Benchmark WOD Guide

Grace WOD: Rx Weight, Good Times and Heavy Grace

Grace is 30 clean and jerks at 135/95 lb (61/43 kg). Good Grace times by level, the best rep splits, and Heavy Grace at 225/155 lb (102/70 kg) explained.

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Grace is 30 clean and jerks for time at 135 lb (61 kg) for men and 95 lb (43 kg) for women. It is a pure barbell cycling benchmark — the only question is how fast you can move the bar 30 times at a weight that demands respect.

Grace separates itself from other benchmarks because there is only one movement. There is nowhere to hide and nothing to manage except one decision: how to split the 30 reps.

The Workout

For time
30 clean and jerks
Rx load: 135 lb (61 kg) men / 95 lb (43 kg) women

Equipment and Setup

Barbell and bumper plates, clips, safe lifting area

Load and clip the bar, then clear enough space for missed reps. Warm up the clean and overhead position and choose your planned set size before starting.

Scaling and Substitutions

Reduce the load so consistent singles or small touch-and-go sets are possible.
Use a power clean plus push press if the jerk is not yet reliable.
Reduce the workout to 20 reps while preserving sound mechanics.

Common Mistakes

Using a load that turns the workout into repeated maximal attempts.
Opening with a large touch-and-go set and losing technique.
Catching the clean with an unstable front rack before going overhead.
Dropping the bar without checking the surrounding lifting area.

Grace Splitting Strategies

The most common splits: 10-10-10 (clean, rest at the hip or shoulder, go again), 6×5, 5-5-5-5-5-5, or touch-and-go as many reps as possible. Touch-and-go cycling (keeping the bar moving without setting it down) is fastest but requires solid technique under fatigue. For most athletes, 5-rep sets with 10-15 second rest are reliable and produce consistent times. Avoid going to failure on your first set — a 15-rep opening set followed by grinding singles is the classic Grace mistake.

What Is a Good Grace Time?

Beginner (scaled): 5-10 minutes. Intermediate (Rx): 3-6 minutes. Competitive (Rx): 2-3 minutes. Elite: under 2 minutes. Women's Rx at 95 lb (43 kg) typically runs 30-90 seconds slower than men's at equivalent relative strength. Your Grace time is a direct reflection of your barbell cycling efficiency — improving your touch-and-go technique is worth more than adding strength.

Heavy Grace

Heavy Grace has no single official prescription, but it is most often programmed as the same 30 clean and jerks at 225 lb (102 kg) for men and 155 lb (70 kg) for women — a near-maximal clean and jerk for most athletes. Some gyms instead set it as a percentage, such as 30 reps at 75-85% of your 1-rep max. At those loads, touch-and-go is not possible and the 30 reps become a test of pure strength endurance. Heavy Grace is typically completed in 8-20 minutes and requires a different training approach: singles and doubles at 85%+ 1RM, not cycling volume.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Grace workout?

Grace is 30 clean and jerks for time. Rx weight is 135 lb (61 kg) for men and 95 lb (43 kg) for women. It typically takes 1:45 to 6 minutes at Rx depending on barbell cycling ability.

What is the Grace weight in kg?

Rx Grace is 61 kg (135 lb) for men and 43 kg (95 lb) for women. With kg plates, 60/42.5 kg or 60/40 kg are common close equivalents.

What is Heavy Grace?

Heavy Grace is Grace at a much heavier load, most often 225 lb (102 kg) for men and 155 lb (70 kg) for women, for the same 30 clean and jerks. It is a strength-endurance test usually done as singles and typically takes 8-20 minutes. There is no single official standard, so check the load your gym or competition uses.

What is a good time for Grace?

Under 2 minutes is elite. 2-3 minutes is competitive. 3-5 minutes is solid intermediate. Over 5 minutes usually indicates the weight is too heavy for cycling — consider scaling. These are rough community benchmarks, not official standards.

What is the difference between a clean and jerk and a power clean?

A clean and jerk consists of two movements: a clean (bar from floor to the front rack on the shoulders) followed by a jerk (bar driven overhead from the shoulder). A power clean stops at the receive position with hips above parallel. Grace requires a full clean and jerk to overhead lockout.

Can I scale Grace?

Yes. Common scales: reduce weight by 20-30%, use a power clean and push press instead of a clean and jerk, or reduce reps to 20. Grace is most valuable as a benchmark when the weight allows you to complete it in under 5 minutes.