What is the Baseline WOD in CrossFit?

If you are looking for a way to track your progress during your CrossFit journey, then you may have heard about the Baseline Workout of the Day, or WOD. This is called the baseline workout because it is a good way for you to figure out where your fitness level stands.

A few quick points to keep in mind regarding this baseline workout include:

  • This is a very short workout designed to be completed as a sprint.
  • You will perform basic exercises such as a row, squats, sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups.
  • You can track your progress over time to see how your athleticism improves.

So, what is a good time for the baseline test? What types of exercises will you complete? Take a look at a few key tips below, and consider performing this baseline workout regularly to track your progress.

What Is The Baseline WOD?

The Baseline workout of the day is designed to be completed as quickly as possible. Of course, you want to make sure you finish the workout, but the true test will be how quickly you finish it.

The goal is to time yourself as you complete the following exercises. They include:

  • A 500-meter row
  • 40 air squats
  • 30 sit-ups
  • 20 push-ups
  • 10 pull-Ups

You should perform each exercise properly, but also as quickly as you can. You can perform this exercise routine regularly to see how far you have come since the last time you performed it.

What Is A Good Time For The Baseline Test?

When you perform the Baseline workout of the day the first time, a typical time is approximately ten to twelve minutes. A few quick exercise standards to follow include:

  • Make sure your squats go below parallel.
  • During your pull-ups, your chin should get over the bar and you should achieve full extension at the bottom.
  • During your push-ups, your chest should hit the ground.
  • When you perform each sit-up, your shoulders should start and finish on the ground.

As you get better, your time should get faster. An intermediate time for the Baseline workout of the day is approximately seven minutes for men and eight minutes for women.

If you get below six minutes for men and seven minutes for women, you should be considered elite.

What Are Some Tips For Completing This WOD?

If you want to complete this workout of the day as quickly as possible, there are a few tips you should follow. They include:

  • Try to make sure the rowing machine and pull-up bar are close together. That way, you don’t have to go very far when you switch exercises.
  • You should try to warm up before you complete this workout for time. You may want to do a few repetitions of each exercise to make sure those specific muscle groups are loose before the challenge begins.
  • Make sure your heart rate is up before you start the workout. That way, you know your body is ready to go.

Once you finish this workout, make sure you give your body a chance to cool down. This is important for preventing injuries.

How Do You Scale The Baseline WOD?

If you would like to scale the baseline workout of the day, there are a few options available. They include:

  • Consider reducing the number of repetitions you perform to focus on technique. You may need to work up to the full number of repetitions above.
  • You can put a resistance band around your knees to make the pull-ups easier if you cannot yet do a complete pull-up.
  • You can swap out the sit-ups for crunches if you have a difficult time performing a complete sit-up properly.

As you get in better shape, you can scale up to the full workout. Here is a video of someone performing the baseline workout of the day.

Is This A Benchmark Workout?

Yes, this is considered a benchmark workout. A benchmark workout is considered a benchmark because you can perform the workout from time to time, tracking your progress as you go. This is certainly something you can do with the baseline workout of the day.

Every time you perform this workout, write down your time in a journal. Track your progress over time to see how far you have come. From your first time to your most recent time, you might even cut your time in half!

Complete The Baseline Workout Of The Day

The baseline workout of the day is a very short, sprint workout designed to be completed as quickly as possible. You can time yourself every time you complete this workout, tracking your progress. Do not be afraid to scale back to work out the first time you do it. Then, you can work your way up to performing the workout in its entirety.

Tim Rollins, Editor

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