The workout
| Reps | Movement | Rx men | Rx women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21-15-9 | Deadlift | 102.5 kg | 70 kg |
| 21-15-9 | Handstand Push-up | – | – |
Women: 21-15-9 Deadlift 70 kg, Handstand Push-ups
How Diane works
Diane uses a 21-15-9 rep scheme: you do 21 reps of each movement, then 15, then 9. The clock stops after the last rep. Your score is your time.
Diane is one of the Girls. The Girls are the best-known benchmark workouts in functional fitness and come from CrossFit® training. Short, with just a few movements, and built so you can repeat them every few months and read your progress straight off the clock.
What's a good Diane time?
The standards apply to Rx, meaning with the prescribed weights and no scaling. They're a rough reference, not statistics across all athletes. For women, times are set about 10% longer and rounds about 10% lower.
| Level | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Elite | up to 2:30 | up to 2:45 |
| Advanced | up to 4:00 | up to 4:25 |
| Intermediate | up to 7:00 | up to 7:40 |
| Beginner | up to 11:00 | up to 12:05 |
| Novice | over 11:00 | over 12:05 |
Tips for Diane
A short, intense workout. Break the big sets into chunks early, for example 21 as 12 and 9, instead of going to failure. Short breaks of a few breaths beat long breaks later.
How to scale Diane
If part of it is still too hard, scale it so the workout keeps its pace and intended stimulus. Log it as "Scaled". Possible options:
- Deadlift: Kettlebell Deadlift; Deadlift from raised blocks
- Handstand Push-up: Pike push-up with feet on a box; HSPU to a raised stack of mats