Scaled Grace
scale Grace
30 clean and jerks (75/55 lb) or 20 reps at 95/65 lb
Hero WODFor Time12 min cap
Grace WOD: 30 Clean & Jerks — Complete Guide
CrossFit Benchmark
Named in the CrossFit tradition of naming benchmark WODs after women
Grace is 30 clean and jerks at 135/95 lb for time — CrossFit's purest barbell cycling benchmark. The structure is deceptively simple: one movement, 30 reps, clock running. What makes Grace a true test is not the weight but the accumulation. The first 10 reps feel manageable at almost any experienced level. Reps 20–30 expose whether your technique holds under fatigue or whether you are muscling the bar and burning out. Elite athletes go sub-2 minutes, cycling the bar without pause. Everyone else discovers exactly where their barbell efficiency breaks down — and that, as much as the time, is the point.
Quick answer
Grace is best used as a benchmark when you can preserve the intended stimulus while scaling movements, load, or total volume to your current level.
The Story
Grace is the simplest CrossFit benchmark in structure — 30 clean and jerks at 135/95 lb, for time — and one of the most brutally honest. There is nowhere to hide: it is barbell cycling under load, repeated 30 times. Elite athletes go sub-2 minutes. The rest of us discover exactly where our barbell efficiency breaks down.
The WOD
For Time
12-min time cap
Clean and Jerks
♂ 135 lb · ♀ 95 lb
Good Scores for Grace
Reference benchmarks across all fitness levels. Use these to set a realistic target before race day.
Beginner
6–9 min
Intermediate
3–6 min
Advanced
2–3 min
Elite
Sub-2 min
Strategy & Coaching Tips for Grace
Power clean + push jerk — efficiency over aesthetics
Grace does not require squat cleans. Power cleans are faster and less fatiguing. Similarly, push jerks (not split jerks) are standard for most athletes. Focus on bar path efficiency: catch the clean in a quarter-squat, stand, dip, drive, lock out. The goal is mechanical consistency on rep 28 that matches rep 2.
Touch-and-go or dead stop — know your threshold
If 135/95 lb is under 60% of your clean and jerk max, touch-and-go is viable. If it is 70–80%, plan for singles from the floor with a fast reset. Failing on a touch-and-go at rep 22 because you tried to cycle when you shouldn't have will cost you 60+ seconds.
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Grace-Inspired WOD
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30 DB clean and press (35/20 lb each)
Scaling Options
RX
30 clean and jerks (135/95 lb) for time.
- ›30 clean and jerks (135/95 lb)
At-Home
Use dumbbells — dumbbell clean and press or dumbbell thruster.
- ›30 DB clean and press (35/20 lb each)
No Equipment
Mimics the explosive hip + press pattern with a bodyweight thruster jump.
- ›30 squat thrust + jump and press (no load)
Beginner
30 reps at 75/55 lb, or reduce to 20 reps at RX load.
- ›30 clean and jerks (75/55 lb) or 20 reps at 95/65 lb
Equipment Needed (RX)
barbellplates
Your Grace Scores
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Train for Grace
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Frequently Asked Questions — Grace
What is the Grace WOD?
30 clean and jerks for time at 135/95 lb. It is one of CrossFit's benchmark "Girl WODs" and a pure barbell cycling test.
Should I use squat cleans or power cleans in Grace?
Power cleans are standard for Grace — they are faster and less fatiguing at submaximal loads. Use a squat clean only if your power clean is limited to well below 135/95 lb.
What is a good Grace time?
Sub-2 min is elite (nationally competitive). 2–3 min is advanced, 3–6 min is intermediate, 6+ min is beginner. The 135/95 lb load is the primary barrier.
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