The 2025 Community Cup isn’t just another competition, it’s the first of its kind, built from the ground up to celebrate what makes CrossFit® so powerful: the local box, the daily class crew, and the people who show up, even when life’s busy.
It’s designed with you in mind: the full-time parents, the over-35 crowd, the masters athletes balancing training with everything else. This is your opportunity to show what you’ve built through consistency, not chaos. It’s about representing your affiliate, not just your score.
If you’ve done the CrossFit® Open before, some of this will feel familiar; grippy workouts, smart pacing, and that subtle pressure to give your best. But the Community Cup shifts the focus. This is about effort over ego. It’s about showing up, moving well, and supporting your community through every round and rep.
Inside this guide, you’ll find breakdowns of all three workouts, with specific strategies for every division. From Rookie to Pro, we’ll help you approach each event with confidence, stay composed under fatigue, and squeeze the most out of every second.
Because at WODprep, we’re not just here to cheer you on. We’re here to help you do it right.
>>> Want the full CrossFit® Community Cup Strategy Guide straight to your inbox? Grab it here.
Quick Jumps
Click the links below to jump to the workout and strategy you’re looking for.
CrossFit® Community Cup
Workout 1
The 20-Minute AMRAP That Punishes Poor Pacing
This one’s going to feel familiar to anyone who's done Open-style programming. It’s long, repeatable, and rewards anyone who knows how to pace long workouts. For athletes in higher divisions, handstand push-up endurance becomes the key to staying in the game.
20-Minute AMRAP(As many rounds and reps as possible in 20 minutes)
>>> Full Workouts Standards and Scorecard Here
Rookie
- 12 box step-overs
- 9 dumbbell snatches
- 3 hand-release push-ups
♀ 20-lb (10-kg) dumbbell, 20-inch box
♂35-lb (15-kg) dumbbell, 20-inch box
Novice
- 12 box step-overs
- 9 dumbbell snatches
- 3 hand-release push-ups
♀ 20-lb (10-kg) dumbbell, 20-inch box
♂ 35-lb (15-kg) dumbbell, 20-inch box
Intermediate
- 15 box jump-overs
- 10 dumbbell snatches
- 5 hand-release push-ups
♀ 35-lb (15-kg) dumbbell, 20-inch box
♂ 50-lb (22.5-kg) dumbbell, 24-inch box
Advanced
- 15 box jump-overs
- 10 dumbbell snatches
- 5 handstand push-ups
♀ 35-lb (15-kg) dumbbell, 20-inch box
♂ 50-lb (22.5-kg) dumbbell, 24-inch box
Pro
- 15 box jump-overs
- 10 dumbbell snatches
- 5 strict handstand push-ups
♀ 35-lb (15-kg) dumbbell, 24-inch box
♂ 50-lb (22.5-kg) dumbbell, 30-inch box
Strategy: How to Approach It
Rookie & Novice
Finding a repeatable effort is the name of the game. You should get to the 10-minute mark and feel like the workout is just starting to become a little difficult. Your goal is to find that repeatable effort, like a metronome, that you can do over and over again for 20 minutes.
Thinking about each movement, none of them are true bottlenecks. Hand-release push-ups will get fatiguing, but you can rest on the ground between each rep, and if you think you might need to, then you might as well start with a slight rest between every rep OR between reps 2 and 3.
Find a steady pace on the box step-overs, a pace that you could do for 20 minutes straight. The DB snatch does not need to alternate arms, so stick with the same arm without switching each set, and the goal is to go UB with them. If the DB is heavy and 10 might seem like a tall order, break them early.
The real difference-maker? Transitions.
You want to move from box to dumbbell to floor with intention, not hesitation. Every second matters over 20 minutes. Most athletes should aim for 1:20 to 1:30 per round and that adds up quickly over time.
IntermediateFor intermediate athletes, this is still an aerobic piece, but with more volume and higher loading. It’s about holding consistent splits across the entire 20 minutes. That means steady box jump-overs, snatches in unbroken or quick sets (5/5), and staying on top of your breathing.
Push-ups are unlikely to be a hard cap for most. But if they are something you know will fatigue and blow up by the end, breaking them early can be a good strategy.
There are upwards of 50 transitions in this workout, so moving with purpose from movement to movement will save time and keep your rounds repeatable.
Transitions are a big make-or-break in the workout, so practice a few rounds at race pace before the workout starts to make sure you have your setup and design set.
At the 10-minute mark, we should be feeling like the workout is just starting to get hard. If you are feeling that in minute 5, the workout is going to go downhill quickly.
The best athletes here will see 15–18 rounds.
Advanced
Now we’re getting into handstand push-up territory. The pace you choose early on determines how long you can keep moving without getting stuck on the wall.
You probably can do five kipping handstand push-ups unbroken every round, but that doesn’t mean you should. If your breathing or shoulders start to spike from the box jump-overs or snatches, those sets will fall apart fast.
Use the jump-overs and snatches as controlled effort, not rest, but definitely not redline. The handstand push-ups are the limiter here, so protect them. Choose a pace that allows you to get right on the wall, hit your reps confidently, and move on without needing to shake out your arms every time.
Even splits win this one. The top athletes will be going to be north of 15 rounds here.
Pro
The Pro version of this workout is basically a couplet with a small DB snatch in the middle of it. First, it’s a 30/24 box, which means, by design, the workout will be much slower than the advanced and shorter box. We must step down, which will make the 30-inch box (for males) a sticking point in the workout.
Find a pace you could maintain for 50 box jump-overs at 30 inches, and hold that throughout. Use the DB snatch as active recovery by keeping it smooth and controlled without increasing your cycle rate.
The HSPU will be a big separator. If you’re a HSPU savant, then 5 unbroken each round might feel easy. But if you have any doubt that you can hit 10 or more rounds of 5 unbroken HSPU, then breaking them from round one is essential.
You have to avoid hitting failure, but even before that, you need to avoid needing long rest periods, so breaking early is key for most athletes.
CrossFit® Community Cup
Workout 2
Workout 2..... Interval-Based Row, Squat, and Pull
This one is deceptively tricky. The work-to-rest timing feels manageable at first, but it catches up, especially once pulling movements come into play and the row calories jump.
Complete as many reps as possible following the interval:
- 2 min work, 1 min rest
- 2 min work, 1 min rest
- 2 min work, 1 min rest
- 3 min work
>>> Full Workouts Standards and Scorecard Here
Rookie
Rounds 1–2
- 10 sit-ups
- 10 overhead squats
- Max-calorie row
Rounds 3–4
- 10-calorie row
- 10 overhead squats
- Max ring rows
♀ 35-lb (15-kg) overhead squat
♂ 45-lb (20-kg) overhead squat
Novice
Rounds 1–2
- 10 hanging knee raises
- 10 overhead squats
- Max-calorie row
Rounds 3–4
- 10-calorie row
- 10 overhead squats
- Max pull-ups
♀ 45-lb (20-kg) overhead squat
♂ 65-lb (29-kg) overhead squat
Intermediate
Rounds 1–2
- 10 toes-to-bars
- 10 overhead squats
- Max-calorie row
Rounds 3–4
- 10-calorie row
- 10 overhead squats
- Max pull-ups
♀ 55-lb (25-kg) overhead squat
♂ 75-lb (34-kg) overhead squat
Advanced
Rounds 1–2
- 15 toes-to-bars
- 15 overhead squats
- Max-calorie row
Rounds 3–4
- 15-calorie row
- 15 overhead squats
- Max chest-to-bar pull-ups
♀ 65-lb (29-kg) overhead squat
♂ 95-lb (43-kg) overhead squat
Pro
Rounds 1–2
- 15 toes-to-bars
- 15 overhead squats
- Max-calorie row
Rounds 3–4
- 15-calorie row
- 15 overhead squats
- Max bar muscle-ups
♀ 75-lb (34-kg) overhead squat
♂ 115-lb (52-kg) overhead squat
Strategy: How to Approach It
Rookie
The most important thing for Rookie athletes in this workout is pacing and not rushing transitions. Rounds 1 and 2 finish with max-calorie rows, so you want to complete your sit-ups and overhead squats with enough time to be on the rower for about 60–75 seconds.
Every rep counts, but you’ll separate from the field by how hard you row. Aim for about 85–90% effort on the rower. If you’re too slow and you'll fall behind in total reps, too fast and you’ll burn out for the rest of the rounds.
Don’t forget rollover calories count, so pull all the way through the end and reset your rower each round.
Ring rows in Rounds 3 and 4 will feel harder than you think, especially with the standard being at or below a 45-degree angle. You still want as close to a minute of work as possible here, but the row and overhead squats will likely push your ring row time closer to 45–50 seconds.
Treat Round 3 as a bit of a filler round. Get through the row and overhead squats, then aim to accumulate whatever reps you can without over-fatiguing. Don’t bury yourself here. Save your best effort for Round 4, where you’ll have a full 3 minutes to focus on getting as many ring rows as possible with a strong finish.
Novice/Intermediate/Advanced/Pro
This workout is the same for most of the categories, with a few nuances that we’ll detail below.
Rounds 1 and 2 will give you the best opportunity to build your score through calories on the rower. But you need time to get those calories, and that means staying efficient with transitions. Get through the hanging knee raises/TTB and overhead squats in 45–60 seconds so you’re not sacrificing row time.
Row through the buzzer, as rollover calories count.
In the novice division, your score will hinge on your pull-up and TTB ability. If you aren’t efficient with kipping pull-ups or can’t do them at all, then Rounds 1 and 2 are 100% all-out efforts—get as many calories as you can.
Remember, all reps count, so you still need to at least get to the pull-ups in Rounds 3 and 4.
TTB singles are a fine option for Intermediate athletes if your toes-to-bar are lacking.
Rounds 3 and 4 will light up your shoulders. Don’t underestimate how you’ll feel coming into Round 3. It’s a lot of overhead squats before you even touch the pull-up bar. You still need to keep moving in Round 3 to collect pull-up reps, but it can be a slightly easier effort to prepare for Round 4, where you can accumulate an extra minute of reps.
The Intermediate, Advanced, and Pro versions follow the same core concept. If you can’t do the gymnastics movements, or are inefficient at them, then Rounds 1 and 2 should be approached as max-effort calorie builders.
In Rounds 3 and 4, the goal is maximum gymnastics reps, but remember, every rep counts toward your score. Since you get an extra minute in Round 4, it may be worthwhile to slightly pull back your intensity in Round 3 and use it as recovery to set up a stronger finish.
Your time on the bar will be much shorter than your time on the rower, so you can’t afford to row slow. You also need to keep the overhead squats unbroken if you want any meaningful time on the pull-up bar.
Intermediate and Advanced athletes will cycle through far more gymnastics reps than Pro athletes. The Pro division has bar muscle-ups, and the cycle rate for those is significantly slower.Stay smart. Stay tight. Stay moving.
CrossFit® Community Cup
Workout 3
Strength Test – 20 Minutes to Establish:
All levels complete the same workout:
- 1-rep-max front squat
- 1-rep-max hang power clean
Strategy: How to Approach It
This workout gives you 20 minutes to hit two big lifts: your best front squat and your best hang power clean. But don’t let the simplicity fool you. How you use your time and manage your warm-up makes all the difference.
You’re allowed to begin with either lift, but the smartest move is to start with the hang power clean. You’ll be fresher, more coordinated, and able to commit to your pulls with better speed and precision. Waiting too long means more fatigue, and for a technical movement like the clean, that’s when form falls apart.
Before the clock even starts, you should already be warmed up to around 80–85% of your target clean and front squat. Don’t use the first five minutes of the workout to warm up: that time should be used to lift.
You can even preload the barbell so you’re ready to take your first serious attempt within the opening minute or two.
Plan to spend the first 8–12 minutes working up to your heaviest hang power clean. Most athletes will benefit from taking about three to five total attempts, with rest and load adjustments in between.
The goal isn’t just to lift heavy, it’s to make each attempt count.
Once your top clean is in the books, switch your focus to the front squat. You’ll have time, but not as much as it feels. Front squats are simpler but require mental toughness under load. This lift comes second, so your legs will already have some fatigue. Make sure to leave enough rest between attempts so your movement quality stays sharp.
You’re allowed to use collars, and you can receive assistance when changing plates.
Make sure you follow the standards:
- For the hang power clean, the bar must be received above parallel.
- You can start your hang from either below or above the knee
(there’s no restriction given). - Front squats must break parallel and be stood up completely for the rep to count.
As a general rule, don’t rush your attempts. You’ve got 20 minutes total, and the difference between a good day and a great one is often patience.
Take your time, rest well, and make every lift count.
Oh, One Last Thing….
No matter which division you’re in, the CrossFit® Community Cup is a chance to test what really matters, your ability to stay calm, move well, and support the people around you.
These workouts don’t just reward who can go the fastest; they reward the athletes who know how to pace smart, manage their effort, and show up with intention.
Across all three events, the keys are the same:
- Breathe early.
- Transition quickly.
- Recover well.
- And most of all, trust your training.
You don’t need to be the strongest or the youngest to put up a performance you’re proud of.
Just be consistent.
Be coachable.
And give your best in the lane you’re in.
We’ve broken down the movement standards and strategy to help you feel more prepared. Now it’s your turn to step in, breathe deep, and show what you can do.
>>> Download the full strategy guide here
It includes pacing plans, movement tips, and extra support for each workout - plus, exclusive bonuses from Coach Ben himself!
We’re with you every rep of the way.
Let’s go!