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Fight Gone Bad WOD: How To + Scaled For Each Skill Level

The grueling CrossFit workout, known as the Fight Gone Bad WOD (workout of the day), tests strength, endurance, and mental toughness. The story behind the name “Fight Gone Bad” is quite interesting.

Coach Greg Glassman first used the workout to train a professional MMA fighter, B.J. Penn, in preparation for a fight. After completing the grueling workout, Penn exclaimed that it felt like a “fight gone bad,” thus, the name stuck.

Since then, the Fight Gone Bad WOD has become a benchmark WOD in CrossFit and is often used in competitions and training sessions to test and challenge athletes’ all-around fitness and mental toughness. 

The Fight Gone Bad WOD’s reputation as an intense and demanding workout has made it a favorite among those seeking to push their limits and achieve new fitness levels.

If you’re looking for a WOD that will leave you gasping for breath, muscles screaming, and endorphins rushing, Fight Gone Bad WOD is your ticket to a new level of CrossFit greatness. 

In this guide, we will cover the following: 

  • What Is the Fight Gone Bad WOD?
  • How to Do the Fight Gone Bad WOD
  • How to Scale the Fight Gone Bad WOD for Each Fitness Level
  • What is a Good Score for the Fight Gone Bad WOD?

Let’s dive into the details of this grueling workout! 

A person on a rowing machine.

What Is the Fight Gone Bad WOD?

The Fight Gone Bad CrossFit WOD is a workout that consists of five exercises. The exercises are simple enough and do not require any fancy movements or excessive experience. 

For this WOD, you must be able to do wall balls, sumo deadlift high pulls, box jumps, push presses, and be comfortable with rowing. 

When completing this workout, you have one minute to perform each exercise as intensely as possible before rotating to the next. 

You will go through this cycle three times, with one-minute breaks in between. The workout pushes you to your limits and offers a sense of accomplishment upon completion. You will be pushed only as far as you require of yourself. 

The Fight Gone Bad WOD is taxing much differently than many other CrossFit WODS.

The breaks are minimal, and the demand is high. It is not one of those; the harder you work, the sooner you are done with situations; you must work hard, but the time you have to work will stay the same. 

A box jump.

How to Do the Fight Gone Bad WOD

To perform the Fight Gone Bad CrossFit WOD, start by setting up your workout space.

You will need to gather a medicine ball and wall ball target, barbell, plyometric box, and rowing machine. You will need a workout space that allows you to move vertically in space aside from the rowing component. 

There are five exercises in the Fight Gone Bad WOD. You’ll do each exercise for one minute, and in that time, you will complete as many reps as possible. Digging deep and getting the most out of each minute that you can. 

You will have one minute to rest between each round to be ready to crush the next round with the same amount of effort and ambition as the last. You will do this for three whole rounds, meaning by the end of the workout, you will have spent 3 minutes on each exercise. 

The goal is to perform each exercise with intensity for one minute, but listen to your body and scale the workout if needed. You must count your reps or distance covered during each exercise to track your progress.

Wall ball throws.

“Fight Gone Bad” is a challenging and intense workout, so ensure you are adequately warmed up and ready to give it your all!

Here is the exact format of the Fight Gone Bad WOD:

3 Rounds For Total Reps in 17 minutes:

  • 1-minute wall ball (20/14 lb)
  • 1-minute sumo deadlift high-pulls (75/55 lb)
  • 1-minute box jumps (20 in)
  • 1-minute push press (75/55 lb)
  • 1-minute row (calories)
  • 1-minute rest

You will need to complete all exercises in order. Your score is determined by the total number of reps completed when the clock runs out. The faster you do each rep, the more reps you will get done, and the higher your score will be. 

A box jump.

How to Scale the Fight Gone Bad WOD for Each Fitness Level

Safety and proper form are emphasized, and scaling the workout according to individual fitness levels is encouraged.

Although you do not have to be able to move a large amount of weight to do this workout, it should be scaled according to your fitness level, and intensity should only gradually increase. 

Most of the movements will be doable by beginner athletes. However, movements like push presses and box jumps may need to be slightly modified. 

When modifying this workout, the primary focus is to work for the entirety of the interval and feel breathless and tired once it is over.

If you have to modify the height of the box or load the weight slightly, that is totally acceptable; whatever it takes to work on the exercise for the minute you are given. 

This workout gets harder as you complete reps faster, but it may take time to quickly move through the exercises and get the most out of each minute. 

An overhead press.

The Fight Gone Bad WOD for Beginners:

The Fight Gone Bad WOD is easy to scale for different fitness levels by modifying movements and weights. 

The best way to scale it is by keeping the work time the same but decreasing the weight load or height of the plyometric box. 

Beginners should start here:

3 Rounds For Total Reps in 17 minutes

  • 1-minute wall ball (10/6 lb)
  • 1-minute sumo deadlift high-pulls (45/35 lb)
  • 1-minute box jumps (15/12 in)
  • 1-minute push press (45/35 lb)
  • 1-minute row (calories)
  • 1-minute rest

You can take your time completing the reps during each one-minute interval, and if you need to rest, that is ok. Focus on keeping the pace and effort consistent. That being said, do not extend the one-minute rest between rounds. 

People on rowing machines in the gym.

The Fight Gone Bad WOD for Intermediates:

Intermediate athletes can complete these movements easily and should be able to do the entire workout without modifications. 

However, if any prescribed movements are too intense or heavy, you may modify them slightly. Consider only modifying the height of the box or slightly decreasing the weight of the weighted exercises. 

Intermediates should try this workout:

3 Rounds For Total Reps in 17 minutes

  • 1-minute wall ball (16/12 lb)
  • 1-minute sumo deadlift high-pulls (65/45 lb)
  • 1-minute box jumps (18/15 in)
  • 1-minute push press (65/45 lb)
  • 1-minute row (calories)
  • 1-minute rest

As an intermediate athlete, you should complete the workout as prescribed if possible. These slight modifications will be a great starting point if you choose to make any adjustments. 

A person holding a barbell in a sumo squat.

The Fight Gone Bad WOD for the Advanced:

Advance athletes should not need any modifications for the Fight Gone Bad WOD. It should be completed exactly as prescribed. 

3 Rounds For Total Reps in 17 minutes:

  • 1-minute wall ball (20/14 lb)
  • 1-minute sumo deadlift high-pulls (75/55 lb)
  • 1-minute box jumps (20 in)
  • 1-minute push press (75/55 lb)
  • 1-minute row (calories)
  • 1-minute rest

Advanced athletes may need to take slight resets during an exercise when they get too ample, but the best of the best will be able to power through without skipping a beat, which will show in their scores. 

An overhead press.

What is a Good Score for the Fight Gone Bad WOD?

The score you achieve in this workout will depend greatly on your fitness level and your ambition. You will have to dig deep into the pain cave to get the most out of your fitness and be able to keep pushing when you want to stop. 

Once you settle into a rhythm and have your breathing under control and a clear goal in mind, you will be set up to crush this WOD. 

It is ideal to have someone available who can keep track of your reps so that you are sure to get credit for everything. It would also be helpful if this person could track the one-minute intervals and tell you when to move on from one exercise to the next. 

Here is an example of what scores look like for athletes of different levels:

  • Beginner athletes completing the workout will likely complete around 150-250 reps.
  • Intermediate athletes can expect to complete around 250-350 reps.  
  • Advanced athletes should be able to complete 350-450 reps. 
  • Elite athletes who go all out on the Fight Gona Bad workout should be able to complete over 500 reps. 
A person on a rowing machine.

Takeaways

The “Fight Gone Bad” WOD is a very challenging CrossFit workout that will test your strength, level of endurance, and mental toughness. 

The workout’s intensity makes it a favorite among those seeking new fitness levels. Scaling the WOD is crucial to match individual fitness levels, with modifications for beginners, intermediates, and advanced athletes. 

Good scores depend on fitness level, with elite athletes aiming for over 500 reps. “Fight Gone Bad” requires dedication and determination, offering a sense of accomplishment upon completion.

If you try this and feel the need to continue the suffering, consider giving “The DT” a shot. 

A person holding a kettlebell.

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amber nelson profile
I am a UESCA-certified running coach, psychology PhD student, and competitive obstacle racer and trail runner. Once 100 pounds overweight I found fitness and fell in love with an active and competitive lifestyle. My passion for inspiring others and fitness come together seamlessly in the world of writing where I get to share the thing that changed my life. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, my dogs, as well as baking and cooking.

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