The 23 Best Work Out for Beginners
You’re new to the world of CrossFit or looking to ramp up your workout routine, mastering a few key WODs (Workout of the Day) can be the game-changer you’ve been searching for. In this comprehensive guide, we’ve curated a list of the best 23 WODs specifically tailored for beginners, designed to help you build strength, endurance, and confidence in no time. Here are The Best 23 WODs for Beginners to start their fitness journey.
From burpees and air squats to box jumps and kettlebell swings, these beginner-friendly workouts are not only effective but also incredibly versatile. So if the idea of challenging yourself both mentally and physically excites you, get ready to sweat it out with some of the most exhilarating WODs that will leave you feeling empowered and accomplished after every session. Get ready to push your limits and discover just how much your body is capable of achieving with our carefully curated selection of WODs guaranteed to take your fitness journey to new heights.
The Best 23 WODs for Beginners
2022 CrossFit Open WOD 1 “Foundations”
Equipment: Dumbbell, plyo box
What better way to start off the top WODs for beginners than with a CrossFit Open workout?!
To be honest, CrossFit HQ does a pretty good job of adapting these for athletes of all fitness and ability levels. 22.1 was no exception.
Anyone who hasn’t done more than a couple consecutive bear crawls may scoff at the movement, but I can assure you that these are no joke…especially over the course of 15 minutes. The scaled dumbbell snatches and box step-overs will help to develop good movement patterns for their respective Rx versions!
Scaled Triple 3
Equipment: Concept2 rower, jump rope, air runner
Triple 3 is a beloved CrossFit Games, CrossFit regional, and popular CrossFit competition workout. In most cases, time constraints require a bit of scaling (I did a version that cut the row to 1,000 meters and the run to ~2 miles at a competition before) so there is no shame in doing this version of the workout.
The row is a challenging distance and the looming mile run to close things out ensures that athletes don’t go “too hot” out of the gates. 150 single unders will do a number on your cardiovascular system and your calves, for sure!
Single Annie
Equipment: Jump rope
Another one of our WODs for beginners with 150 single unders, in Single Annie, you get to break your jump rope work up a bit. Like the Rx version, 150 sit-ups await you although the reps can be scaled down a bit more if you’re concerned about over-working your core.
2022 CrossFit Open WOD 2 “Foundations”
Equipment: Barbell, bumper plates
Another CrossFit Open workout that includes a trademark Open component.
A repetition ladder!
Those first few rounds seem to go by sooooo fast, but reality kicks in around Round 6 or 7…when you realize you’re nowhere close to being halfway through!
Taking on a WOD with this structure will prepare you for future iterations of ladder WODs in future Opens…because you know they’re coming again!
Banded Cindy
Equipment: Pull-up bar/rack, band
One of the most popular “CrossFit Girls”, Cindy is an excellent CrossFit benchmark workout.
For those who aren’t quite ready for a 20-minute AMRAP or for a lot of Rx’ed pull-ups, it can be one of the best WODs for beginners.
At 10 minutes, you move quickly and confidently without too much worry of “red-lining” and throwing a band up to the pull-up bar will ensure that you avoid all sticking points. With some pull-up practice under your belt, you should be ready for Rx’ed Cindy your next time around!
Scaled Lorenzo
Equipment: Air runner, med ball
Medicine ball cleans are a somewhat…odd movement that you don’t see too often. However, they are excellent for prepping the body for the barbell clean movement pattern to come. Getting used to these, with some long run and familiar bodyweight-movements thrown in, will have you ready for the empty barbell Olympic lifts to come in future WODs.
Scaled Quarter Murph
Equipment: Air runner, pull-up bar/rack
Murph…one of the all-time greatest CrossFit Hero WODs…also one of the all-time greatest WODs for beginners!
You know what else is great about Murph? It can be scaled in a number of ways! You will always have the opportunity to honor the legacy of this valiant American solider.
For those who aren’t quite ready for 25 straight Rx’ed pull-ups, swapping jumping pull-ups into Quarter Murph is an excellent way to keep the spirit of the workout.
CrossFit.com 210223
Equipment: Barbell, bumper plates, Air runner
One of the CrossFit.com, main site WODs, 210223 provides the opportunity to practice one of the more grueling CrossFit movements (thrusters!) with relief that descending weights and complexity always provide!
The trade-off? You gotta do more reps and longer runs…
Nobody ever said CrossFit was “fair”!
2023 CrossFit Open WOD 1 “Foundations”
Equipment: Concept2 rower, wall ball, barbell
CrossFit Open workout 23.1 (a repeat of 14.4) is considered to be one of the greatest CrossFit Open workouts of all time.
It should come as no surprise that its Foundations version is one of the all-time great WODs for beginners!
With this one, the movement variety is really high, keeping things interesting for the duration of the workout. In some ways, the lighter weights create a greater challenge than the Rx version provides (cleaning an empty barbell requires a significantly greater range of motion!) so definitely don’t sleep on this one!
Scaled Michael
Equipment: Air runner, GHD
Another classic Hero WOD, Michael’s scaled version retains all of the same movements as the original.
In fact, it would probably be better to simply call this one “1/2 Michael” due to the rep scheme.
2023 CrossFit Open WOD 2 “Foundations”
Equipment: n/a
The only major difference between this version of 23.2 and the Rx version is the lack of the pull-up after each burpee. Like, the Foundations version of 23.1, in some ways, this can make the workout more difficult due to the greater number of burpees that can be performed (due to the missing pull-up requirement)!
To be fair, don’t expect to match Baptiste Linet‘s or Simon Loh’s scores from above (unless you decide to do the most scaled version of each exercise and you already possess a good level of fitness…a level where you really SHOULD NOT be doing WODs for beginners), but you may find you’ll do more burpees than your Rx friends did!
Scaled Karen
Equipment: Wall ball
Fewer reps with a lighter ball…”simple”, right?
As anyone who has done high-repped wall ball sets can attest, 100 straight wall balls is anything but simple.
My suggestion? Use this as practice for developing a workout strategy. Whether you stick to 10 sets of 10, 5 sets of 20, or 20 sets of 5, pick a strategy and stick to it. Learning this skill will be very valuable for future workouts of this kind…to include regular Karen!
CrossFit.com 220722
Equipment: Pull-up bar/rack, gymnastics rings, kettlebell
220722 provides an excellent opportunity to get a lot of practice with scaled movements that will eventually lead to pull-ups, ring dips, and heavy kettlebell swings.
And…you get 15 whole minutes to practice all of the movements!
Heck, after all of that practice, you might be ready for the Rx’ed movements right after you finish this one!
Scaled Helen
Equipment: Air runner, kettlebell, pull-up bar/rack
Your run is the same as in Helen with a lighter kettlebell and pull-ups of a jumping variety. If your fitness level is good and you just need some practice with the movements themselves, don’t be surprised if you get a similar time to a friend doing the Rx version.
Scaled Badger
Equipment: Barbell, pull-up bar/rack, gymnastics rings, air runner
Like the 23.1 Foundations WOD above, the empty barbell cleans here will provide their own kind of challenge. Be especially careful with these; if you hold on to the barbell for too long, your grip may be too smoked for the ring rows that follow.
Expect an elevated heart rate throughout the duration of this one.
Get used to that elevated heart rate…that’s the way that your WODs are going to feel moving forward!
2023 Scaled Age-group Qualifier 3
Equipment: Climbing rope, barbell, plates
Bench presses and scaled rope climbs are introduced in this one…two exercises that if you have any fitness experience, you’ve probably done, in some variety before. Be careful, though, because doing familiar exercises in a gym setting where you have little pressure to move at high speeds and a more singular focus is very different than doing them in the context of a WOD.
CrossFit.com 230404
Equipment: Dumbbell, pull-up bar/rack
The dumbbell snatches here (which can be done from a hanging position or all the way from the ground) are a little heavier than in some other varieties we have seen so far. Also, the knee raises are more challenging than the sit-ups from some of the previous WODs for beginners on this list.
Light Grace
Equipment: Barbell, bumper plates
Although the weight is about half of what Grace entails, 30 clean and jerks and still 30 clean and jerks!
Like the Scaled Karen WOD above, consider your pacing strategy here (if you can go unbroken on this one, you should probably try a version with heavier weights!) and try to stick to it. Remember what your strategy was and what your time was as you prepare to give regular Grace a try!
Scaled Angie
Equipment: Pull-up bar/rack, gymnastics rings
Half the reps and a few scaled entries do not discount the body-weight variety that Scaled Angie provides. These are big sets and with 200 total reps involved, this is another WOD that you might want to set pre-determined breaks on.
If you can handle the knee push-ups, you can increase the challenge by doing Rx’ed push-ups.
Barbell Nancy
Equipment: Air runner, barbell
The overhead squat is one of the most technically complex versions of the squat movement. As such, you might want to get some experience with some of the other WODs before you tackle this one. Also, at 5 rounds, this one has a good amount of running (to go along with the 75 total overhead squat reps).
If you’re dead set on this one, but can’t quite hit depth or have trouble in the overhead position, give it a try with a broomstick or PVC pipe. You’ll get a lot of the same stimulus and will be training your body for weighted overhead squats to come!
Light Fran
Equipment: Barbell, bumper plates, pull-up bar/rack
Made it through the first 20 WODs for beginners and ready for a bit of a challenge? It may be time for your first shot at Fran!
The weight is slightly lower than the Rx weight and you’re expected to do “big boy” pull-ups here (scale to jumping or banded if necessary), but you can expect the patented “Fran Lung” experience all the same!
CrossFit Total
Equipment: Barbell, bumper plates
An excellent benchmark WOD that can be used to find your baseline strength levels in a few of the foundational movements. Try this one (take your time…there is no rush with these!) and be sure to keep track of your maxes for each lift. It will be fun to look back an see how far you’ve come!
CrossFit Total II
Equipment: Barbell, bumper plates
Once you’ve gotten a little more experience with CrossFit and are more confident in Olympic-style movements, give “The Other CrossFit Total” a try. Like, the “OG” CrossFit total, this WOD provides a great opportunity for you to gauge progress in these movements!
Conclusion
In conclusion, these 23 WODs are excellent choices for beginners looking to kickstart their fitness journey and improve their overall health. By incorporating a variety of exercises and focusing on proper form and technique, individuals can gradually build strength, endurance, and agility. It is important to listen to your body, progress at your own pace, and stay consistent with your workouts to see lasting results. Whether you’re new to CrossFit or just starting your fitness routine, these WODs provide a solid foundation for growth and improvement. Start implementing these workouts into your routine today and experience the transformative power of functional fitness in action.
