The Karen Workout
Rx’d
For time:
150 wall-ball shots
♀ 14-lb ball to 9-foot target
♂ 20-lb ball to 10-foot target
Intermediate
For time:
150 wall-ball shots
♀ 10-lb ball to 9-foot target
♂ 14-lb ball to 10-foot target
Beginner
For time:
75 wall-ball shots
♀ 6-lb ball
♂ 10-lb ball
What Is the Karen Workout?
Karen is a classic CrossFit benchmark workout that consists of 150 wall-ball shots completed for time. This is a fast-paced, high-volume muscular endurance test that challenges the athlete to get through the reps as fast as possible while taking strategic breaks.
About the Karen Workout
Karen is a task-priority workout. This means the amount of work the athlete completes is fixed, and athletes complete the workout as quickly as possible while maintaining sound movement mechanics and full range of motion.
With this type of workout, it’s important to note the time required for completion. When repeating this workout, the goal is to perform the workout faster or in a similar timeframe, but with more challenging scales.
This workout can be scaled to meet the current capacity of any athlete.
FAQs
Karen is a simple, straightforward workout: perform 150 wall-ball shots as fast as possible. The best strategy is to perform smooth reps with proper technique and a few reps before fatigue causes technical faults to appear. The athlete should take a short break (approximately 10-15 seconds) and then begin accumulating reps once again. This pattern continues until the 150 reps are complete.
This workout is easily scaled by reducing the load of the med ball, reps required, or altering the height of the target as needed.
Scaling:
This classic benchmark contains a high volume of a light weightlifting movement. It is important to choose a load that allows the athlete to hang on for large sets. Other scaling options include decreasing the total reps or lowering the target height.
Strategy:
Athletes should take short breaks prior to going to technical failure on their reps. Athletes may select a standard set size, such as 10, 20, or 30 reps, to assist with keeping track of reps and working through the 150 reps in a manageable way.
The average time for Karen is approximately 10-12 minutes.
- Beginner: 12-15 minutes
- Intermediate: 8-11 minutes
- Rx’d: 6-7 minutes
- Elite: under 5 minutes
Before starting this workout, complete a general warm-up that includes traditional aerobic activity, exercises to warm up the shoulders, and movements to prepare the lower body for the demands of the wall ball. Keep this section under 15 minutes in duration.
For example:
Jump rope 2-5 minutes
10 ring rows
10 push-ups
10 light goblet squats
10 banded good mornings
10 sit-ups
Then proceed to 2-3 practice sets of 5-10 wall-ball shots.
How To Train for Karen
There does not need to be a specialized training plan for Karen, as consistency with CrossFit workouts and sound lifestyle habits will lead to improvements in this workout. However, if you notice a significant weakness in the wall-ball shot, you can use some targeted training in your warm-ups and cool-downs. A simple strategy can be to spend 5-10 minutes every day focusing on small sets of wall-ball shots, linking the reps together with perfect technique.