911 Crossfit Workouts: Tribute, Memorial, & Hero WODs

911 CrossFit Workouts

CrossFit does a great job of using fitness to honor the memories of events and people. CrossFit’s hero WODs, for example, are named for fallen public service members. This includes law enforcement officers, military personnel, and first responders. CrossFit gyms around the world now create their own hero WODs to honor the lives of local heroes.

CrossFit Memorial and Tribute WODs are named for events as well as individuals.

What is the purpose of a CrossFit Memorial WOD?

The purpose of memorial WODs is to use fitness as a small tribute to the lives of those who are no longer with us. Thousands of people around the world complete CrossFit Memorial WODs every year. Doing a memorial WOD with others fosters a sense of community and reverence for the fallen. CrossFit gyms also use memorial WODs to fundraise for various charities.

Why is there a 9/11 Memorial WOD?

On September 11, 2001, the terrorist organization Al Qaeda hijacked four US flights. The attackers flew two into the World Trade Center’s twin towers in New York City. They crashed a third plane into the Pentagon outside of Washington, D.C.

The fourth crash landed in a rural Pennsylvania field after travelers on the flight overpowered the hijackers.

The full impact of those events is still unraveling today. To say September 11th has had a lasting effect on the American public is an understatement. Most of us who were alive that day remember every detail. Where we were when it happened. How we watched the second plane collide with the south tower on live television. Nearly 3,000 New Yorkers, tourists, firefighters, police officers, and others lost their lives. Over 10,000 were injured.

CrossFit gyms host 9/11 Memorial WOD events to commemorate the lives lost on that day. Completing the WOD is a way to pay respect and remember a day that changed not only American lives but millions of lives worldwide. So many CrossFit hero WODs are named for those who lost their lives in the subsequent wars.

For a list of CrossFit hero WODs and charities, you can donate to on behalf of the fallen, see my article on Hero WODs.

What is the 9/11 Memorial WOD?

The 9/11 Memorial WOD, also called the 9/11 “Tribute WOD,” is completed for time. This WOD involves several pieces of equipment, including:

Barbell and plates for thrusters, power cleans, deadlifts, and push jerks.

A kettlebell for swings.

A pull-up bar for pull-ups and toes-to-bar.

A rower for the 2001 meter row.

You can find the prescribed load for male and female athletes in parentheses after each exercise.

9/11 Memorial WOD Exercises

The WOD includes two 2001-meter cardio events, the run and the row. The distance represents the year of the attacks – 2001. The athlete can either start with the run and finish with the row or start with the row and finish with the run.

There are nine exercises, each with 11 reps, representing 9/11. The prescribed load for each exercise represents an aspect of 9/11.

125-pound thrusters represent the number of individuals killed by the flight that crashed into the Pentagon.

175-pound power clean represents American Airlines Flight 175 that struck the World Trade Center’s south tower.

170-pound deadlift represents American Airlines Flight 77 (Pentagon) and Flight 93 (Pennsylvania). The flight numbers combine to 170.

110-pound push jerk represents the number of floors in each of the World Trade Center’s towers.

9/11 Tribute WOD

For Time:

2001 meter Run

11 Box Jumps (30/24 in)

11 Thrusters (125/85 lb)

11 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups

11 Power Cleans (175/115 lb)

11 Handstand Push-Ups

11 Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)

11 Toes-to-Bars

11 Deadlifts (170/115 lb)

11 Push Jerks (110/75 lb)

2001 meter Row

Score: Total time to complete each exercise.

The 9/11 Memorial WOD has become the most popular WOD to do on 9/11. Over the years, CrossFit gyms have come up with other WODs to mark the anniversary of 9/11. Here are a few others to try.

The Never Forget WOD

3 Rounds For Time:

100-meter Sandbag Carry (135/90 lb)

9 Handstand Push-Ups

11 Overhead Squats (115/75 lb)

343 9/11 Firefighter Memorial WOD

This WOD commemorates the 343 New York firefighters who lost their lives on 9/11.

For Time:

100 Deadlifts (135/95 lb)

100 Power Cleans (95/65)

100 Ground-to-Overheads (65/45 lb)

43 Burpees

9/11 Partner WOD

For Time (with a Partner):

Buy-In: 2,001 meter Row

4 Rounds of:

9 Rope Climbs

11 Bear Complexes (135/95 lb)*

Cash-Out: 2,977 meter Row

Why You Should Try a Memorial WOD

Completing a memorial WOD may not seem like much. But anything we can do to keep the memory of those lost on 9/11 alive is a step in the right direction. Someday, all who witnessed 9/11 will pass into memory. It’s our responsibility to pass down those memories to the younger generation, so the significance of 9/11 is not lost to history. Gathering with others to share our memories and grind through a fitness challenge is a great way to keep those memories alive.

If you agree with this idea – I’ve included some popular CrossFit workouts below you can do to honor fallen members of the armed forces.

Murph

Murph is the most well-known CrossFit workout. The workout is named in memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy. Murphy, a Navy SEAL, was killed in action during the war in Afghanistan.

While wearing body armor or a weight vest for time:

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

Chad

Chad is named for Navy Seal Chad Wilkinson. Wilkinson took his life on October 29, 2018. Chad is performed on Veteran’s Day in gyms around the country to honor Chad’s memory and raise awareness for suicide prevention.

For Time:

1,000 Step Ups
20-inch box, bench, or elevated surface
Wearing a 35(F)/45(M) pound pack or weight vest

Whitten

Whitten is named for US Army Capt. Dan Whitten of 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Whitten was killed by an IED on February 2, 2010, in Afghanistan.

Five Rounds for Time:

22 Kettlebell swings, 2 pood
22 Box Jumps, 24-inch box
Run 400 Meters
22 Burpees
22 Wall Balls, 20-pound ball

DT

DT is named for Air Force Staff Sgt. Timothy P. Davis. An IED killed Davis in Afghanistan on Feb 20, 2009.

5 Rounds for Time:

155-pound Deadlift, 12 reps
155-pound Hang Power Cleans, 9 reps
155 pound Push Jerks, 6 reps

Zeus

The Zeus workout is named for US Army Spc. David Hickman of the 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment. Spc. An IED killed Hickman in Iraq on November 14, 2011. He was the last US service member killed during the Iraq war.

Three Rounds for Time:

30 Wall-Ball Shots, 20-pound ball

75-pound Sumo Dead lift High-Pulls, 30 reps

30 Box Jumps, 20″ box

75-pound Push Press, 30 reps

Row 30 calories

30 Push-Ups

Body weight Back Squats, 10 reps

Emily

Emily is named for US Army Second Lieutenant Emily Jazmin Tatum Perez, who was killed in an IED attack on September 12, 2006.

Ten Rounds for Time:

30 Double Unders
15 Pull-Ups
30 Squats
100-m Sprint
Rest 2 minutes