I Ranked The Top Movements For The CrossFit® Open 2025

The CrossFit® Open has been the ultimate battleground since 2011—the place where PRs are crushed, egos are checked, and legends are born.

But when it comes to the workouts: not every movement is a winner. Some are straight-up iconic, while others... yeah, they probably should’ve been benched a long time ago.

So today, I’m ranking the top movements for the CrossFit® Open. No fluff, no BS—just the raw, honest truth about what makes these movements epic (or not).

Let’s dive in!.

Hidden Content

The S-Tier Elite: The Best of the Best

At the top of the Open movements, we have a handful of exercises that truly capture what CrossFit® programming is all about. These S-tier movements are non-negotiable favorites:

Burpees: The Ultimate Test of Work Capacity

Burpees are the gold standard of functional fitness. Whether it’s bar-facing, lateral, or box jump-over burpees, they’re simple, brutal, and effective. Harvard even says they burn more calories per minute than anything else—so you’re getting maximum bang for your buck. They’re tough for elite athletes and accessible for everyone else, which is why they’ll always sit at the top.

Toes-to-Bar: Core Meets Coordination

There was some debate here, but toes-to-bar belongs in S-tier. It’s accessible, but it’s no cakewalk. This movement tests your midline stability, grip, and coordination in a way few others do. It doesn’t require raw strength, but it still separates the field.

Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups: The Standard for Pulling Power

Chest-to-bar pull-ups are the ultimate test of upper-body pulling. They’re challenging but achievable, making them a perfect addition to S-tier. Plus, the clear contact point makes judging easier. Pair them with thrusters, and you’ve got a combo that’s as fair as it is fierce.

Squat Cleans: Strength Meets Skill

Squat cleans are everything we love about CrossFit®—technical, powerful, and just plain cool to watch. They’re a little more forgiving than snatches but still demand solid mechanics. They’re an S-tier classic.

A-Tier Excellence: The Backbone of Great Workouts

Double Unders: The Skill Separator

Double unders blur the line between skill and fitness. That’s what makes them unique—pure skill with no strength requirements. They’re a huge separator in the Open and accessible enough for anyone to improve with practice.

Deadlifts: A Strength Staple

Deadlifts are simple and effective, which is why they’re an A-tier staple. Sure, they show up a lot, but they give strong athletes a chance to shine. They’re heavy, rewarding, and tough to beat.

Clean and Jerk: All-Around Power Test

The clean and jerk is as versatile as it gets. It’s a go-to for testing strength, power, and coordination in one lift. Whether in a heavy workout or a complex, it always delivers.

Walking Lunges: Underrated and Effective

Walking lunges don’t get enough credit. Front rack, overhead, or single dumbbell—they’re all great tests of stability, endurance, and mental grit. The front rack variation gets a special nod for its difficulty.

Front Squats: Underused Powerhouses

Front squats don’t get as much love as they should, but they’re a gem. They test strength, mobility, and positioning, and they’d be even better with heavier weights in the Open.

Squat Snatches: The High-Skill Benchmark

Squat snatches are technical and rewarding. While not as accessible as cleans, they’re unmatched for showcasing mobility and skill. They’re one of the best movements out there.

Calorie Row: Aerobic Capacity

Rowing for calories beats rowing for meters any day. It’s harder to game and a solid test of aerobic capacity. Simple, tough, and fair.

B-Tier Solid: The Unsung Heroes

Wall Walks: More Than Meets the Eye

Wall walks surprised everyone by becoming a legitimate test of muscular endurance. They’re a great alternative to handstand walks and deserve a solid B-tier spot.

Box Jumps: The Basics Done Right

Box jumps are nothing fancy, but they’re effective. They test explosive power and coordination, making them a reliable addition to any workout.

Wall Balls: Simple and Necessary

Wall balls might not be exciting, but they get the job done. Squat, throw, repeat—it’s a full-body grind that’s just plain effective.

Power Snatches: The Light-Weight Debate

Power snatches have their place, but they’re often criticized for allowing sloppy form at lighter weights. They’re a good test, but they’re not on the same level as squat snatches.

Overhead Squats: A True Mobility Test

Overhead squats test everything—mobility, strength, and precision. They’re tough, but their high skill demand keeps them from rising higher.

Lower Tiers: Movements We Can Skip

Pistols (F-Tier): Not Worth the Risk

Pistols are a nightmare for knees and ankles. The risk-reward ratio just isn’t there, especially under fatigue. They’re F-tier all the way.

Kipping Handstand Push-Ups (F-Tier): Just Say No

These are universally hated for a reason. They’re hard to judge, unsafe, and encourage poor movement patterns. F-tier without a doubt.

Dumbbell Hang Clean and Jerks (F-Tier): Forgettable

These don’t bring much to the table. They’re sloppy compared to barbell variations and feel more like filler than a meaningful test.

Ranked The Top Movements For The CrossFit® Open

Movements That Didn’t Get Ranked

Thrusters

Thrusters didn’t get a tier, but they deserve a mention. They don’t earn "the greatest barbell movement of all time," without the evidence to back it up. They test strength, endurance, and mental toughness in one brutal package.

Key Takeaways for Athletes

If you’re gearing up for the Open, focus on crushing the S and A-tier movements. These are the staples that pop up every year and make the biggest difference in your leaderboard placement.

But don’t sleep on the lower-tier movements—they’re sneaky and can be the difference between a solid workout and a total disaster.

The best Open workouts mix it up with movements from all tiers, testing different parts of your fitness while still being approachable for everyone in the community. Knowing where movements rank can help you as an athlete sharpen your training.

Movement standards and how they’re applied matter just as much as the movement itself. Even a top-tier movement can become a mess if it’s programmed badly or judged inconsistently.

CrossFit®’s always evolving, and these rankings could shift as new standards and variations come into play. What’s that sweet spot? Balancing accessibility with the ability to separate fitness levels.

So, keep this tier list in your back pocket, but remember—the best athletes can throw down across all categories. Fitness doesn’t care about tiers, and the Open will always find new ways to push you to your limits with creative, challenging combinations.