What does Rx mean in CrossFit? 

If you’re new to CrossFit, you probably noticed that CrossFitters have their own language. 

As welcoming as most CrossFit gyms are, it can be embarrassing to get lost every workout because you don’t know what the instructor means. That’s why I’m starting a series on “What the heck are CrossFitters saying?” to help beginners understand the language of the CrossFit world.

I’ll continue adding to this series as needed so no one has to be confused by the CrossFit vocabulary ever again.

In this article, we’ll cover the definition of RX and how it’s used in CrossFit lingo. 

Then, we’ll discuss CrossFit benchmark WODs (workout of the day) and how they incorporate RX loads.

Lastly, I’ve included 35 popular CrossFit WODs with the Rx loads, times, and distances included.

What Does Rx Mean in CrossFit?

So, what does Rx mean in CrossFit?

Rx in CrossFit means “as prescribed” or “prescribed weight.” The term is taken from the symbol you’ve seen in every local pharmacy. Rx comes from the Latin word “recipe,” meaning “to take.” That’s why it’s used to represent prescriptions.

Here are some examples of how you might hear the term Rx in a CrossFit gym:

• What is the workout Rx for this WOD?
• Can you do the Rx version of this WOD?
• The Rx is a great workout!
• Next time, try the Rx!
• Today, we are going to attempt an Rx workout.
• What’s the WOD Rx for Murph?
• I bet I can complete Chad Rx.

Rx is used as a verb, “Let’s Rx this workout!” and a noun, “I got the Rx done on Diane.”

Rx can also be an adjective to describe one’s skill level. For example, you may call a professional CrossFitter an Rx athlete, meaning they complete the WODs as prescribed.

I told you that CrossFit jargon is confusing.

What does the Rx look like written out?

CrossFit gyms love to write their workouts on a whiteboard/chalkboard.

This makes sense since everyone in the class will do the same workout. It can help to have a visual reminder of the different exercises you have to do. The writing of the Rx usually appears in parentheses after the reps and exercise.

For example:

5 squats (175/135)

The first number (5) is the number of repetitions. The first number in parentheses (175) is the Rx load for a male athlete. The second number (135) is the Rx load for a female athlete. Most CrossFit gyms consistently label the amount of weight for the exercise first by male and second by female.

Rx Fitness Level

The Rx criteria for a WOD are designed for advanced athletes. Most WODs will include prescribed standards for beginner, intermediate, and elite athletes. When a tough workout has a beginner and intermediate level, it is called a scaled workout.

However, the official CrossFit Rx for a workout is written at the elite level. That usually means heavy weights and fast times. Writing the workout this way gives most CrossFitters a standard to strive toward. And it offers elite athletes a standard for becoming professionals capable of competing in the CrossFit Open.

Other things that are prescribed in CrossFit workouts:

Load is one of many Rx aspects of a workout.

Most workouts will also prescribe distance and height depending on the equipment needed.

Boxes: Numerous CrossFit workouts use plyometric (plyo) boxes. Those workouts usually include an Rx of a 24-inch box for male athletes and a 21-inch box for female athletes.

Ropes: Some CrossFit gyms have ropes like the one you dreaded climbing in gym class. Rope climbs are usually between 10-15 ft.

Weight Vests: Most CrossFit workouts that include weight vests use an Rx of 20 lbs for men and 15 lbs for women.

Time: Workouts completed “for time,” meaning as fast as possible, prescribe a “good time” for completion.

Should You Work Towards the Rx for a WOD?

Of course! At the end of the day, the average CrossFitter will not reach the Rx level on most WODs. And that is okay. Because what you can do is strive for a new personal record (PR) when you enter the gym. Striving for progress is the best way to improve your strength and quality of movement.

Staying consistent will take your fitness to the next level.

It’s also important to remember good form. Many people injure themselves doing CrossFit because they are trying to get to an Rx weight or time before they are ready.

It’s far better to progress slowly toward a goal while reducing the risk of injury. Because if you get injured, you will only set yourself back. If you have a good coach, they will tell you to walk when you want to run. If you’re a new CrossFitter, focus on learning proper movement mechanics. Work to improve your metabolic conditioning without overdoing it. If you overtrain, you can’t train.

35 Rx CrossFit WODS

Below are 35 CrossFit WODs with Rx information included. Pick a few to try. Record your score and improve it over the next several months. Focus on a handful of workouts to improve your overall performance.

Want more WODs? Check out our favorite CrossFit Hero WODs!

Macho Man

EMOM for as long as possible:

• 3 Power Cleans (185/135 lb)
• 3 Front Squats (185/135 lb)
• 3 Jerks (185/135 lb)

Hope

3 rounds for total reps in 17 minutes:

• 1-minute Burpees
• 1-minute Power Snatches (75/55 lb)
• 1-minute Box Jumps (24/20 in)
• 1-minute Thrusters (75/55 lb)
• 1-minute Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
• 1-minute Rest

Thompson

10 rounds for time:

• 1 Rope Climb (15 ft) (from seated)
• 29 Back Squats (95/65 lb)
• 10-meter Barbell Farmer Carry (2×135/95 lb)

Joshie

3 rounds for time:

• 21 Dumbbell Squat Snatches, Right Arm (40/25 lb)
• 21 L Pull-Ups
• 21 Dumbbell Squat Snatches, Left Arm (40/25 lb)
• 21 L Pull-Ups

Bella

For time:

• 400-meter Run
• 50 Burpees
• 50 KB Alt Arm Deadlifts (24/16kg)
• 50 Air Squats

• 400m Run
• 40 Burpees
• 40 KB Alt Arm Swings (24/16kg)
• 40 Air Squats

• 400-meter Run
• 30 Burpees
• 30 KB Alt Arm Cleans (24/16kg)
• 30 Air Squats

• 400-meter Run
• 20 Burpees
• 20 KB Alt Arm Snatch (24/16kg)
• 20 Air Squats

• 400-meter Run
• 10 Burpees
• 10 KB Alt Arm Devil Press (24/16kg)
• 10 Air Squats

Lumberjack 20

For time:

• 20 Deadlifts (275/185 lb)
• 400 meter Run
• 20 Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)
• 400-meter Run
• 20 Overhead Squats (115/75 lb)
• 400-meter Run
• 20 Burpees
• 400-meter Run
• 20 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
• 400-meter Run
• 20 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
• 400-meter Run
• 20 Dumbbell Squat Cleans (45/35 lb)
• 400-meter Run

12 Days of Christmas

Begin with 1 Sumo Deadlift High-Pull (SDLHP). Then do 2 Thrusters and 1 SDLHP followed by 3 Push Presses, 2 Thrusters, and 1 SDLHP. Continue with this pattern until the final round of 12 Overhead Walking Lunges, 11 Burpees, and each movement descending in repetitions down to 1 SDLHP — 364 total repetitions.

For time, adding one movement per round:

• 1 Sumo Deadlift High-Pull (75/55 lb)
• 2 Thrusters (75/55 lb)
• 3 Push Presses (75/55 lb)
• 4 Power Cleans (75/55 lb)
• 5 Power Snatches (75/55 lb)
• 6 Kettlebell Swings (53/35 lb)
• 7 Pull-Ups
• 8 Knees-to-Elbows
• 9 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
• 10 Double-Unders
• 11 Burpees
• 12 Overhead Walking Lunges (45/25 lb Plate)

Incredible Hulk

AMRAP in 20 minutes:

• 5 Deadlifts (115/75 lb)
• 5 Hang Power Cleans (115/75 lb)
• 5 Front Squats (115/75 lb)
• 5 Push Press (115/75 lb)
• 5 Back Squat (115/75 lb)

Whitten

5 rounds for time:

• 22 Kettlebell Swings (32/24 kg)
• 22 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
• 400-meter Run
• 22 Burpees
• 22 Wall Ball Shots (10/9 ft, 20/14 lb)

Zeus

3 rounds for time:

• 30 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
• 30 Sumo Deadlift High-Pull (75/55 lb)
• 30 Box Jump (20 in)
• 30 Push Presses (75/55 lb)
• 30 calorie Row
• 30 Push-Ups
• 10 Back Squats (Bodyweight)

King Kong

3 rounds for time:

• 1 Deadlift (455/320 lb)
• 2 Muscle-Ups
• 3 Squat Cleans (250/175 lb)
• 4 Handstand Push Ups

Wood

5 rounds for time:

• 400-meter Run
• 10 Burpee Box Jumps (24/20 in)
• 10 Sumo-Deadlift High-Pulls (95/65 lb)
• 10 Thrusters (95/65 lb)
• 1-minute Rest

Painstorm 1

For time:

3 rounds of:

• 400-meter Run
• 21 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
• 12 Pull-Ups

Directly into:

• 10 Pull-Ups
• 10 Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)
• 15 Push-Ups
• 200-meter Run

• 20 Pull-Ups
• 20 Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)
• 30 Push-Ups
• 400-meter Run

• 40 Pull-Ups
• 40 Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)
• 60 Push-Ups
• 800-meter Run

Finally, AMRAP in 10 minutes:

• Single-Arm Kettlebell Snatches (24/16 kg)

Fatal 40

400-meter run at the start and after each 40-rep movement.

For time:

• 40 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
• 40 Hang Cleans (95/65 lb)
• 40 Pull-Ups
• 40 Deadlifts (95/65 lb)
• 40 Push-Ups
• 40 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
• 40 Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)
• 40 Toes-to-Bars
• 40 Air Squats
• 40 Hang Snatches (95/65 lb)
• 40 Double-Unders
• 40 Sit-Ups
• 40 Burpees

Fight Gone Bad

3 rounds for total reps in 17 minutes:

• 1-minute Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
• 1-minute Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls (75/55 lb)
• 1-minute Box Jumps (20 in)
• 1-minute Push Press (75/55 lb)
• 1 minute Row (calories)
• 1-minute Rest

Hallowod

For time:

• 10 Burpees
• 31 Russian Kettlebell Swings (32/24 kg)
• 10 Burpees
• 31 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
• 10 Burpees
• 31 Push Presses (75/55 lb)
• 10 Burpees
• 31 Pull-Ups
• 10 Burpees
• 31 Ball Slams (30/20 lb)
• 10 Burpees
• 31 Dumbbell Snatches (50/35 lb)
• 1,031-meter Row

Nutts

For time:

• 10 Handstand Push-Ups
• 15 Deadlifts (250/175 lb)
• 25 Box Jumps (30/24 in)
• 50 Pull-Ups
• 100 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
• 200 Double-Unders
• 400-meter Run (with 45/35 lb plate)

Luke

For time:

• 400-meter Run
• 15 Clean-and-Jerks (155/105 lb)
• 400-meter Run
• 30 Toes-to-Bars
• 400-meter Run
• 45 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
• 400-meter Run
• 45 Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)
• 400-meter Run
• 30 Ring Dips
• 400-meter Run
• 15 Weighted Lunge Steps (155/105 lb)
• 400-meter Run

The Seven

7 rounds for time:

• 7 Handstand Push-Ups
• 7 Thrusters (135/95 lb)
• 7 Knees-to-Elbows
• 7 Deadlifts (245/165 lb)
• 7 Burpees
• 7 Kettlebell Swings (32/24 kg)
• 7 Pull-Ups

Lindsay

For time:

• 24 calorie Row
• 24 Box Jumps
• 24 Push-Ups
• 24 Snatches (75/55 lb)
• 24 Pull-Ups
• 24 Burpees
• 24 Thrusters (75/55 lb)
• 24 Air Squats
• 24 AbMat Sit-Ups
• 24 Clean-and-Jerks (75/55 lb)
• 2 x 400 m run
• 24 Walking Lunges
• 24 Push Presses (75/55 lb)
• 24 Kettlebell Swings (53/35 lb)
• 24 Front Squats (75/55 lb)
• 24 Toes-to-Bars / Knee Raises
• 24 Overhead Squats
• 24 Ring Dips
• 24 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
• 24 Double Unders
• 24 Handstand Push-Ups
• 24 Kettlebell Snatches (24/16 kg) (alternating)
• 24 Deadlifts (75/55 lb)
• 24 Hang Squat Cleans (75/55 lb)

Donald L. Wheeler Jr.

Time Cap: 22 minutes

13 rounds for time:

• 13 Air Squats
• 13 Push-Ups
• 13 Reverse Crunches
• 13 Dips

• Cash-Out: 4-minute plank hold (cumulative)

31 Heros

Partners switch after each run.

AMRAP (with a partner) in 31 minutes:

Person A performs AMRAP of:

• 8 Thrusters (155/105 lb)
• 6 Rope Climbs (15 ft)
• 11 Box Jumps (30/24 in)

While Person B performs:

• 400-meter Sandbag Run (45/25 lb)

The Don

For time:

• 66 Deadlifts (110/75 lb)
• 66 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
• 66 Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)
• 66 Knees-to-Elbows
• 66 Sit-Ups
• 66 Pull-Ups
• 66 Thrusters (55/35 lb)
• 66 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
• 66 Burpees
• 66 Double-Unders

The Frontline 365

For time:

• Buy-In: 365-meter Run

Directly into:

• 52 Deadlifts (75/55 lb)
• 52 Toes-to-Bars
• 52 Air Squats
• 52 Cleans (75/55 lb)
• 52 Pull-Ups
• 52 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
• 52 Hollow Rocks
• 52 Snatches (75/55 lb)
• 52 Burpees
• 52 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
• 52 Shoulder-to-Overheads (75/55 lb)
• 52 Double-Unders

• Buy-Out: 1-minute Unbroken Plank Hold

12/31

For time:

• 31 Push Presses (75/55 lb)
• 31 Pull-Ups
• 31 Snatches (75/55 lb)
• 31 Sit-Ups
• 31 Toes-to-Bars
• 31 Push-Ups
• 31 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
• 31 Back Squats (75/55 lb)
• 31 Unbroken Double-Unders
• 31 Thrusters (75/55 lb)
• 31 Lunges
• 31 Burpees
• 365-meter Row

Hotshots 19

6 rounds for time:

• 30 Air Squats
• 19 Power Cleans (135/95 lb)
• 7 Strict Pull-Ups
• 400-meter Run

210615

• Tabata Back Squats (95/65 lb)
• Rest 1 minute
• Tabata L-sit
• Rest 1 minute
• Tabata Ring Row
• Rest 1 minute
• Tabata Handstand Hold
• Rest 1 minute
• Tabata Row

Diane

Time cap: 9 minutes  

21-15-9 reps of:

• Deadlifts (225 / 155 lb)
• Handstand push-ups

Then,

21-15-9 reps of:

• Deadlifts (315/ 205 lb)
• 50-ft. handstand walk after each set

Bauer

For time:

• 2-minute Elbow Plank (in silence)
• 13 Burpees
• 18 Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)
• 31 Push-Ups
• 53 Goblet Squats (50/35 lb)
• 53 Burpees
• 31 Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)
• 18 Push-Ups
• 13 Goblet Squats (50/35 lb)
• 2-minute Wall Sit (in silence)

210713

Wear a weight vest (14/20 lb)

4 rounds for time of:

• Lunge 100-meters
• Run 300-meters

Andi

For time:

• 100 Hang Power Snatches (65/45 lb)
• 100 Push Presses (65/45 lb)
• 100 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls (65/45 lb)
• 100 Front Squats (65/45 lb)

171112

42-30-18 reps for time of:

• Wall-Ball Shots (20 lb)
• GHD Sit-Ups

Filthy 50

For time:

• 50 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
• 50 Jumping Pull-Ups
• 50 Kettlebell Swings (16/12 kg)
• 50 Walking Lunge Steps
• 50 Knees-to-Elbows
• 50 Push Presses (45/35 lb)
• 50 Back Extensions
• 50 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
• 50 Burpees
• 50 Double-Unders

Fat Amy

For time:

• 50 Air Squats
• 10 Burpees
• 40 Sit-Ups
• 10 Burpees
• 30 Lunges (alternating legs)
• 10 Burpees
• 20 Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kgs)
• 10 Burpees
• 10-meter Bear Crawl
• 10 Burpees
• 20 Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kgs)
• 10 Burpees
• 30 Lunges (alternating legs)
• 10 Burpees
• 40 Sit-Ups
• 10 Burpees
• 50 Air Squats

Chad

Wear a ruck pack (45/35 lb)

For time:

• 1,000 Box Step-Ups (20 in)