What Are the FCCF Stages?
The FCCF Stages are a way of assessing and tracking your fitness. Each Stage has between 7 and 9 baseline requirements that we consider to be on-par with each other. These requirements cover cardiovascular conditioning, gymnastics skills, weight lifting, and (eventually) CrossFit benchmarks to give you a broad view of your fitness.
By taking the tests and seeing which requirements you fulfill, you can see what might be considered a "hole in your game" or maybe you'll find a surprising strength.
By taking the tests and seeing which requirements you fulfill, you can see what might be considered a "hole in your game" or maybe you'll find a surprising strength.
How to Use the FCCF Stages
To make the most out of the Stages, you'll want to analyze what is stopping you from reaching the next stage and then incorporate that into your training. When you come in to do the Workout of the Day, knowing what the "hole in your game" is can inform how you approach the workout. While every workout has an intended stimulus, there is always some wiggle room in how you scale and pace the workout to bias toward your own goals.
Perhaps it is the weight lifting requirement that keeps you from reaching the next Stage. If that's the case, when working with your coach to choose your scaling options for a workout, you might err toward keeping the weights a little heavier, but scaling down the volume or even scaling down the cardio or gymnastics portion more than you normally would to bias toward the weight. Or perhaps you simply hold yourself back during a run that you would normally push in order to recover more so you can use a heavier weight.
For example, let's consider two athletes doing the workout "Fran":
21-15-9
Thrusters (95/65)
Pull-ups
Athlete 1 excels at pull-ups, but wants to improve their strength on the barbell. For this example, we'll say that athlete is a male who would normally do this workout with a scaled weight of 75 and go unbroken on the pull-ups. To improve their strength on the bar, they might choose to use the prescribed weight on the bar. In order to help them get through those reps with the heavier weight, they might choose to break the pull-ups into 2 or even 3 sets in order to go for bigger sets on the barbell.
Athlete 2 has done this workout Rx'd before, but broke their pull-ups into sets of 2-3 reps and really wants to work on their pull-up stamina. This athlete might choose to scale the weight of the thrusters down to save their energy so they can put more focus on the pull-ups and try for sets of 5+. Or, they might keep the workout Rx, but break up the thrusters and take slightly longer breaks between pull-up sets so they can maintain good technique for larger sets.
These athletes might be taking a slightly worse score than they normally would in this workout, but by choosing their scaling options and approach intentionally, they are putting the emphasis on a particular part of their fitness.
*this should be done within reason. We are assuming in this case that both athletes can still complete this workout in under 8 minutes and that they are not sacrificing overall intensity every day.
Perhaps it is the weight lifting requirement that keeps you from reaching the next Stage. If that's the case, when working with your coach to choose your scaling options for a workout, you might err toward keeping the weights a little heavier, but scaling down the volume or even scaling down the cardio or gymnastics portion more than you normally would to bias toward the weight. Or perhaps you simply hold yourself back during a run that you would normally push in order to recover more so you can use a heavier weight.
For example, let's consider two athletes doing the workout "Fran":
21-15-9
Thrusters (95/65)
Pull-ups
Athlete 1 excels at pull-ups, but wants to improve their strength on the barbell. For this example, we'll say that athlete is a male who would normally do this workout with a scaled weight of 75 and go unbroken on the pull-ups. To improve their strength on the bar, they might choose to use the prescribed weight on the bar. In order to help them get through those reps with the heavier weight, they might choose to break the pull-ups into 2 or even 3 sets in order to go for bigger sets on the barbell.
Athlete 2 has done this workout Rx'd before, but broke their pull-ups into sets of 2-3 reps and really wants to work on their pull-up stamina. This athlete might choose to scale the weight of the thrusters down to save their energy so they can put more focus on the pull-ups and try for sets of 5+. Or, they might keep the workout Rx, but break up the thrusters and take slightly longer breaks between pull-up sets so they can maintain good technique for larger sets.
These athletes might be taking a slightly worse score than they normally would in this workout, but by choosing their scaling options and approach intentionally, they are putting the emphasis on a particular part of their fitness.
*this should be done within reason. We are assuming in this case that both athletes can still complete this workout in under 8 minutes and that they are not sacrificing overall intensity every day.
The 10 Stages
|
Iron
- Workout 3 days a week (in any form) - 10s/side 1-foot stand w/ eyes closed - Stand up from sitting without hands - Air Squat below parallel - With each hand: Bounce a lacrosse ball off the ground & wall and catch it 1-handed - Run 200m without walking - Box Jump (any height) Silver
- 1x Strict Pull Up / 5sec Chin-over-bar hold + 3sec fully-controlled negative - 1x Wall Walk - 20x Alternating V-ups in under a minute - 1.00/0.75 BW Front Squat - 0.50/0.35 BW Strict Press - 2:00 400m run - 2:00 500/400m row - 10x Unbroken Double Under Steel
(training the Sport of CrossFit) - 5x Unbroken BMU - 10s Freestanding Handstand (in a 2ft by 2ft box) - 25x GHDSUs in under a minute - 2.25/1.50 BW Deadlift - 1.25/0.90 BW Jerk - 13:30/15:00 Nancy - 11:00/12:30 15.5 - 4:30/5:15 Diane - 100x Unbroken Double Unders |
Brass
- Hang from a Bar for 10s - Kick both feet off the ground - Each leg: 1-leg RDL on balance pad - 65/55lb Deadlift - FSQ Below Parallel - Run 400m without walking - Row 500m/400m without stopping - Burpee to 6in Target Platinum
- 10x Unbroken Pull ups - 1x Strict HSPU - 10x Unbroken Hollow V-Ups - 1.75/1.25 BW Deadlift - 0.75/0.50 BW Strict Press - 4:00 800m Run - 3:45 1000m / 3:30 800m Row - 50x Unbroken Double Unders Rhodium
- 10x Unbroken BMU - 25ft Unbroken Handstand Walk - 30x Unbroken T2B - 2.50/1.75 BW Olympic Total - 5.00/3.50 BW CrossFit Total - 23:00/25:00 Kelly - 2:30/3:00 Isabel - 20x Unbroken Crossover Double Unders Paladium
- (?) 12:00 The Standard - Unbroken Handstand Obstacle lap (Press into handstand -> 5ft walk to obstacle -> over obstacle -> 5ft walk -> 180* pirouette -> 5ft walk to obstacle -> over obstacle -> 5ft walk to finish) - 10:00(?) Midline March (155/105) - 3.50/2.50 BW Olympic Total - 5.75/4.00 BW CrossFit Total - 7:30 DT - 375 Fight Gone Bad - 20x Unbroken Triple Unders |
Gold
(our "Gold Standard") - 10x Unbroken Ring Rows with feet under pullup bar - Kick up into Handstand against the wall with both legs - 20x Abmat sit ups in under a minute - 0.75 Bodyweight Deadlift - 0.30/0.20 Bodyweight Strict Press - 2:30 400m run - 2:30 500/400m row - 50x Unbroken Single Unders Tungsten
("Rx Athlete") - 1x Strict RMU / 1x Spotted Strict RMU (Spotted at knee) - 10x Unbroken HSPU - 10x Unbroken T2B - 1.00/0.70 BW OHSQ - 1.00/0.70 BW Push Press - 7:00/7:45 Mile Run - 7:30/9:00 Jackie - 50x Unbroken Crossovers Titanium
- 30ft Unbroken HSW with 360* Pirouette in middle 10ft - 50x Unbroken T2B - 3.00/2.10 BW Olympic Total - 5.50/3.85 BW CrossFit Total - (?)7:00/9:00 Heavy/Strict Diane - 5:00/6:00 Amanda - 15 Round Mary - 200x Unbroken Double Unders |
How to Test Into a Stage
- In order to qualify for a Stage, all requirements of that Stage and all the Stages before it must be met
- Each requirement must be tested before a judge who verifies you accomplished the requirement
Testing occurs during normal classes throughout the year. However, if you want to prove you can meet a requirement and that test isn't coming up, you may be able to complete the test another time outside of class. Contact us to set up a time
*a quick test might be able to be done on-the-spot, like a quick "Hey coach, check out this strict pull-up", but we cannot guarantee a coach will be available for that nor that the test will be recorded if it isn't planned.
FAQs
What if I have a limitation that prevents me from doing certain movements?
You might be able to get a waiver for the movements you cannot do. Speak to us if you want a waiver!
What Stage should I be?
While we believe that improved fitness is always beneficial, what Stage is right for you depends on your goals and current place in life. We consider Gold Stage to be our "gold standard" for health and functionality. It is our goal to get every athlete into that Stage. Silver and Platinum Stages are good goals for the average gym-goer with the stresses of daily life and available time. Most people are going to fall into one of those three Stages.
Tungsten is where you start to see people who are more serious about CrossFit and have dedicated time to it.
Steel and above is going to be more for athletes training the sport of CrossFit and will likely require either years of regular classes and/or serious commitment and work.
What does "BW" mean?
"Bodyweight". For these Stages, we are less interested in the absolute weight that you can lift and more interested in how strong you are relative to your size, similar to the weight classes in a sport like Olympic Weightlifting. We believe relative strength is a better gauge of fitness, as a lesser-trained lifter that outweighs an experienced lifter by a significant amount might still be able to outlift the more experienced lifter because of sheer size, but their flexibility, coordination, accuracy, stamina, balance, power, etc. may not be on the same level.
What are the Question Marks?
These Stages are still in beta testing and we don't have enough data for some of the higher-end Stages to know exactly where we want those benchmarks to land. As we see more athletes complete these workouts, those requirements may shift to reflect what we see.
You might be able to get a waiver for the movements you cannot do. Speak to us if you want a waiver!
What Stage should I be?
While we believe that improved fitness is always beneficial, what Stage is right for you depends on your goals and current place in life. We consider Gold Stage to be our "gold standard" for health and functionality. It is our goal to get every athlete into that Stage. Silver and Platinum Stages are good goals for the average gym-goer with the stresses of daily life and available time. Most people are going to fall into one of those three Stages.
Tungsten is where you start to see people who are more serious about CrossFit and have dedicated time to it.
Steel and above is going to be more for athletes training the sport of CrossFit and will likely require either years of regular classes and/or serious commitment and work.
What does "BW" mean?
"Bodyweight". For these Stages, we are less interested in the absolute weight that you can lift and more interested in how strong you are relative to your size, similar to the weight classes in a sport like Olympic Weightlifting. We believe relative strength is a better gauge of fitness, as a lesser-trained lifter that outweighs an experienced lifter by a significant amount might still be able to outlift the more experienced lifter because of sheer size, but their flexibility, coordination, accuracy, stamina, balance, power, etc. may not be on the same level.
What are the Question Marks?
These Stages are still in beta testing and we don't have enough data for some of the higher-end Stages to know exactly where we want those benchmarks to land. As we see more athletes complete these workouts, those requirements may shift to reflect what we see.