean – Olympic lift. Barbell starts on the ground and ends in the rack position. See definition of clean. Usually not taught by a coach… just wing it.
• Power Snatch – Olympic Lift. Barbell starts on the ground and ends up overhead. See definition of squat. Usually not taught by a coach… just wing it.
• PR – Personal Record. Highest number of reps or fastest time attained at completing a specific WOD.
• Pukie the Clown – You have to puke after the workout due to pain and overexertion.
• Push Jerk – while holding barbell in rack position, slightly squat down and lift weight above head. CrossFit version of a Clean and Jerk.
• Push Press – while holding barbell in rack position, lift weight above head.
• Rack Position – Bar resting on your collar bone and anterior deltoids supported by your hands.
• Renegade Rows – Regular push up with dumbbells in your hand. Every rep you alternate doing a row.
• Rep – A repetition or instance of a given exercise.
• Rest Day – If you’re lucky enough to have one
• RM – Repetition maximum. The most you can lift for a given number of repetitions. IE: 1 rep max, etc.
• ROM – Range of motion
• Rope Climb – staple CrossFit workout and most hated thing in gym class.
• Score – denotes number of total reps completed during workout – hopefully it’s more than hospital.
• Set – a group of repetitions
• Snatch (SN) – Olympic lift. Hang Snatch, Power Snatch, Squat Snatch. Usually not taught by a coach… just wing it.
• Squat – feet shoulder width apart with feet angled slightly outward. Keeping upper body rigid, bend at the knees lowering upper body in straight line. Usually not taught by a coach… just wing it.
• Squat Snatch – Olympic lift. Barbell starts on the ground and ends up in the overhead squat position.  See definition of squat. Usually not taught by a coach… just wing it.
• Stabilize the Midline – Controlling the muscles around the spine to make it stable and strong during exercise. You know, using proper form.
• Sumo Deadlift High Pull – In a wide stance over a barbell, explosively pull the barbell up from the ground to shoulder height. Usually not taught by a coach… just wing it.
• Tabata – A protocol of 20 seconds of exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest. Named after Dr. Tabata.
• The Board – place where everyone’s scores/times are listed in a CrossFit box. This is like getting a gold star in school.
• Thrusters – Hold barbell in rack position, drop down in squat position with barbell in rack position, return to standing position in exploding motion, pushing the barbell over your head. These are basically what a clean and jerk are supposed to be, with a CrossFit twist.
• Toes to Bar (TtB) – while hanging from a pull up bar, bring toes up to bar.
• Touch and Go (TnG) – No pausing between reps, make sure the weight bounces really hard so you don’t even have to do another rep.
• Unbroken – UB. Perform all workouts in a row or start over at the beginning. Definitely not a term used for your body afterwards.
• Wall Balls – Using a medicine ball, drop into a front squat position and stand up using the momentum to push the ball to hit a target on the wall.
• WOD – “Workout of the Day.” Series of exercises or number of reps for a timed workout.

Wrapping It All Up

There you go, here are most of the mainstream terms for CrossFit. Want to make friends with more CrossFitters? Just start hashtagging every WOD with some of these terms and you will be let into the cul… group.

In all seriousness, the CrossFit movement is great because it’s allowing people from all walks of life (as long as you have money) to get involved in something that helps them get healthy.. that is, if you aren’t crippled with an injury first.

Source: spotmegirl.com