By Greg Glassman
This article, by BSI’s co-founder, was originally published in The CrossFit Journal. While Greg Glassman no longer owns CrossFit Inc., his writings and ideas revolutionized the world of fitness, and are reproduced here.
Coach Glassman named his training methodology ‘CrossFit,’ which became a trademarked term owned by CrossFit Inc. In order to preserve his writings in their original form, references to ‘CrossFit’ remain in this article.
Download a pdf of the original article HERE.
In the September 2003 issue of the CFJ we introduced six benchmark workouts to test performance and improvements through repeated, irregular appearances in the WOD. These workouts were given the names Angie, Barbara, Chelsea, Diane, Elizabeth, and Fran.
We figured these six workouts were as good as any to demonstrate our concept of scalability. Here we offer versions of those workouts that have been “tuned down” in intensity and had exercises substituted to accommodate any audience.
“Angie”
ORIGINAL
For time:
100 pull-ups
100 push-ups
100 push-ups
100 squats
MODIFIED
For time:
25 ring rows
25 push-ups off the knees
25 push-ups
25 squats
“Barbara”
ORIGINAL
5 rounds for time of:
20 pull-ups
30 push-ups
40 sit-ups
50 squats
3 minutes rest between
rounds
MODIFIED
3 rounds for time of:
20 ring rows
30 push-ups
40 sit-ups
50 squats
3 minutes rest between
rounds
“Chelsea”
ORIGINAL
Each minute on the minute for 30 minutes:
5 pull-ups
10 push-ups
15 squats
MODIFIED
Each minute on the minute for 20 minutes:
5 ring rows
10 push-ups
15 squats
“Diane”
ORIGINAL
21-15-9 reps for time of:
Deadlift 225 lbs
Handstand pushups
MODIFIED
21-15-9 reps for time of:
Deadlift 50 lbs
Dumbbell shoulder press 10 lbs
“Elizabeth”
ORIGINAL
21-15-9 reps for time of:
Clean 135 lbs
Ring dips
MODIFIED
21-15-9 reps for time of:
Clean 25 lbs
Bench dips
“Fran”
ORIGINAL
21-15-9 reps for time of:
Thruster 95 lbs
Pull-ups
MODIFIED
21-15-9 reps for time of:
Thruster 25 lbs
Ring rows
Greg Glassman founded CrossFit, a fitness revolution. Under Glassman’s leadership there were around 4 million CrossFitters, 300,000 CrossFit coaches and 15,000 physical locations, known as affiliates, where his prescribed methodology: constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity, were practiced daily. CrossFit became known as the solution to the world’s greatest problem, chronic illness.
In 2002, he became the first person in exercise physiology to apply a scientific definition to the word fitness. As the son of an aerospace engineer, Glassman learned the principles of science at a young age. Through observations, experimentation, testing, and retesting, Glassman created a program that brought unprecedented results to his clients. He shared his methodology with the world through The CrossFit Journal and in-person seminars. Harvard Business School proclaimed that CrossFit was the world’s fastest growing business.
The business, which challenged conventional business models and financially upset the health and wellness industry, brought plenty of negative attention to Glassman and CrossFit. The company’s low carbohydrate nutrition prescription threatened the sugar industry and led to a series of lawsuits after a peer-reviewed journal falsified data claiming Glassman’s methodology caused injuries. A federal judge called it the biggest case of scientific misconduct and fraud she’d seen in all her years on the bench. After this experience Glassman developed a deep interest in the corruption of modern science for private interests. He launched CrossFit Health which mobilized 20,000 doctors who knew from their experiences with CrossFit that Glassman’s methodology prevented and cured chronic diseases. Glassman networked the doctors, exposed them to researchers in a variety of fields and encouraged them to work together and further support efforts to expose the problems in medicine and work together on preventative measures.
In 2020, Greg sold CrossFit and focused his attention on the broader issues in modern science. He’d learned from his experience in fitness that areas of study without definitions, without ways of measuring and replicating results are ripe for corruption and manipulation.
The Broken Science Initiative, aims to expose and equip anyone interested with the tools to protect themself from the ills of modern medicine and broken science at-large.
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