Benchmarks: The Secret Weapon of Smart CrossFitters
Lynne Steiner • June 30, 2025
Ever feel like you’re busting your butt in the gym but stuck in a never-ending loop of sweat, soreness, and… more sweat? You show up. You grind. You recover. Repeat.
But then it hits you: “Am I even getting better?”
That’s not just gym anxiety talking. That’s your brain craving feedback—and not the kind where your coach says, “Nice work today.”
I’m talking about cold, hard numbers. The kind that whisper, “Yes, you’re better than you were last month.”
That’s where benchmarks come in.
Think of them as CrossFit’s equivalent of a treasure map. They tell you where you are, where you’ve been, and where the gold is buried.
Why Most CrossFitters Get Stuck (and Don’t Know It)
Let’s talk about the dreaded plateau. It doesn’t announce itself with a drumroll or smoke bomb.
It creeps in quietly, like a raccoon at your backyard BBQ—snatching your motivation without warning.
You might be stuck if:
- Your times feel... meh. Not terrible, not great. Just... there.
- You forget what your last “Fran” time was, or if you've ever actually done it.
- You’ve been lifting the same weights for months and calling it "maintenance."
Spoiler: It’s not maintenance. It’s stagnation.
Without benchmarks, you’re just wandering through WODs like a caffeinated squirrel—plenty of energy, no direction.
Benchmark Tests: Not Just for Pros (Or Masochists)
Benchmarks aren’t reserved for Games athletes or the masochists who love “Murph” in a weight vest in 90-degree heat.
They’re for you, the everyday athlete juggling careers, kids, and Costco runs.
Here’s what they give you:
- A Baseline: Your first “Helen” isn’t a performance; it’s a timestamp. You vs. You.
- Feedback: If you shave 45 seconds off your 2K row, that’s proof. Not a feeling. Not a vibe. Data.
- Target Practice: Goals become clearer when you have numbers to chase. “I want to improve my Cindy score by 3 rounds” is better than “I want to get better at pull-ups.”
Benchmarks turn your training from aimless sweat to strategic warfare.
The Hidden Magic of Retesting
Now let’s talk about the power move: retesting.
Retesting is like rewatching a movie and finally catching all the plot twists you missed the first time. You think, “Wait… I actually AM better. I just didn’t notice.”
That same WOD that crushed your soul six months ago? Now you:
- Know when to breathe.
- Break up reps strategically.
- Recover faster between rounds.
- Maybe even high-five someone mid-WOD because you’re not dying anymore.
That’s not just cardio. That’s growth.
What to Benchmark (Without Going Overboard)
You don’t need to benchmark every move. This isn’t a lab experiment. But tracking the right ones? That’s ninja-level training.
Start with:
- Classic Girls: “Fran,” “Helen,” “Annie,” and “Diane” are brutally beautiful in their simplicity.
- Lifts: Back squat, deadlift, clean & jerk, snatch. You don’t need to max out weekly—but a few tests a year? Game changer.
- Engine Tests: 1-mile run, 2K row, or 500m row sprint.
Keep it simple. Keep it consistent. Track and retest.
But I’m Not Competitive…
Good. Because benchmarks aren’t about being better than them—they’re about being better than you used to be.
This isn’t ego fuel. It’s proof that:
- Your hard work matters.
- Your plateaus are temporary.
- Your effort adds up—even when progress feels invisible.
Plus, if you want to know when to dial up intensity or back off? Benchmarks tell you.
They’re the breadcrumb trail back to confidence. Especially when:
- Life gets chaotic
- Your schedule wobbles
- Your motivation takes a vacation
Real Talk: Don’t Let the Numbers Own You
Let’s pause for a hot sec: You are not your “Fran” time.
The numbers are tools—not identities. They’re there to inform your training, not define your worth. Don’t fall into the trap of chasing PRs at the expense of technique, sanity, or joy.
Instead:
- Use benchmarks to guide, not punish.
- Celebrate small gains—1 extra round, 5 more pounds, smoother transitions.
- Take the data seriously, not personally.
The Smart CrossFitter’s Secret Weapon
Here’s the truth: smart CrossFitters don’t just train harder.
They train with purpose.
They log their scores. They reflect. They pivot. They know what’s working.
🧠 Helpful Tip:
Choose 3 benchmark workouts (one lift, one girl WOD, one engine test).
Log your results. Retest in 6–8 weeks.
Notice what changed—and what didn’t.
Then tweak accordingly.
TL;DR? Here’s Your 10-Second Recap:
- Benchmarks = progress map. Without them, you’re guessing.
- Retesting
= proof of growth. Even if it’s small.
- Tracking = smarter training. Not just sweat and vibes.
So the next time you finish a WOD and wonder, “Did that even matter?” —look at your numbers and smile.
Because yes, it did.
And you're getting better. Whether you feel it yet or not.
Does the idea of mapping this out on your own sound overwhelming? We got you. Click the "book a free intro" button let's chat about how we can help.
More Posts
Picture this: You’re in the middle of a workout, lungs puffing like an old steam engine, and you’re wondering why your legs feel like you’re squatting through wet cement. You’ve been training consistently, hydrating, and sleeping… sort of. But the fuel you’ve been running on? Let’s just say it’s about as fresh as that bag of spinach at the back of your fridge you swore you’d use. Here’s the truth: your body craves change with the seasons, just like the leaves outside your window. And right now, fall’s produce aisle is nature’s own performance-enhancing buffet—bursting with the exact nutrients your body needs to train harder, recover faster, and spend less at the grocery store. Why Seasonal Eating is Your Secret Weapon We live in a world where strawberries show up in December and apples in April. It’s convenient… but it’s also like wearing flip-flops in a snowstorm—it doesn’t match the environment you’re in. Seasonal eating is about aligning your plate with the natural rhythm of the earth, tapping into foods that are at their peak in both flavor and nutrition. And when it comes to CrossFit, seasonal eating can: - Fuel recovery with fresh, nutrient-packed carbs. - Cut costs by choosing produce that’s abundant (and therefore cheaper). - Keep your meals exciting so you don’t fall into a “chicken-broccoli-rice” rut. Let’s tackle the two biggest pain points that seasonal eating solves. Pain Point 1: Same-Old Foods, Same-Old Results If your grocery cart hasn’t changed since May, you’re probably missing out on nutrients that could take your performance up a notch. Repetition is great for your back squat program—not so much for your micronutrient profile. Fall’s MVPs like squash, sweet potatoes, beets, apples, and kale aren’t just pretty on Instagram, they’re powerhouses: - Squash & Sweet Potatoes – Loaded with slow-burning carbs and beta-carotene, they help you crush high-volume metcons without the sugar crash. - Beets – Packed with nitrates that improve blood flow, helping oxygen race to your muscles when the WOD starts to feel like a survival mission. - Kale – Your immune system’s bodyguard. Keeps you training instead of coughing on the couch. It’s like swapping out your regular gas for rocket fuel—you might not notice it in the first mile, but by the time you hit round five, you’ll be glad you did. Pain Point 2: Eating Healthy Feels Expensive Let’s be honest, grocery bills can feel like they’re training for a max lift lately. But here’s the magic of seasonal produce: when a food is in season locally, there’s more of it, which means prices drop. Instead of spending $6 on a sad, out-of-season tomato that tastes like cardboard, you could fill your basket with in-season butternut squash, onions, and apples, all for less than a post-WOD smoothie. - In-season = better taste – No more watery zucchini in October. - In-season = better price – The abundance makes it cheaper. - In-season = better nutrition – Foods don’t spend weeks traveling, losing flavor and nutrients in the process. Think of it as getting front-row tickets to your favorite band for the price of the cheap seats. How to Start Seasonal Eating (Without Becoming a Farmer) No, you don’t have to churn butter or grow your own pumpkins (unless that’s your thing). Seasonal eating can be as simple as making one swap each week. Quick-start ideas: - Replace white rice with roasted sweet potatoes in your post-WOD meal. - Blend roasted pumpkin into your morning protein smoothie. - Swap your usual snack for apple slices with almond butter. - Add shredded kale to your scrambled eggs for a nutrient punch. Pro tip: Hit the farmers’ market —it’s basically a seasonal cheat sheet. If it’s piled high in bins, it’s in season. The Bottom Line Seasonal eating is more than a foodie trend—it’s a way to work with your body, the seasons, and your budget. By shifting your grocery list to match what’s in season right now, you’ll: - Improve performance and recovery. - Save money without sacrificing quality. - Make your meals exciting again. Helpful Tip: This week, pick one fall vegetable and one fall fruit you haven’t used lately. Build at least two meals around them. Your taste buds, and your next workout, will thank you. When the leaves change, your plate should too. Fall’s harvest is here, let it fuel your next PR.
The Summer Slump Is Real Ah, summer. The season of sunscreen, BBQs, and totally losing track of what day it is. One minute you're meal prepping grilled chicken and doing early morning workouts, and the next you're eating popsicles for dinner while wondering if flip-flops count as gym shoes. If your routine took a vacation along with your brain this summer, you’re not alone . But here's the good news: fall is nature’s built-in reset button . Just like school buses return to the roads and pumpkin-flavored everything reappears, structure starts to make a comeback . And with it, the chance to rebuild habits that make you feel like a superhero who can deadlift groceries and still have energy for bedtime stories. Why Fall Works (Even Better Than January) Forget New Year’s resolutions and the guilt-drenched celery juice cleanse that follows. Fall has something better: natural rhythm . The days get shorter. The air gets crisp. Calendars fill up with school drop-offs, sports practices, and “how is it already Halloween?” moments. Instead of fighting the schedule, use it as scaffolding to build a sturdier routine. Think of fall as the supportive best friend who reminds you to eat real meals, put on real pants, and lift heavy things on purpose. Pain Point #1: Feeling Like You're Starting Over... Again If you’ve ever muttered, “I used to be in a good groove,” then stared into the distance like a war veteran remembering leg day...yep, we feel you. The truth is, you’re not starting from scratch. You’re starting from experience. You’ve done this before, which means: - You know what worked (early morning workouts before the chaos?). - You know what didn’t (meal prepping quinoa for the week when you hate quinoa). - You just need to dust off the basics, not reinvent the wheel. Fall’s structure gives you a framework , not a sentence. Lean into it. School drop-off becomes the cue for your workout. Cooler temps make cooking at home way more appealing than sweating over a restaurant patio. Pain Point #2: The All-Or-Nothing Trap Here’s the sneakiest lie your brain tells you: “I’ll start Monday. But like, a perfect Monday. With overnight oats, a gallon of water, and a five-mile run.” Spoiler alert: that Monday never comes. Because life isn’t perfect, and your routine doesn’t have to be either. Here’s the truth: - Showing up 3 days a week consistently beats going 7 days for one week and ghosting for three. - Chopping veggies while watching Netflix is still meal prep. - Walking your kid to school with a weighted backpack? Functional fitness, baby. Consistency wins. Every time. Especially when it’s built on a foundation of real life , not fantasy. So What Do You Actually Do? Start With One Anchor Habit Pick something that’s realistic, repeatable, and rooted in your current schedule . Some examples: - Commit to 3 workouts per week , even if they’re short. - Prep protein for 3 dinners , so you don’t panic and order pizza. - Get 7+ hours of sleep , because you’re not a college student anymore and melatonin isn’t a personality trait. Think of this habit as the first domino. Knock it down, and the others follow. Use the Power of Fall’s Rhythm You don’t need more motivation, you need momentum . Let fall’s patterns work for you: - Cooler weather = better sleep and more energy. - Shorter days = easier bedtime routines (yes, even for adults). - Set routines = easier to stack habits on top of things you already do. Example: Drop the kids off at school → drive straight to the gym. No thinking required. Just like brushing your teeth before bed, it becomes automatic. One Final (Practical) Tip Write this down somewhere you’ll see it: “Don’t wait for motivation. Build systems that keep you moving even when you’re tired, cranky, or just really want nachos.” Whether it’s scheduling your workouts like appointments or putting your gym shoes next to your coffee pot, set yourself up to win before the day even starts. The Wrap-Up Fall doesn’t ask you to be perfect. It just asks you to begin again, this time, with more wisdom and fewer excuses. So: - Let go of the guilt. - Skip the overhaul. - Choose one small habit that builds momentum. And remember: you’re not broken, you’re just out of rhythm. Fall is the season to find your beat again. If you're ready for more accountability, click the Book a Free Intro button and let's talk about how we can help.
You can white-knuckle your way through solo workouts all you want, but if you're still wondering why the results come in at the pace of a sleepy sloth, it might be time to stop playing lone wolf. Because here’s the hard truth: fitness isn’t just about grit, it’s about your environment. And nothing sharpens your edge like showing up to a community event where the air is charged with sweat, cheers, and the collective willpower of a whole bunch of determined humans trying not to die during wall balls. Welcome to the secret sauce of transformation. 🧨 The Lone Ranger Problem: Why Going Solo Slows You Down At first, training alone might feel empowering. You get to set your own pace, wear ridiculous socks without judgment, and dance during rest periods like nobody’s watching (because… they aren’t). But eventually, the music stops. Your motivation limps. Your fire fizzles. Why? Because progress thrives on pressure, and not the soul-crushing kind. The supportive, energizing, "let’s freaking go" kind. Let’s break it down: Pain Point #1: The Plateau You Didn’t See Coming One day you’re PR’ing your deadlift and grinning like a toddler on a trampoline. A few weeks later, you’re flatlining. That’s the plateau. The dreaded, soul-sucking Bermuda Triangle of gains. Why does it happen? - Because your excitement dries up. - Because every workout feels like déjà vu. - Because there’s nothing external lighting a fire under your glutes. But throw a community challenge or a partner WOD into the mix? Now you’ve got a reason to care again. Suddenly, you’re chasing more than reps, you’re chasing the thrill of the tribe. Community events shake the dust off your routine and remind you that fitness can feel like an adventure again, not a tax return. The Emotional Fuel Tank: Why We Stay in the Game Pain Point #2: It’s Hard to Stay Fired Up When You’re the Only One Clapping Ever try to celebrate a solo PR with no one around? It’s like throwing confetti into a black hole. 🎉 Now imagine hitting that same PR while your crew screams your name, your coach is jumping up and down like they just won the lottery, and someone brings you a high-five like it’s a trophy. That’s emotional fuel, and it sticks with you. In fitness, community is the charger that keeps your mental battery full. When you’re surrounded by others… - Your struggles feel less shameful and more shared. - Your wins feel less lonely and more legendary. - You’re reminded that you're not weird for caring this much, it’s human. And when you care, you keep showing up. And when you keep showing up, you change. Events Are Not Just for the Fit—They’re for the Becoming Too many people think community events are just for the firebreathers or the “already in shape” folks. Total nonsense. In truth, events are for the ones still climbing. They’re for the mom who's afraid to deadlift in front of people. They’re for the guy who’s coming back after injury. They’re for you , whoever you are, because everyone deserves to feel like part of something electric. Here’s what happens when you show up: - You meet someone who just went through the same struggle as you. - You get inspired by someone who was once where you are now. - You leave feeling like you're part of something bigger than just reps and sets. So What’s the Takeaway? You don’t need more discipline. You don’t need a new spreadsheet. You don’t even need a better playlist. You need people. You need energy. You need stakes. Community events bring it all. They give your workouts a heartbeat, your habits a rhythm, and your goals a context that actually sticks. They pull you forward when your willpower would rather scroll Instagram . And they remind you that fitness isn’t a solo mission—it’s a team sport disguised as personal growth. 💡 Pro Tip: Set One Goal After Every Event After your next gym event, set a " next step" goal inspired by the experience. Maybe you met someone who inspired you to get stronger at pull-ups. Maybe you realized you actually can do a box jump if you stop hesitating. Maybe you just want to show up more consistently. Whatever it is—name it. Claim it. Own it. Events give you fuel. Use it before it burns out. One Last Rep of Wisdom Your journey is yours, but it doesn’t have to be lonely. Progress happens faster, deeper, and more joyfully when you’re surrounded by people who get it. So the next time there’s a community throwdown, a team WOD, or a weird themed workout where you dress like a superhero for no apparent reason, go. Because those moments, messy and magical, are what keep you coming back. And that, my friend, is how you win the long game. 🏆 If you're ready to learn more about how we can help, book a class during our free community workout day on Friday, Aug. 29, or our free family workouts on Saturday, Aug. 30. Book those here: https://crossfitroselle.wodify.com/OnlineSalesPage/Main?q=Classes%7COnlineMembershipId%3D37282%26ProgramId%3D20304%26LocationId%3D3580%26IsToViewScheduleOnly%3DTrue
