Explore Terminology

1RM

One Rep Max; the maximum weight you can lift for a single repetition.

Affiliate

An officially licensed CrossFit gym certified by CrossFit HQ.

Age Group

Competitive categories divided by age for athletes chasing podium placements.

AMRAP

As Many Rounds/Reps As Possible; a timed workout format.

Appalachian Trail

A 2,190 mile thru-hiking trail running from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine.

Arm Swing

The natural forward and back movement of the arms while walking, contributing to balance and walking speed.

Atlas Stone

A heavy concrete ball athletes must carry and place before continuing the course.

Band

An elite competitive corral at Spartan Race where athletes race for podium and points.

Barbed Wire Crawl

Low crawling under barbed wire through mud, a staple of most OCR events.

Baseweight

The weight of a thru-hiker’s pack excluding food, water, and fuel, a key metric for comparing and optimizing gear setups.

Benchmark

A standardized workout repeated over time to measure fitness improvement.

Bikepacking Geometry

Frame design with clearance, stability, and mounting points suited for loaded adventure riding.

Bikepacking Race

An ultra-distance unsupported event such as the Tour Divide or Silk Road Mountain Race.

Bikepacking Route

A planned off-road or mixed terrain course connecting trails, roads, and tracks.

Bivvy

A lightweight shelter or sleeping bag cover used for minimal overnight camping setups.

Box

The name for a CrossFit gym.

Box Jump

Jumping from the floor onto a raised platform to build explosive leg power.

Brisk Walking

Walking at a pace fast enough to elevate heart rate and breathing without breaking into a run.

Bucket Brigade

Carrying a bucket filled with gravel for a set distance, a notorious Spartan obstacle.

Burpee

A full body movement dropping to the floor and jumping back up, a CrossFit staple.

Burpee Broad Jump

A burpee followed by a forward jump, repeated for distance.

Burpee Penalty

The standard punishment for failing an obstacle, typically 30 burpees in Spartan.

Carry

Any obstacle requiring athletes to haul a heavy object such as a bucket, log, or sandbag.

Cathole

A small hole dug 6 to 8 inches deep and 200 feet from water for human waste disposal following leave no trace principles.

Clean and Jerk

A two-phase Olympic lift moving the bar from floor to shoulder then overhead.

Compression Sleeves

Worn on arms or legs for protection against rope burns and abrasions.

Consistency

The most important factor in walking for health, with regular daily movement outperforming occasional intense efforts.

Continental Divide Trail

A 3,100 mile trail following the Rocky Mountain spine from New Mexico to Glacier National Park in Montana.

Daily Steps

The accumulated walking movement across an entire day, tracked by a phone, watch, or fitness tracker.

Deadlift

Lifting a loaded barbell from the floor to a standing position with a neutral spine.

Double Under

A jump rope skill where the rope passes under your feet twice per jump.

Doubles

A Hyrox format where two athletes share the work at each station.

Dynamo Hub

A wheel hub that generates electricity while riding to charge devices and lights on long trips.

EMOM

Every Minute on the Minute; performing a set number of reps at the start of each minute.

Farmers Carry

Carrying heavy kettlebells in each hand for a set distance.

Fitness Tracker

A wearable device tracking steps, heart rate, distance, and calories burned during daily walking activity.

Flip Flop

A thru-hiking strategy starting in the middle of a trail and completing each half in opposite directions to avoid crowds or weather.

Foot Strike

The part of the foot making first contact with the ground during each walking step.

Frame Bag

A bag that fits inside the main triangle of a bike frame to carry gear and supplies.

Functional Fitness

Training that mimics real-world movement patterns, central to Hyrox preparation.

Gauntlet

A section of a course with multiple obstacles in rapid succession.

Girl WODs

A series of benchmark workouts named after women used to track fitness progress over time.

Gloves

Optional hand protection used on grip-heavy obstacle courses.

Gravel Road

Unpaved roads common in bikepacking routes connecting remote areas.

Grip Failure

Losing hold of an obstacle due to fatigue or mud, leading to a penalty.

Grip Strength

Essential for sled pulls, farmers carry, and rowing stations.

Handlebar Roll

A dry bag strapped to the handlebars, typically the largest storage point on a bikepacking setup.

Handstand Push-Up

A pressing movement performed inverted against a wall or freestanding.

Heart Rate Zone

Training intensity ranges used to structure most workouts.

A target intensity range used during fitness to ensure cardiovascular training benefit.

Hero WOD

A named workout created to honor fallen military, law enforcement, or first responders.

Hike-a-Bike

Sections of terrain too steep or technical to ride, requiring carrying or pushing the bike.

Hiker Hunger

The extreme and relentless appetite developed after weeks of thru-hiking due to massive daily caloric expenditure.

Hiker Trash

An affectionate self-deprecating term used by thru-hikers to describe their disheveled, trail-worn appearance and lifestyle.

Hostel

Budget accommodation in trail towns catering specifically to thru-hikers offering beds, showers, laundry, and resupply services.

Interval Walking

Alternating periods of brisk and slower walking to increase cardiovascular demand without continuous high effort.

Kipping

A swinging movement used in pull-ups to generate momentum and increase rep efficiency.

Lactate Threshold

The intensity at which lactic acid builds faster than it clears, critical for pacing.

Loaded Riding

Cycling with a full gear setup, requiring adjusted handling and lower gearing.

Long Walk

An extended walking session of two or more hours used to build aerobic base and explore new areas.

Mail Drop

A pre-packed resupply box mailed ahead to a post office or hostel along the trail for collection during a thru-hike.

Metcon

Metabolic Conditioning; high intensity workouts designed to improve cardiovascular fitness.

Mixed Doubles

A Hyrox doubles format pairing one male and one female athlete.

Mobility

The range of motion through joints required to perform CrossFit movements safely.

Monkey Bars

A horizontal bar traversal obstacle testing grip and upper body endurance.

Mud Pit

A water and mud-filled trench athletes must wade or swim through during a race.

Muscle Up

An advanced gymnastics movement combining a pull-up and dip on rings or a bar.

Navigation

Using GPS devices, apps, or paper maps to follow a route in remote terrain.

NEAT

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis; the calories burned through all movement outside of formal exercise including walking.

Nero

A near zero day covering only a few miles, used for rest and resupply without fully stopping forward progress.

NOBO

Northbound; hiking a long distance trail from south to north, the most common direction on the Appalachian Trail.

Non-Exercise Activity

The physical movement accumulated outside of structured workouts, with walking being the most impactful form.

Nordic Walking

A full body walking technique using specially designed poles to engage the upper body and increase caloric burn.

Obstacle Completion Rate

The percentage of obstacles finished without penalty across a race.

OCR

Obstacle Course Racing; the umbrella term for all mud run and obstacle race formats.

Open Division

The standard competitive category for first-time and recreational Hyrox athletes.

Open Wave

A non-competitive start wave where athletes race for fun without time pressure.

Pace

Walking speed expressed in minutes per mile or kilometer, used to track and improve fitness walking performance.

Pacific Crest Trail

A 2,650 mile trail running from the Mexican border in California to the Canadian border in Washington State.

Pacing

Managing your effort across all 8 runs and stations to avoid early burnout.

Pedometer

A simple device counting steps taken during a walk, the original step tracking tool before smartwatches.

Posture

An upright, relaxed body position while walking reducing strain and improving efficiency over longer distances.

Power Clean

A barbell clean caught above a full squat position, common in CrossFit workouts.

Pro Division

The elite competitive category with heavier weights and higher standards.

Purist

A thru-hiker committed to completing every step of the official trail without skipping any sections by road or transport.

Qualifier

An online or in-person event used to qualify athletes for championship events.

Race Format

Hyrox consists of 8 x 1km runs each followed by one functional workout station.

Race Simulation

Training that replicates the full Hyrox format to prepare for race day.

Recovery Walk

A gentle walking session used as active recovery between harder training days to promote circulation.

Resupply

Stopping at a town, store, or checkpoint to restock food, water, and supplies.

Resupply

The process of restocking food and supplies at a town, post office, or cache point along a thru-hiking route.

Rig

A series of hanging obstacles requiring grip strength and upper body coordination.

Rope Climb

Ascending a vertical rope using hands and feet, a classic OCR obstacle.

Rowing

A 1000m indoor rowing machine effort as one of the 8 workout stations.

Roxzone

The transition area between the run and each workout station inside a Hyrox event.

Running Economy

Efficiency of movement while running, important for maintaining pace across 8km.

RX

Performing a workout as prescribed without scaling weight or movements.

Sandbag Carry

Hauling a heavy sandbag over distance or elevation, common across most OCR events.

Sandbag Lunges

Walking lunges performed while holding a sandbag across the shoulders.

Scaled

Modifying a workout to match your current fitness level.

Seat Pack

A bag mounted under the saddle used to carry clothing, tools, and camp gear.

Self-Supported

Carrying all food, water, shelter, and gear without external crew or resupply support.

Shake Down

A shorter overnight trip taken before a thru-hike to test gear, identify problems, and make adjustments.

Shelter

A three-sided wooden structure found along trails like the Appalachian Trail providing basic overnight accommodation for thru-hikers.

Singletrack

Narrow off-road trail wide enough for one bike, common on bikepacking adventures.

Ski Erg

A rowing machine variant pulling cables downward to simulate cross country skiing.

Sled Pull

Pulling a weighted sled toward you using a rope for a set distance.

Sled Push

Pushing a weighted sled across the floor for a set distance.

Slip Wall

A steep, slippery inclined wall requiring a rope to climb over.

Snatch

An Olympic weightlifting movement lifting a barbell from the floor to overhead in one motion.

SOBO

Southbound; hiking a long distance trail from north to south, typically requiring earlier planning due to seasonal windows.

Spartan Race

One of the largest OCR brands offering Sprint, Super, Beast, and Ultra distances.

Spear Throw

A Spartan Race signature obstacle requiring throwing a spear into a hay bale.

Station Weight

The prescribed load for each workout station varying by division and gender.

Step Count

The total number of steps taken in a day, with 10,000 steps commonly cited as a daily health benchmark.

Thru-Hike

Completing an entire long distance trail from start to finish in a single continuous journey.

Thruster

A combination front squat into an overhead press performed in one fluid movement.

Top Tube Bag

A small bag sitting on the top tube for easy access to snacks and navigation gear.

Tough Mudder

A team-oriented OCR event known for electric, water, and upper body obstacles.

Town Day

A day spent off trail in a nearby town handling resupply, laundry, food, rest, and gear repairs.

Trail Angel

A person who provides trail magic, rides, shelter, or other support to thru-hikers out of generosity.

Trail Magic

Unexpected acts of kindness from strangers leaving food, drinks, or supplies for thru-hikers along the trail.

Trail Name

A nickname given to or chosen by a thru-hiker, a beloved tradition of long distance hiking culture.

Trail Section

The running portions between obstacles, often on uneven or technical terrain.

Trail Walking

Walking on natural unpaved surfaces offering varied terrain, fresh air, and mental health benefits.

Transition Time

Time spent moving from the run course into each workout station.

Trekking

Extended multi-day walking journeys through remote or mountainous terrain, sitting between hiking and backpacking.

Trifecta

Completing a Spartan Sprint, Super, and Beast in a single calendar year.

Triple Crown

Completing all three of America’s premier long distance trails, the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail.

Urban Walking

City-based walking for fitness and exploration, a highly accessible form of daily physical activity.

VO2 Max

Maximum oxygen uptake; a key fitness marker for all running performance.

Walking Group

A community of people walking together regularly for fitness, accountability, and social connection.

Walking Meditation

A mindful walking practice focusing attention on breath, sensation, and surroundings rather than pace or distance.

Walking Shoes

Footwear designed for comfort and support during extended walking, distinct from running shoes.

Wall Balls

Throwing a weighted medicine ball to a target on the wall from a squat position.

WOD

Workout of the Day; the daily prescribed workout posted at a CrossFit gym.

Yellow Blazing

Skipping sections of trail by hitchhiking or driving, a controversial practice in the purist thru-hiking community.

Zero

A full rest day covering zero miles, taken in town to recover, resupply, and recharge mentally.

Zone 2

Low intensity aerobic activity focused on keeping heart rate in the aerobic base zone, building cardiovascular health over time.