CrossFit training has evolved quite a bit since its inception in the early 2000s, but some OG benchmark workouts remain tried and true.
One of these is “Isabel,” which is experiencing a massive resurgence in attention in 2025, but this time with a twist.
Remind me: A brief reminder for those who haven’t taken it on before, “Isabel” is a simple yet deadly workout featuring just one movement – snatches. Here’s how it goes:
“Isabel”
For time:
- 30 snatches, 135/95 pounds
Check out CrossFit OGs Pat Sherwood and Chuck Carswell taking on “Isabel” in this video from 2009.
It’s an iconic workout on its own, but in case you’ve missed it, “Isabel” is experiencing a sort of rebirth this year after it was announced that “Heavy Isabel” would be programmed for all the North American In-Person Qualifying Events, the Copa Sur in South America, and the Age Group In-Affiliate Semifinals.
- The weight prescribed for athletes in the 35-39 age division was 215/145 pounds for men and women, respectively.
- As the age of the athletes increased, the weight for the workout decreased, with the 70+ division having the lightest weight of 105/75.
Some Background on Isabel
One of the original “Girls,” CrossFit first published the WOD in the CrossFit Journal and on the main site back in November of 2004.
In July 2012, “Isabel” was programmed at the CrossFit Games. On the men’s side, Rich Froning won with a time of 1:20.7, while Annie Thorisdottir took it for the women in 1:29.
Rich Froning took on “Heavy Isabel” during a CrossFit promo video for the 2014 Open. In the video, the Games champ completed the workout in 6:09 (a squat was required for each rep in this version; that’s not the case in 2025) and immediately registered for the Open. He later reattempted the workout without the squat and finished in 4:37.
This video served as one of the inspirations for “Heavy Isabel” in the 2025 CrossFit Games season, as the Mayhem Classic drew from Rich’s past for programming ideas.
2025’s “Heavy Isabel”
The prescribed weight of 2025’s “Heavy Isabel” is a staggering 225/155 pounds for men and women, respectively.
At the 2025 Mayhem Classic, Abigail Domit won the women’s division with a time of 3:55.53, while Guilherme Malheiros finished in 3:58.61. These times are impressive for regular “Isabel,” let alone for a much heavier version.
Fast fact: The heavy version represented a 66.6% increase in loading from regular “Isabel” for men and a 63.1% increase for women.
- The average time for “Isabel” for a beginner is in the six-to-seven-minute range. However, as athletes progress to intermediate and advanced levels, times in the three-to-four-minute range are more likely.
The Bottom Line
While the workouts have gotten harder and maybe a bit more complex,. CrossFit never fails to get back to its roots, and “Isabel” is proof of just that.
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Featured Image: Erin Murphy, @erinmurphydesigns / Instagram
