Crossfit is a fairly young type of competitive sport and one of the most popular training methods in recent years. Former American gymnast Greg Glassman worked for more than 20 years to create a new competitive discipline. The result of his work was the opening of the first CrossFit gym in 2001 in California, which became the starting point for the development of the CrossFit movement in the USA and around the world.
Founder of Crossfit - Greg Glassman in the company of CrossFit athletes
Today, thousands of specialized gyms operate under the CrossFit program, and the training methodology is used by many law enforcement agencies and emergency services to train personnel. CrossFit exercises are also used in the training programs of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Danish Life Guards. CrossFit is also widely popular among many professional athletes, American football players and mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters.
For the most part, CrossFit exercises consist of already known movements borrowed from other sports - weightlifting and athletics, running, fitness, gymnastics. Taken together, these exercises help develop the functional qualities of athletes, such as strength, speed, endurance, coordination and much more.
Take a look at a selection of 39 exercises used in Crossfit training and competition:
Video #7: Dan Bailey: CrossFit workout
In this video you will see how professional athletes practice. The hero of the video is Dan Bailey, a CrossFit athlete who begins training after five months of rehabilitation after developing a disease such as plantar fasciitis. This video will help many who have not decided to return to sports after injuries or a long break, or are simply afraid to start. Recommendations from a professional will help you tune in and get motivated for further training.
And also read: CrossFit training program for men → CrossFit for girls → CrossFit at home → How to choose sneakers for CrossFit? CrossFit for weight loss →
Why CrossFit is effective
The basic exercises in the CrossFit program are running, rowing, rope, exercises with “iron”, that is, with a variety of dumbbells, turning over heavy tires, and jumping. The main thing is that all exercises are performed at a very fast pace.
Yes, doing CrossFit is very difficult. Sweat rolls off your body like a hail, your face turns red, you have no strength for anything, and there is only one thing in your head - why am I doing this? But having overcome your laziness and yourself, after a short time you already see the result. A desire appears to beat your yesterday’s result, a motivation appears to become even stronger, to prove that you can do this too, because nothing is impossible.
You can do CrossFit in the gym, at home or at the stadium. You don’t need any special equipment, but it is advisable to have a sandbag, a few dumbbells, the basic one would be a horizontal bar, which can be found on any outdoor sports ground. So, I propose to consider the basic exercises that are the basis of many programs and also form the foundation of the entire CrossFit system:
- The first and most popular exercise is burpee or burpee. Both names are used, so don’t worry, the execution technology is the same. So, we start with a squat, hands resting on the floor, then we throw our legs back, taking a lying position. Then we return to the squat and jump up as much as possible. We try to jump as high as possible, but the main thing is that the feet come off the floor exactly. You need to do 15 repetitions. There are several varieties of burpees for advanced ones: with dumbbells, with weights (sandbag), in a vest and with a medicine ball. If you do burpees with weights, you don't need to jump, just lift the weight above your head. You need to perform 10 such repetitions in one circle;
- Kipping is an exercise that requires a horizontal bar. So, you need to quickly pull yourself up, performing sharp movements similar to jerks. To do this, you need to swing your legs back and forth with a large range of motion. The chin moves towards the bar, perform 15 repetitions;
- The next exercise is explosive squats. The technique of the squat itself is standard. First, we move our pelvis back, bend our knees, and tilt our body forward so that the load is placed on the heels. The stomach is tucked, we look forward, we do not lower the chin. We lower ourselves as we inhale, and as we exhale we jump up sharply. Keep your hands behind your head, do 15 repetitions;
- Leg lift. This exercise will also require a horizontal bar. When you are already hanging, you need to raise your legs with your knees bent towards your stomach. This should be done quickly and sharply. The body should not sway, that is, all muscles are tense, the abs are actively working. Do 15 repetitions in one cycle;
- Explosive exercises. These push-ups are more difficult than classic ones, but they are more effective, that is, the process of burning fat deposits occurs faster and better. Technique: when you rise, you should push your hands up so that your palms come off the floor. Do 15 repetitions of this exercise too.
Complex exercises also include additional or variations of those already mentioned. Running is especially popular because it is the most accessible sport.
In order for the process of shedding extra pounds to occur confidently and constantly, you should remember some points. Breaks between exercises, as well as between circles, should be minimal, ideally there should be none at all. The quality of the workout is determined by fatigue: if you can barely drag your feet home, then you gave it 100%, but if you have enough strength to eat that cake, you should increase the load. Use many program variations and rotations for a more effective workout. Also try to choose multi-directional exercises to engage all muscle groups and work the body holistically.
CrossFit: basic exercises for beginners
CrossFit includes a large number of exercises. Beginners do not need to immediately throw a huge load on themselves - the basic exercises that will comprise the training program in the first month are enough. So, CrossFit – where to start?
Burpee
Burpees are the most popular exercise in CrossFit, the calling card of this system. This is a gymnastic exercise, that is, it is performed only with your own weight. The advantage of burpees is that it perfectly trains endurance, which is definitely needed for those who are planning to do CrossFit.
Deadlift
Another exercise that CrossFit for beginners cannot do without. It was borrowed from weightlifters and is designed to effectively work the muscles of the legs, buttocks and back. This is a good exercise to learn how to work with free weights, master the basics of safety precautions and principles of execution. Having mastered the deadlift, you can easily move on to snatches and jerks of the barbell.
Squats, pull-ups and push-ups
There is no point in describing the technique of performing these exercises, which are familiar to us since childhood. They are usually included in the CrossFit complex for beginners, since these are basic gymnastic exercises that fit perfectly into this system.
Jumping rope
Jumping rope is a very useful cardio exercise. Double jumps are especially popular in CrossFit. The exercise perfectly develops endurance, improves coordination, and is recommended to be included in the CrossFit program for beginners.
Press press
Another barbell exercise borrowed from weightlifting. It helps to work the muscles of the calves, thighs, buttocks, as well as the biceps and triceps.
Plank
The bar, which gives a static load, works great on the abdominal muscles. It is included in CrossFit complexes for beginners after the main exercises for the purpose of additional training of the core muscles.
Sit-ups
An exercise such as sit-ups or V sit-ups involves lifting the body from a lying position. And if we talk about V, then both the body and legs rise from the same position. The exercise is aimed at working the abs and improving overall endurance, which is what beginners in CrossFit need.
Kettlebell swings
There are quite a few swings in CrossFit, but beginners are advised to resort to swinging kettlebells with both hands. This exercise is great for training your legs, buttocks, back muscles and core.
Cardio exercises
CrossFit for beginner girls and boys should include other cardio exercises besides jumping rope. This could be running, cycling, rowing, etc., depending on what you have the opportunity to do. Ideally, you can alternate between different types of activity.
Training program
If you are determined to prove to yourself that you can get your body in order. If you are not afraid of difficulties, then let’s move from theory to practice. This set of 8 exercises must be performed cyclically. You should do 3 circles, try to rest between circles and exercises for up to 3 minutes. Reduce your rest time if possible.
- Burpee. We start with the classic version: we squat, take a lying position, return to the squat and jump out. We repeat this exercise 10 times;
- Air squats, that is, light ones. Legs shoulder-width apart, feet to the sides, move the pelvis back, body forward, bend the knees. When lowered, the pelvis should be below knee level. Don’t forget to breathe, inhale as you squat, and exhale as you rise. Do 30 of these squats without weight;
- Lunges. These are lunges back and to the side. Do 20 exercises for each leg;
- Lifting from a kneeling position. You need to do 20 repetitions of this exercise;
- Push ups. If you are in good physical shape, then do explosive push-ups; if you don’t have the strength to push your palms away, then choose classic ones. The simplest option is wave-like movements, starting from the chest. You need to perform 20 repetitions;
- Sit-ups. From a lying position on your back, legs bent at the knees, raise your arms and place them behind your head, you need to lift your body up and twist so that your shoulders go beyond the line of your hips. Do this exercise 30 times to give your abs a beautiful definition;
- Candle. IP: lying on your back, raise your legs perpendicular to the floor, put your hands under your butt. We tear off the pelvis, pushing the legs up. You need to perform 30 repetitions of this exercise;
- The first round of this program ends with a static exercise – the plank. Hold your body in a plank position for 30 counts and then repeat the entire exercise to complete three circuits.
So what do we have? Firstly, it is a beautiful, sculpted, toned and slender figure. Secondly, it is a healthy and resilient body, physically strong and able to withstand significant loads. And, of course, this is pride in yourself, self-confidence and the hungry looks of men losing their heads over your attractiveness.
Sets of exercises in crossfit
The CrossFit training program for beginners aims to combine basic exercises into training complexes called WODs (work-out-of-the-day) or simply workouts of the day. In essence, WOD is a set of exercises that is limited either in time or in the number of circles. It is built so that the student can achieve his goal, be it training endurance, flexibility, improving strength, or training a specific muscle group.
For beginners, it is enough to exercise three times a week. They will need some time to adapt. It will take about a month to get into the routine, and the intensity of the training programs will increase over time. Do not overuse the load, otherwise you risk injury or severe exhaustion. 2-3 days a week are allocated for training, 4-5 for rest. Let's look at sample programs for each week.
First week
At this time, novice athletes should pay maximum attention to circuit training and bring the muscles into working condition.
Introductory training will help you adapt to the load.
Monday
- 30 jumping rope;
- 5 burpees;
- 10 squats;
- 10 sit-ups.
We repeat all this five times, that is, we do five circles. If you still have strength left after training, you can stand in the plank twice for 45 seconds with a break of no more than 20 seconds.
Tuesday is rest.
Wednesday
On this day, you need to carefully start working with weightlifting exercises. We start with four warm-up rounds of two minutes each. At the beginning of each minute, do a deadlift, rest for the remaining seconds, and perform box jumps for the next minute. This warm-up will take eight minutes in total.
- Deadlift – 5 times, weight is added on the third round.
- Box jumps – 10 times.
Then you will need to work for another eight minutes:
- We perform leg lifts to the chest on the horizontal bar 8 times;
- We lunge 10 times on each leg.
Thursday – rest.
Friday
On this day you will need to train endurance, which will help with a set of exercises called “Cindy”. We actively engage for 18 minutes:
- 5 pull-ups (with or without elastic band);
- 9 push-ups;
- 15 squats;
All this is done in five circles. If you still have some strength left at the end of the workout, you can do the plank twice for one minute each with a break of 20 seconds.
Saturday and Sunday are rest.
Week 2
CrossFit workouts for beginners in the second week are not too different in load from the first, but they will include basic exercises with free weights.
Monday
The technique of basic exercises is honed. For 8 minutes we do:
- 7 front squats with a barbell;
- 7 pull-ups.
Then 9 minutes are devoted to the following:
- 10 deadlifts (using 40-50% of the weight)
- 30 jumping ropes.
Tuesday – rest
Wednesday
This day will be dedicated to cardio training. You need to work for 21 minutes, doing the following:
- burpees – 9 times;
- squats – 9 times;
- push-ups – 9 times;
- V- sit-ups – 9 times;
- jump ropes - 36 times.
Finally, do the plank three times for 50 seconds with 20-second breaks.
Thursday – rest.
Friday
This day will be dedicated to feet.
Within 10 minutes we do the following:
- at the beginning of each minute - 7 squats with a barbell of 50-60% of the weight.
Then we make four circles:
- kettlebell swings – 10 times;
- box jumps – 8 times;
- throwing the ball to the goal – 6 times.
Finally, do 45-second planks three times, with 20-second rest breaks.
Saturday and Sunday are rest.
Week 3
In the third week, we continue to study the technique of basic exercises, slightly increasing the load.
Monday
Each exercise on the list below is done at the beginning of every minute seven times. At the beginning of the first minute – press presses, then we rest, at the beginning of the second – jumps, then rest, at the beginning of the third – leg lifts and rest, and at the beginning of the fourth – again presses and so on. In total you need to make three circles.
- bench presses – 7 times;
- jumping on a pedestal – 7 times;
- bringing the legs to the bar or chest – 7 times.
At the end of the workout, you need to do 100 jumping ropes and 50 sit-ups.
Tuesday is rest.
Wednesday
This day will be devoted to basic exercises. Work for ten minutes.
- Deadlift – 10 times.
- Lunges – 10 times on both legs.
Then we perform three rounds:
- pull-ups – 21 times;
- squats – 15 times;
- V sit-ups – 9 times.
Having completed the complex, do the plank three times within a minute with breaks of 30 seconds.
Thursday - rest.
Friday
This week will be completed by the Helen complex. We do five laps for a while:
- 400 meter run;
- kettlebell swing – 21 times;
- pull-ups – 12 times.
Finally, do three one-minute planks with half-minute breaks in between.
Saturday and Sunday are rest.
Week 4
This week, the CrossFit for beginners workouts will be close to full-fledged CrossFit. These will be the same complexes for beginners, but at a more intense pace.
Monday
The work will take 25 minutes:
- The workout begins with rowing at a medium pace for five minutes. Then follow these exercises:
- burpee - 10 times;
- Shvungi – 5 times;
- deadlifts with the same weight – 12 times;
- bringing the legs to the crossbar – 10 times.
Then you need to hold the bar four times for a minute. Breaks are 20 seconds each.
Tuesday is rest.
Wednesday
We start with the following exercises:
- shvungi – 21 times;
- box jumps – 15 times;
- sit-ups – 9 times.
Then a ten-minute complex is done:
- pull-ups – 7/14 times;
- lunges with a barbell or bar – 10 times on each leg.
Thursday - rest.
Friday
The final day of the program will be dedicated to the Murph complex in a slightly shortened version.
The program will include the following:
- running – 1.2 km;
- pull-ups – 80 times;
- push-ups – 160 times;
- squats – 240 times;
- running – 1.2 km.
Saturday and Sunday are rest.
During these four weeks, you must adapt to the CrossFit format, to the circuit training regimen and alternating work and rest. If everything is fine, you feel normal and can get involved in the program, you can safely continue to delve deeper into CrossFit, regularly increasing the level of your achievements. Remember safety. Be sure to follow the technique of performing the exercise and do not chase weights and records - everything is good in moderation and gradually.
