Modifications are made to workouts for athletes to allow them to succeed while preserving intensity and technique. Modifications include reducing load, speed, volume, range of motion, or movement. Common reasons for modification include being a new or low-capacity athlete, injury, age (under 15 or over 50), illness, pregnancy, or fear. Several scenarios provide examples of how to modify specific workouts for athletes with different limitations or injuries.

1. Modifying:Why, When,
How, and Implementation

2. Modifying: Why
We modify movements and workouts to
allow athletes to succeed. We do that
preserving intensity and technique.
Adjustments are made accordingly.

3. Modifying: WhenModifications need to be considered in each of the following conditions:
● Low-Capacity athletes
● New athletes
● Injury
● Younger (<15) and Older (50>) athletes
● Illness
● Pregnancy
● Fear

4. Modifying: How:
How● Load
○ Lighter weights, bands on pull ups, knees on push up
Speed
○ Also tempo, reducing speed alone allows some athletes to be more
successful
● Volume/Repetitions/Distance/R.O.M.
○ Reducing distance of run/row
○ Reducing volume in any movement (less of any given movement in
any given wod)
○ Reducing Range of motion (e.g. Snatch modified to power snatch)

5. Modifying: Implementation
● Scenario #1 Luke
○ 21-15-9 Pullups and Thrusters (95/65)
■ Sally has only been at the gym 3 weeks
and has no pull ups and never done a
thruster prior, how would you modify Sally
for this workout?

6. Modifying: Implementation
● Scenario #2
○ WOD: 16 Minute Cap: 800m run, 40 squats, 40
push ups, 40 sit ups, 800m run
■ Paul has been at CFN for 6 months. He’s
about 50 lbs overweight. What changes
would you make for Paul for him to succeed?

7. Modifying: Implementation
● Scenario #3
○ WOD: 12 min amrap: 12 burpees, 9 wall balls
(20/14), 6 DB Clean and jerks (35/25)
■ Betty is one of our most advanced female
athletes, but she has been feeling pain in her
right shoulder with overhead movements just
recently. How would you modify Betty for this
wod?

8. ● Scenario #4
○ Wod: 15 minutes of: 100 singles, 10
lunges, 10 burpees
■ Cathy is 63 years old. She has ankle
and foot injuries. How should she
modify this workout?
Modifying: Implementation

9. Modifying: Implementation
● Scenario #5
○ Front Squat 4x10 Reps
■ Fred has a really poor front rack
position due to inflexibility in the
shoulder. How should Fred modify this
strength piece?

10. Modifying: Implementation
● Scenario #6
○ Wod: 10 Minutes Prowler push, 10
minutes run, 10 minutes Double unders
■ Bennie has a recovering calf injury.
How might you modify Bennie for this
day?

11. ● Scenario #7
○ 15 Minutes of Squat Snatch Practice:
Heavy Singles
■ LaRonda is new to CF and has never
touched a barbell before. What might you
have her do instead of Heavy Snatches?
Modifying: Implementation

12. ● Scenario #8
○ 20 Min EMOM: Even 5-8 HSPU, ODD 6-10
Pistols
■ Jane is 6 months pregnant, but has been
doing CF for a year. How might you
modify Jane for this wod?
Modifying: Implementation

13. ● Scenario #9
○ 20 Min Amrap: 400m Run, 20 Jumping Burpees,
10 Overhead Squats (95/65)
■ John Paul has 1 year of CF experience. He’s
40lbs overweight but is very strong and has
amazing flexibility. He’s also bad at running.
How would you modify JP?
Modifying: Implementation

14. ● Scenario #10
○ WOD: 5 Rounds for time
■ 400m Row, 20 deadlifts (135/95), 20 Medball sit ups
● Cicero has a history of having a bad back and it’s
been acting up this past week. How would you
modify Cicero?
● Juliana has pulled her Trapezius the prior week.
What would you do to help her with this wod?
Modifying: Implementation