20 of the Coolest WODs in the World

30 Toes-to-Bars: Grip endurance and abdominal compression capacity to close the round.

This event is an accumulated fatigue trap where brute strength gives way to lack of coordination. The real bottleneck is the crossovers, which demand an almost impossible mental calm when your shoulders are "burned" from the dumbbells. The key is to survive the gymnastics so you don't arrive at the jump rope with trembling arms.

And an excellent rope for the double-under crossovers is the VELITES Earth 2.0 jump rope or the Cyclone. Also, along with the Fire 2.0 they were the official ropes of the 2025 Games.

4. Linda

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Back squats at 3/4 of bodyweight

Bench press at 1/2 of bodyweight

Deadlift at 1 1/2 times bodyweight

Linda is one of the few CrossFit WODs where the weight is determined by your own bodyweight. That means if you are light and strong you'll have a good time. If you're a bit bigger, we hope you like powerlifting.

5. Cindy

20-minute AMRAP of:

5 pull-ups

10 push-ups

15 air squats

The key to Cindy is consistency, and not blowing up in the first 10 minutes.

6. Open WOD 24.1

For time, with a 15-minute time cap: 

7. The Albany Grip Trip from the 2025 Games

400m Run: Mid-distance run to raise heart rate and generate cyclic fatigue in the legs.
12 Deadlifts (350/220 lb): Heavy load demanding extreme lumbar stability and an iron grip under fatigue.
150-ft Handstand Walk: Long handstand walk to test balance and shoulder endurance.

This WOD is a "grip trap": the 159 kg deadlift (men) congests the forearms, making maintaining balance in the Handstand Walk a nightmare of instability. The 400m run is not for resting, but to ensure you arrive at the lift with your cardiovascular system at the limit. The key here is not to "break" the deadlift so you don't lose time re-establishing your grip.

Velites' choice for this WOD

Although this WOD has no jumps, the Albany Grip Trip is won or lost by hand care and stability. If I had to equip myself with Velites for this event, I would choose:

1. Velites Quad Ultra grips: Forget constant chalk. You need a fast transition from Deadlift to Handstand Walk. These grips stick to the bar wonderfully (even without chalk) and protect your palm from ground abrasions during the 45 meters of inverted walking.

2. Fabric wrist wraps (Wrist Wraps): With 350 lb on the deadlift and 150 feet of handstand, your wrists will suffer enormous pressure. Wrist wraps that give support without taking away mobility are mandatory.

8. Nancy

5 rounds for time of:

Run 400 meters

Overhead squat with 95 lb (43 kg), 15 reps

Another of the new Girls, Nancy is about seeing how well you can maintain composure at high intensity, when your heart rate is elevated.

9. Karen

150 wall ball shots for time

Karen is a special challenge in itself. Can you do 150 wall balls unbroken? That's the aim, although 75 and 75 is still very intense.

10. Grace

30 clean and jerks for time

135 lb / 95 lb (≈61 kg / ≈43 kg)

As in Grace, the top men and women will do the 30 reps unbroken. If you can do 2 sets of 15, you'll also score well.

11. Kalsu

100 thrusters for time 135 lb / 95 lb (≈61 kg / ≈43 kg)

5 burpees every minute, on the minute until finished

Some people say Kalsu is one of the hardest CrossFit WODs there is, and there's not much to add, since it's 100 thrusters as fast as you can, and if you rest, you do burpees.

12. WOD: Open 25.3

5 Wall Walks: Isometric shoulder and core fatigue to start each block.
Barbell Work (Deadlifts / Cleans / Snatches): 25 reps of each movement with weights that challenge technique as complexity increases.
50 Calorie Row: A final cardiovascular sprint (and optionally at the start) to empty the oxygen tank.

This WOD is a "staircase to hell." What makes it brutal is not just the bar weight, but the interspersed Wall Walks, which ensure your shoulders arrive "on fire" at the lifting moments. It's a test of energy management: if you go too fast on the row or deadlifts, the snatches at the end become impossible to execute safely.

13. Annie

50-40-30-20-10

Double-unders

Sit-ups

It's not the most glamorous Girl, but as one of the ultimate WODs to do in a hotel in 5 minutes, we couldn't leave Annie off the list.

14. Diane

21-15-9

Deadlift 225 lb / 115 lb (≈102 kg / ≈52 kg)

Handstand push-ups

Dan Bailey completed Diane in under 1:30, thus showing that it is a WOD to be done as a sprint. If you want to try it, it's a WOD that can be super fun.

15. Open WOD 24.3

The WOD is divided into two blocks with a 1-minute rest between them:

• Block 1: 5 rounds of 10 Thrusters (light load: 43/29 kg) + 10 Chest-to-bar Pull-ups.

• Block 2: 5 rounds of 7 Thrusters (heavy load: 61/43 kg) + 7 Bar Muscle-ups.

16. Chad

"Chad" is a Hero WOD dedicated to Chad Wilkinson, a Navy SEAL who took his own life after years of struggling with the effects of war and brain injuries. Therefore, the workout is a funeral march: 1,000 box step-ups carrying a vest that symbolizes the weight many veterans bear.

for time:

1,000 Box Step-ups
Box height: 20 inches (≈50 cm) for everyone.
Mandatory load: Weighted vest of 20 lb (9 kg) for men and 14 lb (6 kg) for women.

17. Isabel

30 Snatches for time

135 lb / 95 lb (≈61 kg / ≈43 kg)

Like Grace, if you can complete Isabel without dropping the bar, you are immortal.

18. Inverted Medley (Games 2024)

Handstand Walk (HSW): Walking on hands over an inclined ramp and steps.
Spins: Perform 360-degree turns on the hands inside a marked square, without the feet touching the ground.
HSW Unbroken: Sections where, if you fall, you must repeat the entire section.

19. The Standard (Games 2024)

It is a for-time WOD of:

30 Clean & Jerks (135/95 lb): Power and muscular endurance (the equivalent of a "Grace").
30 Bar Muscle-ups: A high-intensity gymnastic volume that drains the pull and the push.
30 Snatches (135/95 lb): Finish with the most technical movement when the central nervous system is fried (the equivalent of an "Isabel").

20. Nicole

Run 400 meters

Max repetitions of pull-ups (unbroken)

Maximum rounds in 20 minutes.

Note the number of pull-ups each round.

Our final pick of the 20 coolest CrossFit WODs in the world is Nicole, because it's simple, and like in all CrossFit WODs, the limiting factor is your own skill. Don't want to run? Keep doing pull-ups.

These are our picks, and if you're going to try any, grab a Fire 2.0 and some repair balm in the Velites online store and get going.