Grace is a CrossFit benchmark workout of 30 clean and jerks for time, prescribed at 135 lb for men and 95 lb for women. CrossFit says it was first programmed on CrossFit.com on June 24, 2004, and athletes retest it to measure progress.
The Workout
| Women | Men | |
|---|---|---|
| Rx’d | 95 lb | 135 lb |
| Intermediate | 75 lb | 115 lb |
| Beginner | 55 lb | 75 lb |
30 clean and jerks, for time. Loads from CrossFit’s benchmark page, which calls Grace “a task-priority workout”: the work is fixed and the score is how fast you finish it. The page says the workout “can be scaled to meet the current capacity of any athlete,” by reducing load, reps or equipment.
Origin
Grace is one of CrossFit’s “Girls,” benchmark workouts given women’s names. According to BoxRox, the original Girls, introduced in September 2003, were Angie, Barbara, Chelsea, Diane, Elizabeth and Fran; “Helen and Grace were introduced a few months later.” BoxRox quotes founder Greg Glassman’s reasoning that the workouts were named the way storms are named by the National Weather Service.
CrossFit dates Grace’s first appearance on CrossFit.com to June 24, 2004, and BarBend likewise says it “debuted on the CrossFit website in 2004.” September 2003 is when the first Girls appeared, not Grace.
Good Grace Times
The two most-cited guides use different bands, so both are shown.
| Level | CrossFit.com | BarBend (Nov 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Elite | Under 2 minutes | Less than 1:30 |
| Advanced / Rx’d | 5-7 minutes (Rx’d) | 1:30-3:00 (advanced) |
| Intermediate | Sub-7 minutes, scaled | 3-5 minutes |
| Beginner | Sub-7-8 minutes, scaled | More than 5 minutes |
CrossFit’s bands mix Rx’d and scaled loads; BarBend’s are for the Rx’d workout.
Pacing Strategy
- Break it up early. CrossFit advises: “Consider breaking out the reps into small sets or even singles with a well-managed short rest period.”
- Plan the sets. BarBend recommends deciding in advance how to split the 30 reps (for example sets of five, six, eight or 10) and not approaching failure before the final rep.
- Keep the stimulus. CrossFit says to customise freely to “replicate the intended stimulus” rather than grind out heavy reps.