Short answer
WOD is the workout of the day. AMRAP means as many rounds (or reps) as possible in a set time. EMOM means every minute on the minute. Rx means done as prescribed; scaled means adjusted to your level.
- AMRAP
- As many rounds (or reps) as possible in a fixed time. Score: rounds plus extra reps.
- Box
- A CrossFit gym.
- Buy-in / cash-out
- Work done before (buy-in) or after (cash-out) the main part of a workout, such as a 400 m run.
- Chipper
- A long list of movements with high reps, done once through. You “chip away” at it.
- Coach’s choice
- The coach picks the scaling or the movement for you that day.
- DNF
- Did not finish within the time cap.
- EMOM
- Every minute on the minute: do the work at the top of each minute and rest for what is left of it.
- E2MOM, E3MOM
- Every 2 (or 3) minutes on the minute.
- For time
- Finish the work as fast as you can. Score: your time.
- Girls
- Benchmark workouts with women’s names, such as Fran and Grace. See benchmark WODs.
- Hero WOD
- A benchmark named for a fallen service member, such as Murph. Usually long.
- Kipping
- Using a hip swing to power gymnastics movements like pull-ups and toes-to-bar.
- Ladder
- Reps go up (or down) each round, for example 1, 2, 3, 4.
- Metcon
- Metabolic conditioning: the hard, timed part of class.
- Open
- The yearly online CrossFit competition. See events and the Open.
- PR
- Personal record.
- Pood
- Russian kettlebell weight unit; 1 pood is about 16 kg (35 lb), 1.5 pood about 24 kg (53 lb).
- Rx
- As prescribed: every movement, load and standard exactly as written.
- Rx+
- Harder than prescribed: heavier load or harder movement.
- Scaled
- Adjusted load, reps or movement so the workout fits you.
- Tabata
- 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest (4 minutes).
- Time cap
- The maximum time allowed for a workout.
- Unbroken
- All reps of a set done without putting the bar down or coming off the rig.
- WOD
- Workout of the day.
- 1RM, 3RM
- The heaviest load you can lift once (or three times) with good form.
- 21-15-9
- A common rep scheme: three rounds of 21, then 15, then 9 reps of each movement.
Movements have their own page: CrossFit movements explained.
Questions people ask
What does WOD stand for?
Workout of the day: the main workout written on the whiteboard for that class.
What is the difference between AMRAP and EMOM?
An AMRAP is one continuous block where you rest when you choose and try to finish as many rounds as possible. An EMOM restarts every minute: you do a set amount of work and rest for the rest of that minute.
What does Rx mean in CrossFit?
As prescribed. You did the workout with the written loads, reps and movements, with no scaling.
Last reviewed October 29, 2026. Gyms change schedules, prices and owners; confirm with the gym before you go.