Your CrossFit vocabulary guide.

Start with the format

The board summarizes the class. Your coach will explain the work; this glossary is a reference to use before or afterward. You do not have to memorize every acronym during your first week.

WOD · Workout of the Day

WOD names the day’s workout. A repetition is one performance of a movement. A round is one complete pass through the specified group of exercises.

AMRAP · Work within a set time

As many rounds or repetitions as possible within the stated time. An 8-minute AMRAP, for example, ends when those 8 minutes are up. The format does not replace your coach’s guidance on technique and pace.

EMOM · Every minute on the minute

The assigned work begins at the start of each minute. In a 6-minute EMOM, each minute marks a new block. Listen to the day’s explanation: movements or tasks may alternate.

For time · A task and a finishing time

Complete the assigned work and record how long it takes. A time cap sets a maximum duration for that block. Your coach will explain what to record if the cap arrives before you finish.

RX and Scaled · Describing your version

RX means completing the workout as prescribed. Scaled means some part was adapted. Your coach guides the appropriate option for you. RX is not a requirement for belonging at RETO or an obligation for your first month.

Try it in your next class

Identify the day’s format. Does the clock tell you how long to work, or measure how long you take? That distinction makes the explanation easier to follow. Arrive early if you want to ask your coaches about an unfamiliar word.

Read the board in a useful order

Before focusing on every number, identify four things: format, time or amount of work, movements and the conditions of your version. That sequence turns abbreviations into instructions you can follow. Your coach’s explanation fills in what the board summarizes.

Start with the format: does the clock set how long you work, or measure how long you take to finish? Next read the sequence. Finally, confirm the variation, load or adjustment for you. The same board can lead to different appropriate versions within the group.

You do not need to guess an unfamiliar number or copy another person’s setup. It may mean repetitions, distance, machine calories or load. Recognizing the unit prevents a correct number from becoming the wrong instruction.

Worked example: counting an AMRAP

Suppose you finish four full rounds, then six repetitions of A and three of B. Your result is 4 rounds + 9 repetitions, not five rounds: the last sequence was incomplete. If total repetitions are requested, the calculation is 4 × 14 + 9 = 65.

Letters keep attention on reading the format rather than learning a movement. In class, your coach explains the actual movements and adaptations. Recording a score does not change that priority.

Worked example: the minute organizes an EMOM

Imagine a six-minute EMOM with two alternating stations: A in minutes 1, 3 and 5; B in minutes 2, 4 and 6. You visit each station three times. The clock organizes the switch. You do not complete every station within the first minute.

Many EMOMs leave the time after the assigned work for recovery or preparation, depending on the instructions. If the work consistently fills the whole minute but the session intended some margin, your coach can adjust the amount or variation. The format’s name alone does not tell you the intended experience.

Try explaining it in your own words: “I start with A, do B at the next minute and keep alternating.” Being able to say it clearly is more useful than memorizing only what the letters stand for.

For time and time cap: finishing and knowing when to stop

For time records how long you take to finish the assigned task. A time cap sets a limit for that task. Reaching it does not mean continuing indefinitely or turning the final moments into an uncontrolled sprint.

If the limit is 12 minutes and some work remains when the signal comes, stop according to the instructions and record what you completed using the method explained. The exact notation can vary. Understanding the limit before starting avoids improvising afterward.

A result needs context. “10:40 with this variation” tells you more than the time alone. If movements, load or repetitions change later, the comparison is no longer identical.

Make your record describe the work you did

Keep three details: result, variation and one useful observation. For example: “4 + 9, coach-guided variation, held a steadier pace after the start.” You do not need a long story after every session.

RX and Scaled describe workout conditions, not your value as a member. Recording adjustments honestly helps you remember the session. Next time, you have a personal reference instead of relying on memory.

Check your understanding: in the AMRAP example, two full rounds plus six repetitions of A equals 2 + 6, or 34 total repetitions. If you can explain that answer, you are already using the vocabulary to understand the workout.