CrossFitters all over the globe recognize the Workout of the Day (WOD) as a pre-planned sequence of exercises.
While essential to the CrossFit experience, all these WODs may be performed in any CrossFit gym - and in most cases, in one's backyard.
As a certified fitness trainer, I've helped many clients achieve their fitness objectives with many CrossFit exercises.
And in this article, I will detail my expertise on the best CrossFit exercises you can incorporate into your training regimen, their benefits, and safety precautions to take when performing these exercises.
Quick Summary
- CrossFit exercises include the Murph, Candy, Cindy, Open Workout 16.4, Lynne, Open Workout 23.2, Helen, Annie, and Filthy Fifty Variation.
- CrossFit exercises are conditioned regimens that include a variety of consistent functional tasks such as lifting, climbing, and rowing that are frequently done at a greater intensity.
- CrossFit activities test your endurance, strength, and speed limits, with or without a social setting.
The Best CrossFit Workouts
“Death By”
Perform as many reps as possible (AMRAP) for this workout.
Pick an exercise; burpee, push press, push-ups, or air squats.
- Perform one movement every minute at the top of the minute. With each minute, add a repetition of the motion.
- Continue until you cannot finish the required repetitions in one minute.
Open Workout 16.4
The 16:4 workout is the third of the five open workouts programmed by David Castro.
It involves performing the following:
13 minutes AMRAP
For deadlifts, 225 lbs or 102 kg for men and 155 lbs or 70 kg for women.
For wall balls, 20 lbs or 9 kg ball at 10 ft target for men, and 14 lbs or 6 kg ball at 9 ft target for women.
- 55 deadlifts
- 55 wall balls
- 55 calories on the rower
- 55 handstand push-ups
Lynne
Lynne is not for time. You can take more time to perform all the five repetitions.
Lynne can be used as a benchmark to measure the fitness level and monitored with time to record an increase in power, muscular endurance, and strength.
It involves the following:
- 5 rounds of Max repetitions of Bodyweight bench press & Pull-ups
Open Workout 23.2
23.2 A:
In this CrossFit workout, you will perform AMRAP in 15 minutes of:
- 5 burpee pull-ups
- 10 shuttle runs (1 repetition = 25 ft out/ 25 ft back)
- Following each workout, add 5 burpee pull-ups
23.2 B:
Immediately after completing 23.2 A, perform the following for 5 minutes:
- 1-rep Max thrusters (from the floor)
Helen
For this CrossFit workout, you will perform 3 rounds for time of the following exercises:
- 400-meter run
- 21 kettlebell swings
- 12 pull-ups
Murph
You can perform Murph with a weighted vest or body weight.
It is recommended to partition the reps to survive physically and mentally since this best CrossFit workout is extremely high-volume.
You will perform the following workouts:
- 1-mile run
- Pull-up or resistance band lat pulldown
- 100 push-up
- 200 air squats
- 1-mile run
Annie
For this CrossFit exercise, you will perform 50 repetitions of every movement, then 40 reps, then 30, 20, and 10 reps.
The double-unders are great for increasing the heart rate. You can perform jump rope, hops or skip without a rope if they are difficult.
The movements: round for time
- 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 double-unders
- 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 sit-ups
Cindy
This is an AMRAP CrossFit exercise with a time limit of 20 minutes.
Cindy uses the same bodyweight exercises as Murph, thus, it is frequently used by CrossFitters to split Murph repetitions.
The workouts:
- 5 pull-ups
- 10 push-ups
- 15 air squats
If you don't have a pull-up bar, you can do the following instead:
- 5 push-ups
- 10 sit-ups
- 15 air squats
Candy
For this exercise, you will set a timer and perform 5 rounds of the workouts. Try to complete the session in under 30 minutes.
The exercises: round for time
- 20 pull-ups
- 40 push-ups
- 60 air squats
Filthy Fifty Variation
This workout includes 50 repetitions of 10 exercises. You will continue with the training until all the 500 repetitions are completed.
You can use your body weight if you don't have the necessary equipment for the workouts.
This workout is tough, but it improves your muscular and aerobic endurance.
The workouts:
- Air Squats
- Push-Ups
- Step-Ups
- Hollow Rocks
- Jump Squats
- Sit-Ups
- Walking Lunges
- Burpees
- Supermans
- Resistance Banded Lat Pulldowns
Unnamed Workout
This is a grueling CrossFit workout incorporating:
- Thrusters (95/65)
- Burpees
Complete the first set of 15 repetitions for each movement, repeat for 12 repetitions, and finish with nine reps.
Take a 3-minute rest, then perform the following:
- Thrusters (95/65)
- Burpees
Perform the first set of 12 repetitions for every movement, then nine reps, and finish with six repetitions.
Take a 3-minute rest, then perform the following:
- Thrusters (95/65)
- Burpees
Complete the first set of nine repetitions for every workout, then six reps, and finish with three repetitions.
What Is Crossfit?
CrossFit exercises are high-intensity conditioning programs that include a variety of functional movements like climbing, lifting, rowing, and others.
It engages every area of the body, making our muscles more flexible and adaptable to new actions.
CrossFit activities enhance the maximum rate of oxygen consumption (VO2 max), endurance, stamina, strength, and body composition [1].
Related posts:
CrossFit Workout Terminologies
AMRAP
AMRAP is an abbreviation for "as many rounds (or repetitions) as possible," a workout format commonly employed in CrossFit to complement conditioning elements.
It is intended to quickly push the body to its limits [2].
"AMRAPs allow you to determine how long a training session will last.
It's much simpler to appreciate the pace of the effort necessary throughout 7 minutes if you know you'll continue for exactly 7 minutes." - Todd Nief, Head CrossFit Coach
EMOM
This means every minute of the minute. You'll require a watch, stopwatch, or clock for this one. Complete the recommended repetitions in one minute, then rest for the remainder [3].
The EMOM structure pushes you to work harder so that you may earn more rest. When a new minute begins, so do you.
WOD
This means the workout of the day. It is the workout that CrossFit or a branch gym recommends to their members on any given day.
Historically, these were one-time exercises released on the CrossFit website.
However, they have subsequently developed to incorporate smart, periodized programming, which is frequently customized to accomplish specific objectives within CrossFit or for personal goals.
METCON
An acronym for 'metabolic conditioning.' METCONs are workouts meant to target various 'energy systems' of the human body while incorporating some strength or gymnastics practice [4].
A METCON can last anywhere from 5 to 50 minutes.
Still, they're most commonly known as short and filthy lung scorchers, usually reserved till the conclusion of the WOD and clocking in at under 20 minutes.
RFT
This means rounds for time. RFT workouts are very good for evaluating yourself to prior timings and thereby gauging your strength and fitness [5].
Benefits of Doing CrossFit Workout
Makes You Stronger
Weightlifting, Olympic lifting, and resistance exercise all build strength, and CrossFit incorporates all of these fitness modalities into its programming.
Even better, the exercises you perform throughout your fitness regimen target more than one muscle region.
"The majority of CrossFit activities are compound movements, which means they engage muscles from all across your body."
- Grayson Wickham, Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Burns Calories Efficiently
CrossFitters burn 12 or more calories every minute. Because of the intense nature of the exercises, CrossFit performs an excellent job of helping exercisers increase their cardiovascular health while burning a significant amount of calories.
It May Help With Weight Loss
Weight reduction isn't everyone's aim when they start CrossFit, but if it is, it's among the most efficient exercises for weight loss.
That's because all of CrossFit's health and fitness advantages, particularly the increased lean muscle mass and enhanced metabolism, help to reduce body fat and burn more calories altogether.
Maintains Calorie Burning After a Workout
Most CrossFit WODs will involve some weightlifting – because lifting weights burns calories during the workout and afterward.
That's because muscle mass is one of the primary determinants of your metabolic rate.
In CrossFit, you'll grow muscle. A quicker metabolism is associated with increased muscle mass. A faster metabolism implies you burn more calories all day.
Boosts Mobility
CrossFit may not appear to be a traditional mobility-building practice like yoga and Pilates, but it is among the best exercise programs for improving mobility.
Many of the activities in these workouts improve both range of motion (ROM) and strength.
CrossFit Safety Precautions To Take
Although CrossFit exercises are popular in the fitness industry, their high-intensity nature can intimidate newcomers.
As a result, consider the following precautions to avoid any mishaps.
Warm-up
Start warm-up routines to sensitize your body before applying heavy pressure to the muscles and joints.
Self-restraint
Patience is essential for matching up with more experienced CrossFit athletes.
Furthermore, if you're a beginner, seek expert advice to reduce the danger of injury and achieve excellent outcomes.
Limitations
Understanding your body and correctly performing workouts is critical. As a result, being strenuous, doing things slowly, and focusing on correcting the posture is recommended.
A Healthy Diet
CrossFit training sessions rely heavily on good eating. Practitioners adhere to a strict diet plan that contains the recommended amounts of carbs, lean protein, healthy fats, and macronutrients from plant-based foods.
Accuracy
You must pay special attention to maintaining good posture and form and learning the correct techniques to avoid injuries.
FAQs
What Are the 7 CrossFit Workouts?
"The seven" CrossFit workouts are the hero CrossFit WODs. Athletes must perform seven rounds for time: seven handstand push-ups, seven kettlebell swings, seven thrusters, seven burpees, seven deadlifts, seven knees-to-elbows, and seven pull-ups.
What Is the Best Schedule for CrossFit?
The best schedule for CrossFit is the 3-day-on, 1-day-off, and 2-day-on. It entails working out Monday through Wednesday, taking a rest or active recuperation day on Thursday, then completing the workouts on Friday and Saturday.
Is CrossFit Better Than Gym?
Yes, CrossFit is better than gym. CrossFit allows you to lose weight faster than you would if you did a typical gym routine over a certain time frame.
Pre-Workout Routine Foe These Best CrossFit Exercises
We've provided you with CrossFit exercises you can easily integrate into your weekly regimen without worrying about missing your training day.
Whether you're traveling, stuck at home, or can't make it to your fitness center, pick any of the aforementioned CrossFit exercises and get your workout done.
And always remember the basics when performing these workouts; eat healthily, get enough rest, and incorporate these best CrossFit pre-workout supplements for improved performance.
After subjecting them to our routine testing, our clients reported getting over their muscle-building plateaus and recovering faster for their next workout session.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7473349/
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345257344_
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34822344/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9199896/
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343084566_
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