Crossfit Programming, Scaling, and Modifications 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the term 'Rx' mean in the context of a CrossFit workout?
- The workout has been prescribed by a medical professional
- The athlete completed the workout as written with all prescribed loads and movements (Correct answer)
- The athlete used reduced weight
- The workout is recommended for advanced athletes only
Correct answer: The athlete completed the workout as written with all prescribed loads and movements
Rx means 'as prescribed'—the athlete completed every movement and used every load exactly as written in the workout.
Question 2: A coach is programming for a 60-minute class. Approximately how long should the workout itself (not warm-up or cool-down) last for a general fitness class?
- 5–10 minutes
- 10–20 minutes (Correct answer)
- 30–40 minutes
- 50–55 minutes
Correct answer: 10–20 minutes
Most CrossFit metcons are designed to last roughly 10–20 minutes, allowing time for a thorough warm-up and cool-down within a 60-minute class.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes 'virtuosity' as it applies to CrossFit programming?
- Performing common movements uncommonly well before advancing (Correct answer)
- Adding complex movements to every workout
- Prioritizing speed over technique at all times
- Programming rare or novel movements to keep athletes challenged
Correct answer: Performing common movements uncommonly well before advancing
Virtuosity, as coined by Coach Glassman, means performing the common movements uncommonly well—mastery of fundamentals before advancing.
Question 4: When should a coach scale the load of a barbell movement for an athlete?
- Only when the athlete requests it
- Only when the athlete is injured
- When the load compromises movement mechanics or the intended stimulus (Correct answer)
- After the athlete has trained for less than six months
Correct answer: When the load compromises movement mechanics or the intended stimulus
Load should be scaled whenever it causes breakdown in mechanics or prevents the athlete from achieving the intended stimulus—safety and stimulus always come before ego.
Question 5: A coach programs three consecutive days of heavy squatting. What training principle does this violate?
- Specificity
- Variation and adequate recovery (Correct answer)
- Progressive overload
- The FITT principle
Correct answer: Variation and adequate recovery
CrossFit programming requires variation and adequate recovery to prevent overtraining; targeting the same movement pattern daily limits recovery and increases injury risk.
Question 6: What is the primary benefit of using AMRAPs (As Many Rounds/Reps As Possible) in CrossFit programming?
- They allow every athlete to work at their own capacity within a fixed time (Correct answer)
- They always produce the same score across all fitness levels
- They eliminate the need for scaling
- They focus exclusively on the aerobic pathway
Correct answer: They allow every athlete to work at their own capacity within a fixed time
AMRAPs self-regulate intensity—faster or stronger athletes complete more rounds, while newer athletes complete fewer, yet all work appropriately hard within the same time window.
Question 7: Which scaling strategy is most appropriate for an elderly athlete with limited hip mobility performing deadlifts?
- Eliminate the deadlift entirely
- Use a trap bar or elevate the plates to reduce the range of motion required (Correct answer)
- Switch to leg press
- Increase the weight to challenge hip recruitment
Correct answer: Use a trap bar or elevate the plates to reduce the range of motion required
Elevating the plates (or using a trap bar) shortens the range of motion to a level the athlete can safely perform, preserving the hip-hinge stimulus.
Crossfit Programming, Scaling, and Modifications 3
What does the term 'Rx' mean in the context of a CrossFit workout?