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15 Hero WODs You’ve Probably Never Done

June 26, 2018 by Adele Jackson-Gibson, MS, CF-L1

Murph. You love it. You love to hate it. You hate that you love it. 

Regardless, it’s probably given you a bit little bit of Hero WOD flu. You know, the bug every CrossFitter catches twice or thrice a decade when trying every Hero WOD on the face of the planet becomes their goal numero uno. 

Ummm why? Because these WODs honor and function as a memorial for men and women who have died in the line of duty while working in the military, or as police officers or firefighters. 

And because they’re tough as hell, and CrossFitters love to challenge themselves physically and mentally.

The list below, adapted from the official CrossFit page, is far from comprehensive (there’s well over 200 listed on the CrossFit.com). But it’s a good place to start. Just remember why you’re doing them and who you’re doing them for, when you’ve got sweat dripping everywhere.

(For more detailed biographical information, head to the official CrossFIt FAQ page where images and further information on each hero are provided.)

CLOVIS

Who: U.S. Army Second Lieutenant Clovis T. Ray, 34, of San Antonio, Texas, assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, based in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, was killed on March 15, 2012, in Kunar province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

The WOD:

Complete the following for time:

10 Mile Run

150 Burpees

If you have a 26.2 bumper sticker on your car, you have no excuse not to do this workout. The rest of you, well, make sure you can comfortably run a 10K. Then, tackle this baby partitioning this baby as needed. 

LUMBERJACK 20

Who: On Nov. 5, 2009, terrorist Major Nidal Hasan attacked fellow soldiers and civilians at Fort Hood, Texas. He killed 12 soldiers and one civilian, wounding 43 others.

U.S. Army Spc. Frederick Greene, 29, Pfc. Aaron Thomas Nemelka, 19, Pfc. Michael Pearson, 22, and Spc. Kham Xiong, 23, along with 11 of the wounded were active CrossFit athletes 

The WOD: 

Complete the following for time:

20 Deadlifts (275#/185#)
400 Meter Run
20 KB Swing (72#/53#)
400 Meter Run
20 Overhead Squat (115#/85#)
400 Meter Run
20 Burpees
400 Meter Run
20 Chest-To-Bar Pull-Ups
400 Meter Run
20 Box Jumps (24in.)
400 Meter Run
20 Dumbbell Squat Cleans (45#/35#)
400 Meter Run

This is the first WOD of many Hero runs with a whole lot of running., but this chipper is pretty self explanatory. Complete it, then check the time before you rolling on the ground in your post-WOD agony. 

DANIEL

Who: U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Crabtree, 31,died in Al Kut, Iraq, on June 8, 2006, when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations.

The WOD:

Complete the following for time:

50 Pull-Ups
400 Meter Run
21 Thrusters (95#/65#)
800 Meter Run
21 Thrusters (95#/65#)
400 Meter Run
50 Pull-Ups

Before you write this workout off as being easy, consider this: its only got 3 less thrusters than Fran. So if you don’t have Fran cough after, you could’ve gone harder. 

TOMMY V

Who: Senior Chief Petty Officer Thomas J. Valentine, 37, died in a training accident in Arizona, on Feb. 13, 2008.

The WOD:

Complete the following for time:

21 Thrusters (115#/85#)
12 Ascents, 15-Foot Rope Climb
15 Thrusters (115#/85#)
9 Ascents, 15-Foot Rope Climb
9 Thrusters (115#/85#)
6 Ascents, 15-Foot Rope Climb

If you usually wear gloves doing rope climbs, you’re going to want to come prepared Tommy V. 

GRIFF

Who:U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Travis L. Griffin, 28, was killed on April 3, 2008, in Iraq by an improvised explosive device strike to his vehicle

The WOD:

800 Meter Run
400 Meter Run Backwards
800 Meter Run
400 Meter Run Backwards

Alright, soccer players, this one’s for you. The rest of you? If you can’t run backwards, walk. 

ARNIE

Who: Los Angeles County Firefighter Specialist Arnaldo “Arnie” Quinones, 34, was killed in the line of duty on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009.

The WOD: 

Complete the following for time:

21 Turkish Get-Ups, Right Arm (72#/53#)
50 KB Swing
21 Overhead Squats, Left Arm
50 KB Swing
21 Overhead Squats, Right Arm
50 KB Swing
21 Turkish Get-Ups

If you couldn’t turkish get-up before Arnie, you’ll sure as hell be able to turkish get-up after.

SEVERIN

Who: U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Severin W. Summers III, 43, died Aug. 2, 2009, in Afghanistan after his vehicle was struck by a command-wire improvised explosive device. 

The WOD:

Complete for time, wearing a weight vest:

50 Strict Pull-ups
100 Hand-Release Push-Ups, release your hands from the floor at the bottom
5K Run 

It’s like Murph, but not. 

HELTON

Who: U.S. Air Force Security Forces 1st Lt. Joseph D. Helton, 24, was killed Sept. 8, 2009, while on a mission in Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. 

The WOD:

800 Meter Run
30 Dumbbell Squat Cleans (50#/35#)
30 Burpees

Before Castro made us hate Dumbbells, Helton did. But only only of them is a certified hero. Sorry Castro, we’re not talking about you. 

FORREST

Who: U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Forrest Nelson Leamon, 37, was killed Oct. 26, 2009, when his helicopter crashed while on a counternarcotics mission in Afghanistan. 

The WOD:

Complete 3 rounds of the following for time: 

20 L Sit Pull-Ups
30 Toes-to-Bars
40 Burpees
800 Meter Run 

Redefining gymNASTY since 2009. 

KLEPTO

Who: U.S. Air Force Maj. David “Klepto” L. Brodeur, 34, died on April 27, 2011, in Afghanistan, after sustaining gunshot wounds from an Afghan military trainee. 

The WOD:

Complete four rounds for time: 

27 Box Jumps (24/20)
20 Burpees
11 Squat Cleans (145#/100#)

The only thing this WOD is stealing is your ability to walk tomorrow. 

J.J.

Who: U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Justin James “JJ” Wilson, 24, was killed on March 22, 2010, during combat operations in Afghanistan. 

The WOD:

Complete the following for time:

1 Squat Clean (185#/135#)
10 Parallette Handstand Push-Ups
2 Squat Cleans
9 Parallette HSPU
3 Squat Cleans
8 Parallette HSPU

…Continue this same pattern, adding to the number of repetitions for each squat clean set until you reach 10 total repetitions, and reducing the number of parallette handstand push-ups until you reach 1. 

This Hero WOD doesn’t care about your weaknesses. It cares about lifting heavy and kicking your gymnastics-doing ass. When your shoulders are burning, remember Justin James, it’ll get you through. 

NICK

Who: U.S. Army Spc. Nicholas P. Steinbacher, 22, died on Dec. 10, 2006, when insurgents attacked his Humvee with an IED in Iraq.

The WOD:

Complete 12 rounds of the following for time: 

10 Dumbbell Hang Squat Cleans(45#/35#)
6 Handstand Push-Ups On The Dumbbells

192 reps with dumbbells…Here’s to facing your fears in honor of Nick, 1 bitch-of-a-dumbbell-movement at a time. 

HIDALGO

Who: U.S. Army First Lieutenant Daren M. Hidalgo, 24, of Waukesha, WI, assigned to 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, based in Vilseck, Germany, died on February 20, 2011, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

The WOD:

Complete the following for time, while wearing a weight vest: 

For Time

2 Mile Run
2 Minutes Rest
20 Squat Cleans (135#/95#)
20 Box Jumps (24/20)
20 Overhead Walking Lunges (45#/25# plate)
20 Box Jumps (24/20)
20 Squat Cleans (135#/95#)
2 Minutes Rest
2 Mile Run

Never skip leg day, folks. Or at least, not when leg day takes the name “Hidalgo”.

SHIP

Who: Canadian Forces Sgt. Prescott Shipway, 36, was killed on Sept. 7, 2008, by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. 

The WOD:

Complete 9 total rounds of the following for time

7 Squat Cleans (185#/135#)
8 Burpee Box Jumps (36”) 

ADRAIN

Who: U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Adrian Elizalde, 30, died on Aug. 23, 2007, in Iraq, of wounds sustained from an IED.

The WOD:

Complete 7 rounds of the following for time: 

3 Forward Rolls
5 Wall Climbs
7 Toes-to-Bars
9 Box Jumps (30″),

This may be the first time you’ve seen a forward roll in a WOD, but second maybe to handstand walking, this move is about as gymnasty as it gets. Plus, with the Regionals have been progressing, you might just see these in 2019. We’re onto you Castro. 

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