Gwen
A touch-and-go clean and jerk load test across three descending sets (15-12-9), using the same self-selected weight for every rep — scored by load rather than time, rewarding barbell efficiency under fatigue.
- Clean And Jerkstouch and go at floor only; no dumping; same load across all sets; rest as needed
Movements in this workout
Scaling
Scaled
The format self-scales — choose a load with 3-4 clean and jerks in reserve on the first set of 15. Newer athletes err heavy here; the 12 and 9 arrive fast.
Beginner
15-12-9 with an empty bar or light dumbbells, resting as needed but practicing the no-drop discipline of the last few reps of each set.
The story
Clean and jerks at 15-12-9 — but unbroken, with the load self-selected and the score being the weight, not the time. Dropping the bar mid-set ends the attempt. Gwen inverts the usual benchmark logic: instead of racing a clock at a fixed load, you're betting on how heavy you can go without letting go. Part of CrossFit's original 'Girls' benchmark series — named workouts introduced by founder Greg Glassman starting in 2003, on the logic that anything that leaves you flat on your back deserves a name like a storm. They serve as repeatable fitness tests: revisit one every few months and the clock tells you whether you're fitter. First posted to CrossFit.com on 2003-05-25.
First posted 2003-05-25
More The Girls
Structured data from the WodWiz Open WOD Database (CC BY 4.0).