Crossfit is a popular way to get fit but if you don’t live in a country that has crossfit or don’t have one near you then you can still benefit from working out in the same way. Crossfit exercises are constantly varied and combine functional movements together with high intensity to get as much out of the workouts as you can.
Here are some exercise workouts or you to do either at your gym, at home or in the park.
Tabatas
1. Push ups for 20 seconds 2. Rest for 10 seconds 3. Bodyweight Squats for 20 seconds 4. Rest for 10 seconds. 5. Repeat this 8 times. That gives you a quick 8 minute workout that you can fit into your busy day.
There are other exercises you can do to make a change from always doing the push ups and squats, such as burpees and skipping or mountain climbers and sit ups. There are many variations you can choose from, I have listed a few exerises below to get you thinking about how you can put your own tabata workout together. You could even add more exercises and do less repeats. Remember though the more exercises you add in the harder it will become.
It is a good idea to pick exercises that will allow you to get a full body workout so think about which exercises are good to pair up or put together so that you can get the maximum benefit.
- Push ups
- Squats
- Shuttle Runs
- Tricep dips
- Pull ups
- Sit ups
- Burpees
- Walking lunges
- Rope jumps
- Bench/Box Jumps
- Knees to elbows
- Mountain climbers
- Deadlifts
- Shoulder press/Military press
Bench Workout
This workout consists of 4 exercises using a park bench/gym bench etc.
1. Bench/Box jumps – 10 jumps or 20 step ups
If you are just starting these then choose a low height bench, a bench height that is halfway up your shin is a good place to start if you are a complete beginner and don’t have much stability or power, a lot of benches are just below knee height so if you feel comfortable with that height give it a go and see it suitable for you. As you become more experienced you can increase the height of the bench jumps. Ensure the bench, wall etc that you choose is stable and, if using a gym bench, does not have too much padding as it can cause you to be unstable on landing.
How to do it:
- Start in a squat position facing the bench and then powerfully jump up on to the bench landing on both feet at the same time, remember to land softly and drop back in to a squat position as you land to allow your muscles to absorb the shock.
- Use your arms to help propel you through the movement and breathe out as you jump up and land.
- Step back down off the bench slowly and repeat.
2. Bench walks/crawls – 10 reps 1 left 1 right = 1 rep plus push up each side
How to do it:
- Stand in front of a bench towards the left side and get into an incline push up position, keep your hands and feet together.
- Keeping your back straight and your core tight you want to lift your right hand and right foot and place them further along to your right then bring your left hand and foot to join them.
- Repeat the movement with your hands and feet again to the right until you reach the end of the bench.
- Once your right hand reaches the end of the bench and before you move your left hand and foot to join them do a push up.
- Now go back in the opposite direction using the same movements, and don’t forget to include a push up once you reach the end, that counts as 1 repetition.
3. Jump over bench (donkey kicks) – 10 reps = 20 jumps
How to do it:
- Stand to the side of a bench and place your hands on either side of its width, keeping your spine in a neutral position and your shoulders back. Ensure you look down at the bench to keep your head in line with your spine.
- Bend your knees slightly and put your weight forwards on to your hands and jump over the bench and land softly on the other side.
- Repeat the same movement and jump back to the side you started from and that is 1 rep (2 jumps 1 each side).
- Repeat for 10 reps .
4. Leg lifts – 10 reps
How to do it:
- Lie on your back on a bench, place your hands by your head on each side of the bench and grasp hold.
- Keeping your back on the bench, bend your knees at a 90 degree angle and raise your legs up towards your chest. Concentrate on contracting your abs as you bring your knees up to your chest.
- Slowly lower your legs back down and repeat.
- You can increase the difficulty by keeping your legs straight instead of bending your knees.
Another simple but effective workout you can do which is easy to remember, needs no equipment and can be done anywhere:
21-15-9
For this workout you will need to do 3 exercises, the first set will consist of 21 reps, the second set 15 reps and the third set 9 reps.
21 Push Ups 21 Squats 21 Mountain climbers
15 Push Ups 15 Squats 15 Mountain climbers
9 Push Ups 9 Squats 9 Mountain climbers
The same as with Tabatas, you can change these exercsises for others to vary your routine.
Don’t forget to warm up, cool down and stretch.
Enjoy!
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