Re-Establishing the Standard: What RX Really Means at Aberrant CrossFit

By Todd Davis

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As time passes in any gym community, it’s easy for certain standards to blur — and one of the most common areas I’ve seen this happen is around the meaning of “RX”.

That’s why I want to take a moment to re-establish what RX truly means at Aberrant CrossFit. This isn’t about discouraging anyone from going after RX workouts. In fact, it’s the opposite — it’s about giving us the tools to better assess where we are, where we’re improving, and where we need to adjust.

What RX Really Means

In CrossFit, RX means you perform the workout exactly as prescribed:

• the programmed weight

• the prescribed movements

• the listed reps

• AND — here’s the key part many forget — within the intended time or intensity range.

It’s not just about lifting the weight or doing the reps. It’s about maintaining the stimulus of the workout — hitting the time domains, effort levels, and intensity that the workout was designed to deliver.

Why the Time Standard Matters

Every workout has an intended time cap or time range because that’s part of the challenge.

For example, a 5-minute sprint workout should feel like a sprint — if it takes you 15 minutes, it’s no longer delivering the same training effect. Likewise, a 20-minute grinder loses its purpose if we’re stuck halfway through the reps at the buzzer, or we’ve over-scaled and finished in 10 minutes.

Checking that RX button on the leaderboard means you met the full standard: movements, weights, reps, and time.

If you miss one piece — like going well over the time cap — you can still attempt the workout RX-style, but it’s not considered a complete RX performance. And that’s totally okay.

Why This Matters (and Why It’s Not a Bad Thing!)

Not hitting the RX box doesn’t mean you failed.

It means you gathered valuable feedback about where you currently stand.

• Maybe the weight was fine, but your gymnastics slowed you down.

• Maybe your cardio crushed the timeline, but you nailed the lifts.

• Maybe it’s simply a pacing issue.

This feedback tells us what to scale next time, what to focus on in training, and where you’re ready to push harder. It’s part of the process of getting better — not a judgment.

The Goal: Adjust, Train, Try Again

I’m not here to tell anyone to stop going for RX. I want you to challenge yourself.

But I also want us to honor what RX means — and use it as a tool to better assess, adjust, and improve.

• Push for RX when you’re close and the stimulus makes sense.

• Scale smartly when it keeps you in the right intensity zone.

• Use your results — RX or scaled — as data that helps guide your progress.

When we hold this standard together, we sharpen our training, we get clearer feedback, and we make sure everyone — whether RX or scaled — is getting the best possible workout.

Respecting the Clock and the Class

It’s also important to remember that time caps aren’t just about intensity — they help keep the class running smoothly. At Aberrant, we carefully plan each class to fit into the one-hour window, making sure there’s enough time for the warm-up, workout, and cooldown. Out of respect for the classes that follow, the athletes in your class, and your coaches’ time, it’s essential that workouts end as scheduled. Sticking to the time caps ensures we can give everyone the best experience possible, without cutting corners or creating unnecessary stress on the flow of the hour.

Final Thought

Let’s bring back the true meaning of RX at Aberrant CrossFit. Let’s use it as a clear training directive.

Train hard, train smart, and remember: every workout — RX or not — is making you better.