If you spend any time in the company of CrossFitters, you may have heard them talking about people named “Fran” or “Grace”, and not in a way their mother would approve of.
It might lead you to believe somebody at their box is pushing them too hard.
If that’s the case, you think, maybe it’s okay they vent about Fran or Grace.
But fear not: “Fran” and “Grace” are not real people.
“Fran” and “Grace” (and a few others) are the names of WODs that rear their heads occasionally on the Wodify app.
“Fran”, for instance, looks like this:
21 thrusters, 21 pull-ups
15 thrusters, 15 pull-ups
9 thrusters, 9 pull-ups.
For time.
“Grace” is an entirely different story.
These workouts are notorious for leaving athletes gasping for air on the floor of the gym, so it’s easy to see why our athletes grumble extra loud when they see their names.
By naming the WODs, we feel it gives our athletes a chance to work toward becoming more fit, so when “Fran” visits us again, the athlete is ready to take on the challenge and better their score.
One of the great things about CrossFit, when it comes to naming the WODs, is that we cherish the members of the military who have given their lives for our freedom, so we pay tribute by naming workouts (called “Hero WODs”) after those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
It’s a lot easier to push yourself through a workout when you understand the alternative. For those of us who haven’t served, but have respect for those who have, sometimes it’s the least we can do.
So the next time you hear your CrossFitting friend complain about “Fran”, give them a knowing glance and let them know you understand their pain.
But the next time they see “Fran”, they better be ready to take her down.