CrossFit Celebrates 25 Years Since First WOD Featuring Thrusters, Runs

CrossFit published a retrospective marking 25 years since the first CrossFit workout was posted on Feb. 10, 2001, tracing how a simple public posting model became the global daily WOD tradition and reflecting on the commun

The first entry, identified by the site’s date-code 010210, is plain and punishing: dumbbell thrusters and runs. This is the first workout ever posted on CrossFit.com, and the original post listed no weight for the dumbbell thrusters. Instead, the instructions were to use a heavy weight and move as fast as possible. Twenty-five years later, this workout is still a "bear" and is a potent dose of fitness.

For athletes looking to revisit the original, contemporary guidance narrows the prescription. Choose a weight for the dumbbells so you can complete your thrusters in 3 sets or fewer, and push the pace of each run. Intermediate option: Same as Rx'd. Beginner option: "For time: 200-meter run 15 dumbbell thrusters\ 200-meter run 12 dumbbell thrusters 200-meter run 9 dumbbell thrusters" Use two dumbbells. [...] Compare to 250429.

The retrospective reaffirms CrossFit’s benchmarking culture. Community instructions appear throughout: Post time and load to the comments and Post loads to the comments. The site explicitly prompts athletes to Compare to 010210 and to Compare to 250429, tying the anniversary post to other archive entries and recent test points. For those without a local box, the site repeats the invitation: Find a gym near you: View the CrossFit map.

The anniversary material also included training guidance beyond the thruster workout. Today's workout is a classic heavy day. Look back at April 29, 2025, to find your last heavy 5-rep deadlift to help gauge your target loading today. Plan to lift heavy, relative to your capacity, either sticking with the same load across all 5 sets or beginning the first set of 5 at 65% or higher of your recent 1-rep max and building from there. Newer athletes and those who struggle to maintain sound mechanics on the deadlift will hold at lighter weights to improve mechanics and consistency before challenging near-maximal loads. The site points athletes to resources titled The Deadlift and Deadlift Cycling | Faults and Fixes for technical work.

The 25th anniversary post also ties into event season with an invitation to the 2026 Worldwide CrossFit Open. "The CrossFit Open is more than a test of fitness, it’s a challenge that builds mental toughness, resilience, and confidence," the invitation reads, urging athletes to embrace pressure, perform under the clock, and choose growth over fear.

For coaches and athletes, the practical takeaway is direct: revisit archives, set loads with historical reference points, and share results. Post time and load to the comments, compare to 010210 and 250429, and use the deadlift guidance and technical resources to dial in safe strength work. The anniversary is a reminder that simple programming has shaped a global routine, and the next step is to log the work, compare numbers, and show up for the next Open.