FOR TIME: Five rounds: 20 pull-ups, 30 push-ups, 40 sit-ups, 50 air squats, 3 minutes rest
What is the Barbara WOD?
The Barbara WOD is one of the original CrossFit Girl WODs. Athletes must perform five rounds for time of: 20 pull-ups, 30 push-ups, 40 sit-ups and 50 air squats, with 3 minutes rest at the end of each round. Angie is a Crossfit benchmark WOD used to assess an athlete’s progress over time.
With four body bodyweight movements – pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups and squats – the Barbara WOD is relatively simple to perform, however the total number of reps and rounds means it is a serious endurance test. The workout should be done with a high intensity, which is why there is a 3 minute rest period at the end of each round. Elite CrossFit athletes are able to complete the workout in less than 20 minutes.
If you need to scale the workout there are several options for each movement. The most common for pull-ups are: banded pull-ups, jumping pull-ups and ring row. For push-ups: knee push-ups, incline box push-ups and bench push-ups. For sit-ups: anchor your feet or do plank holds. For squats: box squat or elevated medicine ball squat. Work with your coach to find the best option for scaling depending on your level of experience.
Tips for the Barbara WOD
- Find a fast pace that you can sustain. Intensity should be high but don’t blow out on the first round.
- As you start to feel tired break up the reps sensibly.
- Don’t be afraid to scale. Even with 3 minutes rest after each round the number of reps is very testing.