Barbell Hero WODs
Hero WODs featuring barbell movements and strength components
A barbell complex that tests grip endurance and technical lifting under fatigue.
Workout:
- • 12 Deadlifts (155/105 lb)
- • 9 Hang Power Cleans (155/105 lb)
- • 6 Push Jerks (155/105 lb)
- • Repeat for 5 rounds
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
Barbell cycling efficiency and grip management are key. Don't drop the bar unnecessarily.
One of the most brutal HERO WODs, combining high reps with technical movements.
Workout:
- • 7 Handstand Push-ups
- • 7 Thrusters (135/95 lb)
- • 7 Knees-to-Elbows
- • 7 Deadlifts (245/165 lb)
- • 7 Burpees
- • 7 Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)
- • 7 Pull-ups
- • Complete 7 rounds for time
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
Manage grip fatigue and transition efficiently between movements. This workout is about consistency over speed.
A brutal chipper HERO WOD with heavy barbell movements and running, honoring the soldiers lost in the Fort Hood tragedy.
Workout:
- • 20 Deadlifts (275/185 lb)
- • 400m Run
- • 20 Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)
- • 400m Run
- • 20 Overhead Squats (115/75 lb)
- • 400m Run
- • 20 Burpees
- • 400m Run
- • 20 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
- • 400m Run
- • 20 Box Jumps (24/20")
- • 400m Run
- • 20 Dumbbell Squat Cleans (45/35 lb)
- • 400m Run
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
This is a long, grueling chipper. Pace the runs and break up barbell movements early.
A long, grindy HERO WOD with heavy cleans, wall balls, and handstand push-ups.
Workout:
- • 30 rounds for time of:
- • 5 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
- • 3 Handstand Push-ups
- • 1 Power Clean (225/155 lb)
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
Pace yourself for 30 rounds. Singles on cleans, break up HSPU early.
A fast, light barbell HERO WOD: 75 power snatches for time.
Workout:
- • 75 Power Snatches (75/55 lb) for time
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
This is a sprint workout. Go unbroken if possible, but break before failure.
A high-skill workout combining Olympic lifting with gymnastics movements.
Workout:
- • 30 Squat Cleans (95/65 lb)
- • 30 Pull-ups
- • 800m Run
- • Repeat for 3 rounds
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
Balance technical lifting with gymnastics endurance while managing fatigue for the runs.
A brutal combination of long-distance running and heavy clean and jerks, testing both aerobic capacity and barbell cycling.
Workout:
- • 1-Mile Run
- • 21 Clean and Jerks (155/105 lb)
- • 800m Run
- • 21 Clean and Jerks (155/105 lb)
- • 1-Mile Run
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
This workout is deceptively brutal. The heavy clean and jerks sandwiched between long runs require careful energy management and technical proficiency under fatigue.
A challenging 10-round workout combining chest-to-bar pull-ups, front squats, and handstand push-ups with short sprint intervals.
Workout:
- • 150m Run
- • 7 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
- • 7 Front Squats (135/95 lb)
- • 7 Handstand Push-Ups
- • Repeat for 10 rounds
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
This workout demands balanced gymnastics strength, barbell cycling ability, and aerobic capacity across 10 rounds. The key is maintaining consistent round times while managing shoulder and grip fatigue.
A grueling combination of thrusters and burpees that tests mental fortitude.
Workout:
- • 100 Thrusters (135/95 lb)
- • At the start of every minute (including 0:00): 5 Burpees
- • Complete for time
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
Balance thruster pacing with burpee timing. Key is finding sustainable thruster sets.
A chipper HERO WOD with running, burpee box jumps, and kettlebell swings.
Workout:
- • 9 Rounds for time of:
- • 7 Squat Cleans (185/135 lb)
- • 8 Burpee Box Jumps (24/20")
- • 9 Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)
- • 400m Run after each round
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
This is a long chipper. Pace the runs and break up reps early.
Collin
Honoring Navy Special Warfare Operator Chief Collin Trent Thomas
A brutal 6-round workout featuring 400m sandbag carries combined with push presses, box jumps, and sumo deadlift high pulls.
Workout:
- • 400m Sandbag Carry (50/35 lb)
- • 12 Push Presses (115/75 lb)
- • 12 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
- • 12 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls (95/65 lb)
- • Repeat for 6 rounds
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
The sandbag carries are the defining element of this workout. Managing grip and posterior chain fatigue while maintaining barbell cycling efficiency is the key to success.
A unique interval-style Hero WOD with 10 rounds of thrusters, pull-ups, and 100m sprints with built-in rest periods.
Workout:
- • 5 Thrusters (115/75 lb)
- • 10 Pull-Ups
- • 100m Sprint
- • Rest 1 minute
- • Repeat for 10 rounds
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
The built-in rest periods allow for aggressive intensity on each round. The challenge is maintaining that intensity across all 10 rounds as fatigue accumulates.
An interval-style barbell complex workout with 5 rounds of power cleans, front squats, jerks, and pull-ups with rest periods.
Workout:
- • 5 Power Cleans (135/95 lb)
- • 10 Front Squats (135/95 lb)
- • 5 Jerks (135/95 lb)
- • 20 Pull-Ups
- • Rest 90 seconds
- • Repeat for 5 rounds
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
The barbell complex creates serious leg and shoulder fatigue, while 100 total pull-ups test grip endurance. The 90-second rest periods allow for recovery between rounds.
A 20-minute AMRAP combining heavy deadlifts, burpee pull-ups, kettlebell swings, and short runs.
Workout:
- • 6 Deadlifts (225/155 lb)
- • 7 Burpee Pull-Ups
- • 10 Kettlebell Swings (70/53 lb)
- • 200m Run
- • AMRAP 20 minutes
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
This is a sprint-pace AMRAP with heavy deadlifts as the technical anchor. The goal is consistent round times while managing grip fatigue and breathing.
A well-balanced 7-round workout combining kettlebell swings, power cleans, and box jumps.
Workout:
- • 15 Kettlebell Swings (53/35 lb)
- • 15 Power Cleans (95/65 lb)
- • 15 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
- • Repeat for 7 rounds
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
This is a moderate-weight, high-rep workout that tests consistent pacing and work capacity. Managing grip fatigue and breathing rhythm are key.
An extremely leg-intensive workout with 10 rounds of rope climbs, 29 back squats, and barbell farmers carries.
Workout:
- • 1 Rope Climb to 15 feet (begin seated on floor)
- • 29 Back Squats (95/65 lb)
- • 10m Barbell Farmers Carry (135/95 lb)
- • Repeat for 10 rounds
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
This workout features 290 total back squats, making it one of the most leg-intensive Hero WODs. The rope climbs and farmers carries add grip and full-body fatigue. Pacing the squats is absolutely critical.
A challenging workout honoring Marine Corporal Nicholas Bull, featuring a mix of running, rowing, and bodyweight movements.
Workout:
- • 200 meter Run
- • 2 Deadlifts (275/185 lb)
- • 200 meter Run
- • 4 Deadlifts (275/185 lb)
- • 200 meter Run
- • 6 Deadlifts (275/185 lb)
- • 200 meter Run
- • 8 Deadlifts (275/185 lb)
- • 200 meter Run
- • 10 Deadlifts (275/185 lb)
- • 200 meter Run
- • 12 Deadlifts (275/185 lb)
- • 200 meter Run
- • 14 Deadlifts (275/185 lb)
- • 200 meter Run
- • 16 Deadlifts (275/185 lb)
- • 200 meter Run
- • 18 Deadlifts (275/185 lb)
- • 200 meter Run
- • 20 Deadlifts (275/185 lb)
- • 200 meter Run
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
This workout combines endurance running with heavy deadlifts. The key is to maintain good form on the deadlifts while managing the running intervals.
Technical overhead movements combined with high-volume gymnastics.
Workout:
- • 21 Overhead Squats (95/65 lb)
- • 42 Pull-ups
- • 15 Overhead Squats (95/65 lb)
- • 30 Pull-ups
- • 9 Overhead Squats (95/65 lb)
- • 18 Pull-ups
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
Technical overhead squats require perfect form. Break early and often to maintain quality.
A deadlift-focused workout that challenges posterior chain strength and endurance.
Workout:
- • 10 Handstand Push-ups
- • 15 Deadlifts (250/160 lb)
- • 25 Box Jumps (30/24 in)
- • 50 Pull-ups
- • 100 Wall Balls (20/14 lb)
- • 200 Double Unders
- • 400m Run with 45/25 lb plate
Equipment Needed:
Strategy Overview:
Heavy deadlifts early will impact everything else. Pace accordingly and prioritize form.
CrossFit's Most Challenging Workouts
This collection includes both HERO WODs (created to honor fallen military and first responders) and popular benchmark workouts like the "Girls" (Fran, Grace, Cindy). These represent the most challenging and well-known workouts in CrossFit, each testing different aspects of fitness.
HERO WODs vs. Benchmark Workouts
HERO WODs like Murph and The Seven are typically longer and honor fallen heroes. Benchmark workouts like Fran and Grace are shorter, intense tests of specific fitness domains. Both categories push athletes to their limits and provide excellent training stimuli.
Must-Know Workouts
- Murph: The most famous HERO WOD, performed worldwide on Memorial Day
- Fran: The quintessential CrossFit benchmark - 21-15-9 thrusters and pull-ups
- Grace: 30 clean and jerks for time - pure power endurance
- The Seven: One of the longest and most challenging HERO WODs