CrossFit L1 key terms

A strength and conditioning program built on constantly varied, functional movements performed at relatively high intensity, with the aim of broad, general, inclusive physical preparedness rather than specialization.

Training that mixes movements, loads, durations, and rep schemes so no single pattern repeats predictably, preventing overuse and preparing athletes for unknown physical challenges.

Universal motor recruitment patterns such as squatting, pulling, pushing, and carrying that occur in everyday life and sport, typically compound and multi-joint rather than isolated single-joint actions.

The measurable power output of a workout, often expressed as work divided by time; raising it is the primary variable coaches manipulate to drive adaptation.

The rate of doing work, calculated as force multiplied by distance divided by time; in CrossFit it is the central quantity that intensity aims to increase.

In physics terms, force applied over a distance; in training it represents the total physical output of a session before time is factored in.

A broad base of fitness covering cardiovascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy, rather than narrow sport-specific ability.

The ten fitness capacities CrossFit targets: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy.

A model placing health on a spectrum from sick through well to fit, where measurable markers such as blood pressure and body composition improve as fitness increases.

The prescribed training session for a given day, posted in advance, which members complete together and which usually combines varied movements, loads, and time domains.

Adjusting load, volume, range of motion, or movement complexity so an individual can complete a workout at intended intensity while preserving its stimulus and safety.

Replacing a prescribed movement with another that trains a similar pattern or capacity when an athlete cannot safely or effectively perform the original.

Working near the edge of capacity, where technique begins to degrade, so the athlete learns to hold form under fatigue and expand that threshold over time.

The technique and body positions of a movement; one of three interrelated factors alongside consistency and intensity that determine training quality.

Repeating sound mechanics across sessions and under increasing fatigue; the middle factor linking good technique to high intensity in the training hierarchy.

A strength test summing the best of three attempts each in the back squat, strict press, and deadlift, used to measure absolute strength.

A barbell squat with the bar racked across the upper back, descending until the hip crease drops below the knee, then standing to full extension.

A bodyweight squat performed with feet shoulder-width, hips descending below parallel, chest up, and knees tracking over the toes.

A barbell lift from the floor to full standing hip and knee extension, driven by the legs and hips with a neutral spine and the bar close to the body.

An overhead barbell press from the shoulders to full lockout with no leg drive, hips and knees remaining extended throughout the lift.

An overhead press that uses a shallow dip and drive from the legs to move the bar past the sticking point, finishing with locked arms and hips.

An overhead lift where the athlete dips, drives the bar up, then re-bends the knees to catch it overhead before standing to full extension.

An overhead lift caught with one foot forward and one back in a split stance, allowing the athlete to receive the bar lower and more stably.

The vertical leg action preceding an overhead lift: a controlled knee bend followed by explosive extension that transfers force into the barbell.

A lift taking the barbell from the floor to the front-rack position on the shoulders in one movement, receiving it in a squat or partial squat before standing.

A clean caught above parallel with the hips higher than the knees, requiring the athlete to pull the bar higher and drop under it less deeply.

A lift bringing the barbell from the floor to overhead in a single continuous movement, typically received in a deep overhead squat.

A starting position for Olympic lifts in which the bar is held at the thighs or knees rather than the floor, emphasizing hip extension and a fast pull.

A squat with the barbell racked on the front of the shoulders, elbows high, which places more demand on the trunk and quadriceps to stay upright.

A squat performed with the barbell held overhead and arms locked, demanding shoulder mobility, trunk stability, and balanced ankle and hip flexibility.

A compound movement pairing a front squat with a push press so the momentum of standing drives the barbell overhead in one continuous effort.

A movement combining a squat with a medicine-ball throw to a target above standing reach, caught on the way down into the next repetition.

A pull-up that uses a rhythmic swing of the hips and shoulders to generate momentum, allowing more repetitions and developing power and coordination.

A pull-up performed without leg or hip momentum, from a full hang to chin over the bar, emphasizing raw upper-body pulling strength.

A fast cyclic pull-up in which the athlete circles the legs and torso continuously, passing through a hollow and arch to link repetitions without pausing.

A braced body shape with the ribcage pulled down, lower back pressed toward the floor, and legs and arms extended, used in gymnastics and kipping movements.

A body shape with the chest lifted, shoulders pulled back, and legs extended behind, forming the opposite extreme of the hollow and used in the kip swing.

A full-body movement dropping to the chest on the floor, then pushing up and jumping, used to build conditioning and move bodyweight quickly.

A wide-stance deadlift that finishes by pulling the bar to the chin with high elbows, combining hip extension with an upright row.

A hip-dominant movement pattern in which the hips travel backward while the spine stays neutral, loading the posterior chain as in a deadlift or swing.

A ballistic hip-hinge movement that drives a kettlebell forward to chest height through explosive hip extension, with the arms acting as ropes.

The lowest point reached in a squat, defined in CrossFit standards as the hip crease dropping below the top of the knee at the bottom.

The full movement arc a joint or exercise must complete to count as a valid repetition, such as full lockout at the top and required depth at the bottom.

The body's ability to sustain work using oxygen over longer durations, supporting recovery between efforts and endurance in longer workouts.

The ability to produce short, powerful efforts without relying on oxygen, underpinning sprint-type work and high-power intervals.

Training that stresses the body's energy systems through varied durations and intensities to improve cardiovascular and respiratory capacity.