Workouts

Benchmark / workouts

Named workouts that have become the standard yardstick in functional fitness. Repeat them every few months and you can see exactly what has improved.

The benchmarks18

Ladder10 min capFran21-15-9 thrusters and pull-upsFor time10 min capGrace30 clean and jerksLadder10 min capDiane21-15-9 deadlifts and handstand push-upsFor time12 min capHelen3 rounds: 400m run, kettlebell swings, pull-upsLadder10 min capElizabeth21-15-9 squat cleans and ring dipsFor time10 min capIsabel30 snatchesFor time15 min capJackie1,000m row, 50 thrusters, 30 pull-upsFor time12 min capKaren150 wall ballsLadder12 min capAnnie50-40-30-20-10 double-unders and sit-upsFor time20 min capNancy5 rounds: 400m run, overhead squatsAMRAP20 minCindy5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 air squats, as many rounds as you canAMRAP20 minMary5 handstand push-ups, 10 pistols, 15 pull-upsFor time30 min capKelly5 rounds: 400m run, box jumps, wall ballsFor time35 min capEva5 rounds: 800m run, kettlebell swings, pull-upsLadder10 min capAmanda9-7-5 muscle-ups and squat snatchesFor time20 min capAngie100 each of pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups and air squatsFor timeBarbara5 rounds of pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups and air squats, with restEMOM30 minChelseaEvery minute: 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 air squats

What they test

Barbell

Fran, Grace, Isabel, Elizabeth, Diane and Amanda: cycling a bar quickly at a moderate load.

Gymnastics and bodyweight

Cindy, Mary, Angie, Barbara, Annie and Chelsea: pull-ups, push-ups, squats and skill under fatigue.

Engine

Helen, Jackie, Nancy, Kelly, Eva and Karen: running, rowing and the ability to keep moving.

How to use benchmarks

Benchmarks are only useful if you repeat them under the same conditions. Choose a small set that covers different things, test it once to get your starting numbers, then come back every eight to twelve weeks.

A balanced set of five:

  • Fran for short barbell and gymnastics work.
  • Grace for barbell cycling at a moderate load.
  • Cindy for bodyweight pacing over 20 minutes.
  • Helen for running mixed with swings and pull-ups.
  • Karen for one movement done for a long time.

Spread the tests over two weeks rather than cramming them into one, and train normally between them.

Scaling them consistently. Pick a version you can repeat: the same load, the same pull-up style, the same box height. When you progress, change one thing at a time, such as the load first and the pull-up style later, so you always know what improved.

Mistakes to avoid.

  • Testing too often. Retesting every few weeks mostly measures how you slept, not how much fitter you are.
  • Comparing a scaled score with a prescribed one. Log which version you did so the history stays honest.
  • Chasing other people's times. The leaderboard is motivating, but the score that matters is your last one.

Fiz keeps your best result on each benchmark, so the comparison is there when you retest. More on when to retest.

Questions

How to log a score →
What are the Girl WODs?
The Girl WODs are the classic benchmark workouts, each given a woman's name: Fran, Grace, Diane, Helen, Elizabeth, Isabel, Jackie, Karen, Annie, Nancy, Cindy, Mary, Kelly, Eva, Amanda, Angie, Barbara and Chelsea among them. Between them they cover barbell work, gymnastics, bodyweight conditioning and running.
How often should I retest a benchmark?
Every 8 to 12 weeks is plenty for most people. Test under similar conditions each time and log the result, so the comparison means something. More on retesting benchmarks.
What's a good Fran time?
Fran is 21-15-9 thrusters (95/65 lb) and pull-ups. A beginner finishes in 8-12 minutes. An intermediate athlete hits 5-8 minutes. Advanced is sub-5 (a 'sub-5 Fran'). Sub-3 Fran is elite territory, reached only by the strongest athletes in the world clock that mark. Track your Fran PRs on Fiz.

Log them in Fiz

Every workout here is free in the Fiz app on iOS and Android, with a leaderboard on each one. Log your score and see where you rank.

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