You may remember in our blog post from Friday, we began to introduce you to the philosophy, exercise regimen, and corporate brand CrossFit. If you missed that post, play little catch-up by clicking here and reading the post.
Here today, I’m going to shine a light on a few core CrossFit-style exercises and highlight (albeit in broad terms) the potential benefits you may experience incorporating these exercises into your workout.
First. Let me say this.
Should you Google the term CrossFit exercises (as I did in preparation for this two-part series of blog posts), you’ll see images of young, muscular workout models lifting large dumbbells, leaping high into the air, and other impressive – and intimidating – feats of fitness and strength. While challenging exercise elements such as those pictured in your Google search are certainly part of a complete CrossFit regimen, there are also a number of lower-impact elements that you can incorporate into your workout and reap the benefits of adding a little variety into your exercise plan.
The fundamental concept of CrossFit training is to pack a selection of varying exercises into a relatively short frame of time. With that in mind, here are a few CrossFit-style workouts fit for folks like you and me.
The Half Cindy
Five pull ups
Ten push ups
Fifteen squats
While the full Cindy is 20 minutes, you’ll be happy you’re only starting with 10.
As you start to get tired, your form may begin to deteriorate, so don’t be ashamed to use modifications (if you don’t, especially at the beginning, you may be a superhero). To modify this regimen, use a resistance band, wrapped around the bar for assisted pull-ups. Push-ups can be done on your knees (even that will become difficult). Keep count of your rounds and record it so you can track your progress.
CrossFit Total
Five backsquats
Three overhead presses
Three deadlifts
Do not let these heavy lifts intimidate you; they will only make you stronger. This WOD focuses on getting newbies accustomed the heavy lifting element of the sport. The workout isn’t timed; it’s about learning how the weight affects your body and how much weight you can move safely.
Form is key for this regimen. Start with weights only as heavy as you are comfortable with. If you’re not sure how to do the lift, ask a trainer or someone who is well-versed in lifting for help.
Sit Ups, Lunges
Three sets of:
Fifteen Situps
Fifteen Lunges
This is an interval style regimen, demanding you to push as hard as you can for three minutes, followed by two minutes of rest. If this starts to feel too easy, scale it up by adding weight to the lunge or add another two rounds to make five rounds total.