CrossFit exercise regime is formulated by the fitness company CrossFit Inc and can be practiced at home or at any regular gymnasium without having to enroll at a CrossFit gym. The workouts are posted and updated on the company’s website on a daily basis.
Certain CrossFit exercises can be carried out and performed at home without using any machines. However, there are other CrossFit workouts that require the use of specified machines to achieve the correct benefit. The workouts are basically aimed at conditioning and strengthening your muscles and core body. These workouts are used by athletes to achieve the desired body strength essential for their fitness and participate in their dedicated sport.
Barbell snatch
The Barbell snatch comprises of two halves. In the first half, you need to place the bar in front of you on the floor and begin with keeping your feet at hip-width. Now you should squat down to grab the barbell firmly and with a wide grip. Ensure that your shoulders are in front of the bar, your back is straight and your hips are a little higher than your knees. Begin the first pull by extending your knees and then lifting the bar from the floor. While doing this, your hips and shoulders must rise at the same pace and your hands must be in a fully extended position. Once the bar reaches the thigh level, it is time to initiate the scoop by pushing your hips forward and slightly bending the knees and keeping them under the barbell. Now, initiate the second pull by extending your knees, ankles and hips while pulling the bar up the torso. Raise your shoulders, keep your arms straight and point your elbows outward.
The second half is the descent phase as the barbell reaches the shoulder-height. Now pull your body under the barbell and bend your knees to make a quarter squat to position the bar overhead by extending and locking out your elbows. Ensure that your head is in front of the barbell. Finish the exercise by extending your hips and knees to reach a full standing position with the barbell held overhead. The workout enhances power and strength and you must do it with proper concentration and coordination.
Ball slams
For doing ball slams, you require a bounce resistant D-ball. Now, stand in front of a wall and raise the ball into the air having your knees slightly bent and your arms completely stretched out. Then, lower your arms at waist level and slightly jump off the ground. Release the ball when your arms reach the knee level. Reach a squat position and try to grab the ball ensuring that your back is straight. Now engaging your buttocks, hamstrings and hips, raise from the position by pushing through your heels. Reach the original position with the ball overhead. Do the workout multiple times. Begin with 4-5 times a day and eventually increase the number of counts. It gives you a total body workout and focuses on providing you core strength.
Air squat
For doing air squats, stand with your feet at a distance slightly wider than your shoulders. Plant your legs firmly on the ground and keep your hands in front of your chest together or apart. Get down to your knees to bring them just above the feet, forming a straight line. Slightly curve the spine to bend over the hips and the torso must be in a vertical position. Keep your eyes focused on an object straight in front of you to ensure concentration. Now, get back to the original position with your knees slightly bent keeping your arms still in front of you. Repeat 15-20 times for muscle strength, core strength and cardio strength.
Handstand push up
Face yourself against a wall or door and place your hands on the ground at shoulder-width. Kick the feet slowly over the head and up onto the wall. Slightly move towards the wall to reach a vertical position and to ensure the wall is there to support if you fall. Now lower yourself so that your nose and forehead touch the ground simultaneously. Push your body up and extend your arms fully to reach a handstand position. Repeat it a number of times. The workout strengthens the balance of your body and conditions your core.
Kettlebell swings
Keep your legs shoulder width apart. Do a semi squat by leaning forward with your knees bent, arching your back and keeping your head facing forward. Use a light kettlebell first. Keeping the arms loose, raise the kettlebell with both your hands and then inhale. Now swing the kettlebell using both hands between your legs to reach your back while exhaling. Keep moving the kettlebell with power thrusts and complete up to 10 sets of kettlebell swings. Pause for a minute between each try. If using heavy weight, inhale while you swing the kettlebell between your legs and exhale while you take the kettlebell above your head.
Overhead squat
Overhead squats are very challenging and dynamic. To do this, stand holding a loaded barbell over your head. Keeping the barbell stable, squat down as low as you can. However, ensure that you have proper control over your weight. Now raise back up to the standing position, take a pause and repeat the steps. To gain strength, do smaller repetitions of heavy weights and to build endurance do higher reps of lower weights. Like the other squat exercises, overhead squats also help workout your leg muscles and buttocks. For strengthening yourself with the use of overhead squats, you should make it a practice to do this workout at least for two weeks on a daily basis. Do a power set and a lower intensity set everyday. For the power set with heavy weights, do lower reps and for the lower intensity set, use higher reps.
Ring dips
To do ring dips, you need gymnasium rings. It is better to do it at a gymnasium. Unbuckle the strap and lower the rings. Ensure your hands rest comfortably on the rings and that your feet do not touch the ground while you are in a workout position. Now buckle up and grab the rings with one hand on each ring. At a 90 degree angle, lift both your legs up. You can either cross your legs or uncross them. Keeping your shoulders close to your body and away from your ears, lower yourself to the floor. This might take time and you must ensure the movement is slow until you are entirely comfortable with the dip. The workout requires a lot of muscle control and over time, you can master the workout. Always use a glove while doing ring dips. This will ensure proper grip while holding the rings. The strap can be adjusted according to your convenience to work out. Regular exercise ensures a beautiful upper body and muscle development.
Walking lunges
Walking lunges are similar to walking except that the workout requires a lunge. Stand straight with your shoulders firm and engaging your abdominals. Place the feet together and keep your arms flat on your sides, holding the hips or behind your head. Now breathe normally and step forward with your right foot. Bend your knees and aligning the front knee over your ankle and keeping the back knee close to the floor, lift your back heel off the floor. Before the back knee touches the floor, push with the back leg (left) thereby forcing your body weight through the right heel, and bringing back your left foot to where your right foot is. Do not pause. Instead, alternate your legs and lunge forward with the left foot. Continue this until you get stronger. Walking lunges increase joint mobility and core strength apart from being a great cardiovascular exercise. As the joints of the ankle, hips and knees are used in the workout, your body stability is maintained and hence the workout is extensively undertaken by athletes for building endurance.
Glute ham sit up
For doing Glute ham situps, you require GHD machines specifically designed for this workout. Keep your feet on the padded support of the GHD machine so that they are fully flexed and that the toes are pulled towards you. Position yourself so that the front end of the padded support rests on the back of your knees. Tightening your quadraceps, abdomen and buttocks, cross your arms over your chest and slowly lower backwards. Using your knees, push down and engage your arms while doing this. Lift your arms to attain the power to sit up in the GHD machine. If you are a beginner, start slow and do a maximum of 5 situps in a day. Do not forget to have a spotter with you. With practice you can achieve greater core strength and eventually you will pick up speed. Those with low back pain must not try this exercise. If a GHD machine is not available, you can instead use a back extension machine.