Meet "Fran"

A short, sweet and spicy CrossFit benchmark workout

Carla DiGirolamo, MD

Jun 26, 2023

Team! 
Are you ready for the most efficient 10 minutes of training that you will ever do? Meet Fran! A CrossFit classic that adds variability and challenge to any fitness program for any level of athletic ability. 
Enjoy! 
-Carla

As many of you familiar with CrossFit know, there are “named” workouts that are considered “benchmarks” for tracking improvements in fitness. “Fran” is one of the original workouts that Coach Glassman proposed to improve gymnastics fitness with the addition of weights and movements that also tests stamina. The workout was designed as a short-duration sequence that leaves you feeling like you were “hit by a storm”. Like the National Weather Service assigns names to storms, Coach Glassman named this workout - and “Fran” was born.

As with any CrossFit benchmark workout, there are scales and modifications for every fitness level, which are included here today. The stimulus goal is speed while maintaining safe movement mechanics. Ideally, all repetitions should be performed unbroken, however, strategic breaks during larger sets with efficient transitions between movements is also a sound strategy.

Why should you do this workout?

It’s different. How often do you see any trainer or fitness program prescribe a workout that is less than 10 minutes? Variability in training keeps the body guessing and this variation is a critical component of physical adaptation - an essential element of making gains in your fitness.
This workout stimulates the neuroendocrine system with quick transitions between a weighted movement and a high-skill movement. Neuroendocrine Adaptation is particularly helpful for mid-life women for jump-starting metabolic, muscular, and cardiovascular adaptation. To learn more about this, check out this Athletic Aging Classic, Neuroendocrine Adaptation: Your “End-Run” around the Menopause transition.
It’s fast! This is the most efficient 10 minutes of fitness you will ever encounter.
There are scales and modifications for every fitness level!

So what are we waiting for? Let’s get into it!

Warm Up

TABATA 20:10 x 12 rounds. 20 seconds of work / 10 seconds of rest for a total of 6 minutes

Perform each movement in sequence until you have completed 4 rounds of each of the three movements.

Up-Downs (Work 20 seconds/rest 10 seconds)
Easy push-ups
Air Squats

Movement Practice

Take 5-10 minutes to select your weights and movement options for the workout. Again, the ideal goal is to go for speed with safe mechanics and perform this sequence unbroken. However, it is also reasonable to break up sets strategically while continuing to move efficiently.

Select options and weights that allow you to do 10 repetitions unbroken confidently.

Workout

The workout as written below is in its original form (“Rx”). If you are accustomed to these movements and are proficient in both with available equipment, go for the Rx version! If these movements and/or equipment are not available to you, please see the movement options below.

HOW TO: Perform 21 thrusters, then 21 pull-ups, then 15 thrusters and 15 pull-ups, and so on until you complete the repetition scheme. Strive to perform the repetitions unbroken or in no more than 3 quick sets per movement round.

21-15-9

Barbell Thrusters (Rx: 65# for females, 95# for males)
Pull-Ups

Movement options:

Thruster substitution - dumbbell thrusters, dumbbell front squat
Pull-up substitution - rack pull-ups (feet elevated or on the floor) or ring rows (adjust to a height where you can do 10 repetitions unbroken confidently), barbell or dumbbell bent over rows.

HOW LONG SHOULD THIS TAKE?
World’s Fastest “Fran time” for a female: 1:53 (Rx above) - Marisa Flowers in 2020.
Elite: less than two minutes
Advanced: between two and four minutes
Intermediate: between four and eight minutes
Beginner: between eight and 10 minutes

Cool Down

After a neuroendocrine extravaganza such as this, recovering your body and mind back to baseline is paramount! #dontskiptheyoga

15-minute Athlete Cool-Down Yoga - Five Parks

If you enjoyed this workout, please share it with a friend

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Housekeeping……

This just dropped June 7th… check out my appearance on the Health Trip Podcast Episode #54 “Ask Me Anything”. hosted by the awesome and amazing Jill Foos!