Today it is almost impossible to talk about current trends in fitness without mentioning CrossFit. This high-intensity exercise program based on ever-changing functional exercises is now hugely popular and does not even seem to be about to go down.
“Crossfit is great because it fits anyone. Ex-football players, ballerinas, older people come to us,” says Nick Lobotsky, a Level 1 trainer from New York City. And for good reason. After all, crossfit training or WOD (workout of the day) is tailored to a person’s individual physical abilities. In this article we will tell you how to start crossfit even at home.
Whatever your first workout of the day, whether it’s with your own weight or with equipment, you shouldn’t be afraid of it. You should challenge yourself, and the following workout programs will help you do that without knocking you out. But before we look at workout programs for beginners, let’s get familiar with the terms used in crossfit.
- Box is a specialized gym for crossfit classes.
- WOD (from Workout Of the Day) is a workout of the day that is set by your trainer/boxer and usually lasts about 20 minutes. The list of such workouts is constantly growing, and each of them has its own name.
- AMRAP (As Many Reps/Rounds As Possible), which means “as many reps/rounds as possible”. It refers to time training in which you have to do as many rounds as possible.
- For time – this means that you should perform the set exercises as fast as possible.
- R is the total number of reps/rounds completed per workout. If you finish a round but do not complete the set number of reps, you add more reps (for example, 8R + 12 means that you must complete 8 rounds and do 12 reps in the 9th when time runs out).
- Rx means that the workout is done completely as prescribed in the assignment, i.e., no changes. It is written after the results. For example, 7R + 16 Rx.
- CrossFit Games (CrossFit Games) is a competition between the best athletes to determine the “World’s Most Fit Man” or the “World’s Most Fit Woman” (current cup holders: 4-time winners Rich Froning and Camille Leblanc-Bazinet).
- CrossFit Open means you can register online and start crossfit training alone or in a box.
Crossfit complexes for beginners
Although a real crossfit workout takes place in a box with other athletes, you can do it anywhere, even at home. These intense workout programs for beginners will make you work up a good sweat and perhaps inspire you to participate in group workouts. Where do you start in crossfit? Try these sets with your own weights and equipment.
Crossfit WOD #1: Half of the Cindy Program
A full Cindy workout lasts 20 minutes, but you will start with 10 minutes because your body is not used to the kind of endurance strain that a lot of training requires. You just might not be able to get up off the floor after the first round. “By doing half of the program, you reduce the workload,” Lobotsky says. “You’ll quickly realize what your body can do, and you’ll see how quickly you’ll run out of steam. Along with that, you’ll realize how important it is to follow exercise technique. When you start to get tired, technique can get worse, so do the exercises with modifications (if you can do the exercises without modifications, especially in the beginning, you must be a superhero!). Use an expander wrapped around the bar to make pull-ups easier. Push-ups can be done from your knees (although even that can be difficult). Count your rounds and write them down, so you can monitor your progress.
Crossfit WOD #2: Crossfit Total
Don’t be afraid of these exercises, they will only make you stronger. This WOD focuses on getting beginners accustomed to heavy weight exercises. This workout is not for the time being. It focuses on learning how heavy weight affects your body and how much heavy weight you are able to lift safely. “Don’t try to maximize intensity,” Lobotsky says. “You usually need to do three squats, but I recommend doing five. That way you get used to the weight on your shoulders if you haven’t done this exercise before.” Exercise technique is the key to this WOD. If you don’t know how to perform a particular exercise, ask a trainer or someone who is good at it for help. It is also recommended that you videotape yourself and then show the video to someone who can give advice. Safety should be a top priority. Note: Since you are a beginner, this program is designed to introduce you to proper exercise technique. Once you feel confident, you can perform Crossfit Total the way it is done at the games – three repetitions with heavy weights in each exercise. The heaviest reps in each exercise are the third heaviest reps. And while you don’t yet have a time limit, you must do all 3 reps in one exercise before you move on to another.
Crossfit WOD #3: “Helen”
Of course, everyone can run. “You should not run as hard as you can in your first training session, because you will be exhausted after the first round,” Lobotsky warns. Endurance is a very important quality, and it takes time to develop it. Crossfit will allow you to discover the capabilities of the human body. To change this WOD, try performing Russian kettlebell lifts (where the kettlebell is lifted to a line parallel to the floor, not above your head as you do American lifts) if you can’t safely lift the kettlebell above your head. When performing pull-ups, wrap an expansion bar around the bar to provide support, or perform pull-ups on gymnastic rings if you are not yet strong enough.
Crossfit WOD #4: Throwing the ball, burpees
Why does the program follow the “21, 15, 9 repetitions” pattern? There’s no definite answer to this question, but when you get to 9 reps, you’re guaranteed to feel that doing them is just as difficult as doing 21 reps. It’s also worth noting that all of these reps can be broken into 3 rounds (21 reps can be broken into 3 rounds of 7 reps, 15 reps into 3 rounds of 5 reps, and 9 reps into 3 rounds of 3 reps). This is allowed if you need time to rest. “Throwing the ball is a great combination with burpees. If you try this combination, you’ll find that the ball throws are focused on leg work and the burpees are focused on arm work, although both exercises also involve all the muscles in the shoulders,” says Lobotsky. Here are a few tips to help you in the first step. First of all, make sure to work your hips and not your shoulders, which will be involved anyway, when throwing the ball. Catch and throw the ball at the highest point you can reach. This will make the exercise easier. As for burpees, try not to stop for as long as possible when doing them. If you stop, you will find it harder to start the exercise again.
Crossfit WOD #5: torso press-ups, lunges
This interval type of workout involves maximal exertion for 3 minutes, followed by 2 minutes of rest. “Although this workout provides cardio, we use it to develop endurance, but so that you have rest breaks,” says Lobotsky. And while you won’t have time to fully recover in those 2 minutes, you should try to do the prescribed number of reps in each exercise. If it starts to feel easy for you, increase your working weight in the lunges or add 2 more rounds.
One of the best things about crossfit is that you can make changes to each workout. You can change the number of reps, work weights and times. “You don’t have to lift 200 kg per workout, because that can lead to injury,” Lobotsky says. Doing crossfit, you can build any shape or size body – it’s up to you. So don’t get discouraged at first. Instead, focus on progress every workout.
