Scaled Karen
scale Karen
100 wall balls (10/8 lb to 9 ft) or 75 reps (14/10 lb)
Hero WODFor Time20 min cap
Karen WOD: 150 Wall Balls — Complete Guide & Strategy
CrossFit Benchmark
Named in the CrossFit tradition of naming benchmark WODs after women
Karen is 150 wall ball shots for time — 20/14 lb medicine ball, 10/9 ft target. That is all. One movement, 150 reps, clock running. What makes Karen a legitimate benchmark is that the wall ball demands simultaneous quad, glute, shoulder, and cardiovascular output across a volume that forces most athletes to break well before they expect to. The athletes who go sub-8 minutes have mastered set management: pre-planned breaks, rhythmic breathing, and the discipline to stop before failure forces them to.
Quick answer
Karen 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
Karen is 150 wall balls for time — nothing else. The apparent simplicity is deceptive: 150 consecutive reps of a 20/14 lb medicine ball squat-to-throw taxes the legs, lungs, and shoulders in a way that no other benchmark does. How you break the sets — and when — determines everything.
The WOD
For Time
20-min time cap
Wall Balls
150♂ 20 lb to 10 ft · ♀ 14 lb to 9 ft
Good Scores for Karen
Reference benchmarks across all fitness levels. Use these to set a realistic target before race day.
Beginner
18–25 min
Intermediate
12–18 min
Advanced
8–12 min
Elite
Sub-8 min
Strategy & Coaching Tips for Karen
Set your break schedule before rep one
The worst Karen strategy is going unbroken until you fail. Pre-plan: sets of 25 with 10-second rest, or 30-20-20-20-20-20-20 with 5-second micro-rests. Planned breaks average 8 seconds. Forced breaks after failure average 30+ seconds. Discipline on the front end is everything.
Breathe at the top of the throw, not the bottom
The inhale should happen as you catch the ball dropping — the descent phase. Exhale on the squat drive and throw. This rhythm keeps your breathing synchronised with the movement and prevents the oxygen debt that makes sets of 15 feel impossible.
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150 wall balls (any med ball to marked target)
Scaling Options
RX
150 wall balls (20/14 lb to 10/9 ft) for time.
- ›150 wall balls (20/14 lb)
At-Home
Use any medicine ball or light weight to a marked height on a wall (tape at 10 ft).
- ›150 wall balls (any med ball to marked target)
No Equipment
Replace with jump squat + overhead clap. Same rep count.
- ›150 squat jumps with overhead clap at top
Beginner
100 reps at 10/8 lb, or 75 reps at RX load.
- ›100 wall balls (10/8 lb to 9 ft) or 75 reps (14/10 lb)
Equipment Needed (RX)
medicine ballwall target
Your Karen Scores
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Frequently Asked Questions — Karen
What is the Karen WOD?
150 wall balls (20/14 lb to 10/9 ft target) for time. One of CrossFit's benchmark "Girl WODs."
What is a good Karen time?
Sub-8 min is elite, 8–12 min is advanced, 12–18 min is intermediate, 18+ min is beginner.
How should I break up Karen?
Plan your sets before starting: 25s with 10-sec rest, or 30-20-20-20-20-20-20. Forced rest after failure costs 3–4× more time than planned rest.
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