Some new movements introduced at the CrossFit Games become instant staples in the sport. Others appear once and vanish.
As we count down the minutes to Albany, we decided to rank our five favorite new movements introduced at the CrossFit Games over the years.
The criteria:
- Entertainment Value: Is it fun to watch? A great test should keep fans on the edge of their seats.
- Difficulty: If it’s easy, what’s the point? The CrossFit Games have always been about pushing limits. Surprise and struggle are part of the equation.
- Repeatability: Did it come back? Should it come back? How difficult is it to repeat?
Two movements on the list below initially brought the field to a near standstill when first introduced and are making a comeback in 2025: the pegboard (introduced in 2015) and double-under crossovers (introduced in 2022).
Spectators were unsure of whether to cheer or cringe, and the athletes were visibly frustrated under the heat of the spotlight. It was uncomfortable to watch, and even more uncomfortable to do, which adds to the excitement when they get a second chance this August.
Table of Contents
Double-Under Crossovers — 2022 CrossFit Games
- Entertainment value: 7/10
- Difficulty: 7/10
- Repeatability: 10/10
Double-under crossovers were featured in the “Skill Speed Medley” at the 2022 Games. In this elimination-style event, Nick Mathew was the only athlete to complete the entire course in the final round.
It seemed like the movement might have been a one-time thing, with many calling it a “circus trick” that wouldn’t come back. But after a three-year break, it’s now returned.
This year’s “Event Two” features a hefty 80 double-under cross-overs, incorporated into a shoulder-intensive workout.
We will find out who can nail this high-skilled movement with Jello shoulders when the pressure is on. This time, everyone gets a turn.
Peg Board — 2015 CrossFit Games
- Entertainment value: 8/10
- Difficulty: 9/10
- Repeatability: 9/10
In 2015, athletes struggled to complete the traverse up and down the pegboard. Some of the men gutted it out, but for the majority of the women, this was a challenge they had never attempted before.
The pegboard has come back multiple times since, and the field earned its redemption. We saw a strict version for the first time during the “Skill Speed Medley” at the 2022 Games when it was combined with double-under crossovers.
Will we see a new variation in 2025?
Pig Flip — 2013 CrossFit Games
- Entertainment value: 8/10
- Difficulty: 8/10
- Repeatability: 7/10
The “Pig” first appeared at the CrossFit Games in 2013 and was featured in the “Burden Run” event. During the event, athletes had to flip the heavy, rectangular metal frame a certain distance. Specifically, men flipped a 490-pound Pig, while women flipped a 310-pound version.
The Pig then came back in heavier versions at the 2015 and 2021 Games.
It’s thrilling to watch, challenging for most, and has made multiple appearances. But the giant, cumbersome implement isn’t the easiest to program repeatedly.
Obstacle Course — 2012 CrossFit Games
- Entertainment value: 11/10
- Difficulty: 9/10
- Repeatability: 6/10
First introduced in 2012 at Camp Pendleton, athletes tackled a military-style obstacle course in a bracket format. The elimination factor, combined with the opportunity for athletes to show improvement across multiple rounds, contributed to exceptionally high entertainment value.
The event returned in 2017 with the same high-stakes format. Athletes had to eliminate mistakes or face elimination.
We last saw an obstacle course in 2018, where competitors wore weighted vests in a firefighter-inspired event that involved moving a rescue dummy called “Rescue Randy” across the field.
This event delivered one of the weekend’s most intense (and terrifying) moments, as both Mat Fraser and Pat Vellner took dramatic falls from the cargo net during a neck-and-neck race. These events would not score high on safety.
Handstand Walking Obstacles — 2011 CrossFit Games
- Entertainment value: 10/10
- Difficulty: 10/10
- Repeatability: 10/10
Handstand walking was first introduced at the CrossFit Games during the 2011 Skills Tests. Competitors had to perform a max distance handstand walk after completing a max L-sit hold and a softball throw for distance.
Rich Froning set the men’s record at 149 feet, 11 inches, while Annie Thorisdottir established the women’s record at 205 feet, 2 inches. It quickly became a staple at the Games, but in 2018, the challenge increased. Obstacles were added as part of the handstand walking test in 2018 on Event 13, “Handstand Walk.”
In 2021, Danielle Brandon delivered the most impressive performance by running, not just walking, on her hands over multiple obstacles during “Event 8.” She won the event by 21 seconds ahead of another handstand-walking savant, Haley Adams.
A handstand walking obstacle course returned in 2023, combined with free-standing handstand push-ups (first introduced in 2021) and pull-overs (first seen on the obstacle course in 2012). We included the free-standing HSPU as an obstacle above, but it could also stand alone on this list.
Handstand walking has never appeared twice in the same year at the Games. With “Event Four” recently announced, featuring five rounds of 100 meters of handstand walking, it is unlikely we will see any obstacles in 2025.
Honorable Mention: Sandbag Clean — 2022 CrossFit Games
- Entertainment value: 10/10
- Difficulty: 9/10
- Repeatability: 5/10
The sandbag clean in 2022 was an unconventional method for testing one-rep max strength. The event itself started off slowly but soon became one of the most exciting events of the weekend.
The 2022 champion, Justin Medeiros, acknowledged the thrill of competing on the big stage and described each rep as “expensive,” referring to the energy required compared to a traditional barbell lift.
A Final Note
Inevitably, we had to leave some movements off the list, but they were deserving of mention. We reminisce about the Snail, introduced in 2016, and the parallel bar traverse, first seen in 2022 and repeated in 2023.
- And let’s not forget our “one-and-done” favorites: the softball throw in 2011, and the ball toss GHD in 2012.
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