Grace Benchmark WOD
Thirty clean and jerks for time at 135/95 lb. Simple, brutal, and a true test of your Olympic lifting under fatigue.
The Workout
30 Clean and Jerks for time
(135/95 lb)
Rx Standards:
Men: 135 lb
Women: 95 lb
Time Cap:
10:00 (elite athletes finish in 1-3 minutes)
Equipment Needed
- Barbell
- Plates
Time Standards
History of Grace
Grace is another classic CrossFit Girl WOD from the early 2000s. It's a pure test of Olympic lifting capacity under fatigue. The weight (135/95 lb) is deliberately chosen to be challenging but doable for most athletes—light enough to move fast, heavy enough to break you down. Elite athletes finish Grace in under 90 seconds.
Complete Strategy Guide
Grace is deceptively simple but crushingly difficult. It's a single movement—clean and jerk—but 30 reps at a moderate weight will test your grip, shoulders, legs, and mental toughness. Breaking early and managing fatigue is essential.
Beginner Strategy
Focus on proper clean and jerk technique. Scale the weight so you can complete sets of 3-5 reps without technique breakdown.
Pacing
- • Break into sets of 3-5 reps: 5-5-5-5-5-5 or 3s across
- • Rest 10-15 seconds between sets
- • If you go below 3 reps per set, scale the weight
- • Build to bigger sets in the final 10 reps if you feel strong
Movement Tips
- • Use a full clean (not a muscle clean)—save energy
- • Catch in a front squat, stand up, then jerk
- • Split jerk or push jerk—use whichever is more efficient for you
- • Reset grip between reps if needed
- • Keep the bar close to your body on the pull
Scaling Options
- • Weight: 95/65 lb, 75/55 lb, or 65/45 lb
- • Reps: 21 reps instead of 30 if needed
- • Use hang cleans if full cleans are inconsistent
- • Push press instead of jerk if jerks are unstable
- • Use dumbbells (2×35/25 lb) if barbell technique isn't there yet
Pro Tips
- • This should feel hard but doable—if every rep is a grind, scale down
- • Chalk liberally—grip will fail before legs do
- • Don't drop the bar from overhead—lower to hang, then to floor
- • Breathe at the top of the jerk (lockout position)
- • Film yourself to ensure you're hitting full clean depth
Intermediate Strategy
Aim for sets of 5-10 reps. The goal is to keep moving with minimal rest while maintaining clean technique.
Pacing
- • Start conservative: 10-8-7-5 or 6-6-6-6-6
- • Rest 5-10 seconds between sets max
- • Push for bigger sets on the final 10 reps
- • If grip fails, reset quickly and get back on the bar
Movement Tips
- • Smooth, rhythmic clean pulls—no wasted energy
- • Catch cleans in a stable front squat
- • Quick jerk dip and drive—don't overthink it
- • Use hook grip if possible to save forearms
- • Breathe at the top, reset quickly, and go again
Scaling Options
- • Use Rx weight (135/95 lb) if you can clean and jerk it for 10+ reps fresh
- • If technique breaks down, scale to 115/75 lb or 95/65 lb
- • Consider using a push jerk if split jerk is inconsistent under fatigue
Pro Tips
- • The first 10 reps should feel easy—don't sprint out of the gate
- • Reps 15-20 are the hardest—plan to break here
- • Grip will be the limiting factor—tape or grips help
- • Practice touch-and-go cleans in training (sets of 10+)
- • Post-WOD: stretch shoulders and wrists immediately
Advanced Strategy
Grace should be fast and aggressive. Elite athletes go unbroken or break minimally. Your goal is big sets with minimal rest.
Pacing
- • Target: Unbroken if possible, or 15-15, 20-10, or 10-10-10
- • Rest no more than 5 seconds if you break
- • Move immediately—no chalk breaks, no adjustments
- • Push through discomfort in reps 20-30
Movement Tips
- • Fast, powerful clean pulls—use the stretch reflex
- • Bounce out of the bottom of the clean
- • Aggressive jerk dip—don't hesitate
- • Touch-and-go reps if possible (no resetting between reps)
- • Efficient split jerk or push jerk—whichever is faster for you
- • Use hook grip to maintain barbell connection
Scaling Options
- • Rx weight (135/95 lb) is non-negotiable at this level
- • If you can't go 30 unbroken or near-unbroken, work on strength/endurance
Pro Tips
- • Warm up thoroughly—hit 10 touch-and-go clean and jerks
- • The first rep should feel light—if not, something is wrong
- • Grip failure is the enemy—tape/grips are essential
- • Mental toughness matters—reps 20-25 will hurt
- • If you break, get back on the bar within 3 seconds
- • Sub-2:00 is advanced, sub-1:30 is elite
- • Retest every 3-6 months to track progress
General Tips for Grace
Grace is a test of your clean and jerk under extreme fatigue
If you can't clean and jerk 135/95 for 10 reps fresh, scale the weight
Grip strength is the limiting factor—train it
Practice touch-and-go clean and jerks to build efficiency
Video your reps to check for standards (full clean, full lockout)
Expect extreme shoulder and upper back fatigue
Wrist mobility is key—stretch before and after
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