What is a WOD? formats, acronyms and how to read one.

• A WOD is a session with a fixed format: what you do, how much and against which clock.
• The most used formats are AMRAP, EMOM, For Time and Tabata.
• Rx means doing it as written; scaled means adapting it without losing the stimulus.
• A benchmark is a named WOD that you repeat to measure your progress.
• To start: a short WOD, scaled, with a warm-up, logging the version you did.

WOD stands for "workout of the day". It is a short, intense session that combines strength, gymnastics and endurance exercises inside a structure that says how many reps, how many rounds and what time limit. The term was popularized in functional training and is now used in any functional training gym.

What sets it apart is that the format is fixed in advance: the clock and the structure set the effort, not the number of sets you decide on the fly. That is why the result, whether a time, a number of rounds or a number of reps, is easy to log and to compare.

A WOD is usually written on a whiteboard with the format first and the movements after. This example is made up, just to practise reading one:

• AMRAP 10 min: 5 burpees, 10 squats, 15 jump-rope skips.
• You read it like this: for 10 minutes you repeat that set as many times as you can. Your score is the completed rounds plus the reps of the round you left unfinished.

After the movements you may see "Rx", "scaled" or an intermediate version: they tell you which loads and movement variations belong to each level. And a "time cap" is the maximum time you have to finish a For Time.

AMRAP

"As many rounds (or reps) as possible": as many rounds as you can in a fixed time.

EMOM

"Every minute on the minute": at the start of each minute you do the set task and rest whatever is left of the minute.

For Time

You complete a fixed amount of work as fast as possible. If there is a time limit, it is called the time cap.

Tabata

Eight rounds of 20 seconds of effort and 10 of rest: four minutes in total.

How an AMRAP is scored is in AMRAP: meaning and how to score and how to build an EMOM is in EMOM: meaning and how to build one. More formats (RFT, chipper, AFAP…) in the WOD formats glossary. What each format is for, how to pick the one that fits your goal and how to set it up are in the WOD timer guide.

Rx comes from "as prescribed": the WOD exactly as written, with its loads and movements. Scaled is the version adapted in load, movements or volume so you finish it with good technique and an intensity close to the intended one.

Scaling is not training easy: it is training at the right intensity for you today. When it makes sense and what to change first is in the guide to scaling a WOD.

In a classic routine you decide sets, reps and rest. In a WOD the format decides for you: you face a clock or a number of rounds.

That makes the session short and demanding, and easy to compare with another day if you repeat it exactly. A WOD fits into a hybrid training week as the mixed session, which the hybrid training guide explains.

A benchmark is a named WOD with a fixed format, such as Fran, Cindy, Grace or Helen, that you repeat from time to time to see whether you improve. Because it does not change, today's result can be compared with the one from weeks or months ago. The detail of each one is in the benchmark WODs guide.

There are also named WODs that are long and demanding. One example is the Murph WOD, which has its own guide on strategy and scaling.

1. Pick a short format, for example a short AMRAP or a simple EMOM.
2. Warm up first and choose movements you are comfortable with.
3. Scale whatever you need to keep your technique from start to finish.
4. Time it with a timer that signals the intervals, so you do not have to check the clock while moving.
5. Log the result and the version you did (Rx, intermediate or scaled).

Do not chase your best time on day one. What a first WOD is good for is learning how the format feels and getting a starting result to compare against later.

• Starting too fast: in an AMRAP or a long For Time, pacing is part of the strategy.
• Going Rx before you own the movement: cutting reps or losing range makes the result worthless.
• Changing several things at once when scaling, then not knowing what was holding you back.
• Not logging the version you did: a scaled time and an Rx time are not comparable.
• Comparing yourself with someone else's result without checking their category, load and variation.

Zoku Athletics brings together a multimodal timer (For Time, AMRAP, EMOM, Tabata and mixed) and more than 150 benchmarks to repeat and compare your results. Vital Flow adjusts the load to the fatigue you report; it is guidance only and does not replace a coach.

You can create your Free account on the website, no card needed; how the account and the subscription are managed is covered in account and subscription on the Zoku site.

The app is not public on the stores yet. It is in testing and there is no launch date.

The Free plan is free, with no card and no expiry. Pro and Elite are paid; what each includes is shown in the plans section of the home page.

Who is behind the website and the app: About Zoku Athletics.

• WOD timer: AMRAP, EMOM, For Time and Tabata: What a WOD timer is and how to use it: AMRAP, EMOM, For Time and Tabata formats, how to choose one, set it up and log the result.
• How to scale a WOD: Rx vs scaled: What Rx and scaled mean, when to scale a WOD and how to adjust load, movements and volume without losing the stimulus or your technique.
• Benchmark WODs: Fran, Cindy, Grace, Helen: Fran, Cindy, Grace and Helen: what each benchmark WOD is, how to repeat it under comparable conditions and how to track your progress.