Here are the top 15 CrossFit exercises that only require your body weight. In addition, they can be performed at home.

Dear friends, today we will talk about CrossFit. Let’s try to be as short as possible, but at the same time give you a complete understanding of this type. CrossFit appeared relatively recently in Russia. This sport is new to us, coming from America. CrossFit gymnast Greg Glassman invented it. In the 80s, he defined the general position of this technique.

CrossFit became widespread in 2001. CrossFit can be called a system of general physical training, consisting of functional, constantly varying movements performed at high intensity. CrossFit creates the most versatile athletes possible, that is, they must be strong and resilient, fast, explosive, coordinated, and generally ready for any physical activity. The athlete receives uniform and full physical development. We just ask you not to confuse CrossFit with regular circuit training, as many people mistakenly think. You are told this by those people who have not understood the essence of CrossFit and thereby draw hasty conclusions. Of course, circuit training in CrossFit is a common occurrence, but it is far from the basis.

CrossFit can be roughly divided into fitness for health and sports. Such training has the main goal of improving health and creating good physical shape. CrossFit as a sport has the main goal of winning various competitions.

The squat is a fundamental movement that works the entire lower body, focusing on the glutes, hamstrings, calves, and quads. Place your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider, so that you feel comfortable, with your toes turned slightly outward. We perform air squats, stand confidently on the entire foot, do not move to the toes, keep our back straight and even arched. In the lower position, your hip joints should go below your knees, raise your arms in front of you. In the upper position, the knee and hip joints are fully straightened. Air squats are one of the most popular and widely used exercises in CrossFit.

2 Squats and jumps

Similar to air squats: head up, back straight, feet shoulder-width apart, inhale into a squat, raise your arms in front of you. Push your toes off the floor and, as you exhale, jump up. Jump as high as you can, while moving your arms behind your body. Remember when jumping, your knees should be slightly bent to protect your joints and prepare yourself for the next rep. In jumping up, the main part of the load is received by: the buttocks, the front of the thigh, the calves, and part of the load also goes to the abdominal muscles, since it is inextricably linked with the legs and is involved in straightening the body.

Let's do a 7-minute workout.

3 Pistol and squats

It is no coincidence that the pistol squat received its name. A person, having descended to the final lowest point, resembles the outline of this firearm from the outside. The pistol exercise requires strength and athleticism from the athlete. First of all, you must be confident in your abilities and must know for sure that you can complete the exercise. A slouched back and squats are incompatible concepts. Breathing and rhythm are also of great importance. Starting position – feet shoulder-width apart, one supporting (for example, the left one), the other bent at the knee and slightly brought forward. As you inhale, begin to lower yourself down, bending your left leg at the knee joint and bringing your right leg outstretched forward. Keep your body straight and look forward. Squat down as deeply as you can without losing your balance, while exhaling, with the combined effort of all the muscles of your left leg, move up and return to the starting position. To maintain balance as you lower down, bring both arms forward. To lift your own body weight with one leg, a huge number of muscles are involved in the work: quadriceps, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, gastrocnemius, erector spinae, oblique/rectus abdominis, and lower back muscles.

Perform 5 sets of 5 repetitions

4 Front bar

The benefit of this exercise is obvious. The body becomes stronger and you work the muscles that keep your spine straight. By training them, you will get rid of blocks in your back and shoulders, and such blocks often lead to pain in these parts of the body. With this exercise you develop the muscles in your shoulders, strengthen them, and open your chest. This exercise will not only help your upper body, but also your legs. You will really be able to feel how your upper and lower body are connected and don't even dare say that you don't have time for this exercise. It's very easy to do. But you need to concentrate on the process. Lie face down on the floor. Bend your elbows 90 degrees and go into a resting position on your elbows. Your body should form a straight line from the top of your head to the heels of your feet. Support yourself only on the tips of your toes. The elbows are directly under the shoulders. Now hold this position for 30 seconds to one minute.

5 Side plank

6 Lunges

One of the most effective exercises for legs. The technique for performing the movement is as follows. Place your feet together, step one foot forward (far forward). Shift your center of gravity to your forward leg and squat down on it. Make sure that your front knee does not extend beyond your foot, this is very important for the safety of your knees. The knee of the back leg “hangs” a few centimeters above the floor (but does not touch it). The back is flat and vertical. Hold your breath and, using your forward foot, rise from the squat and step back with your front leg to the starting position. The next repetition is performed with the other leg. An alternative version of the exercise is.

7 Jumping lunges

Jumping lunges are a great CrossFit exercise for working the muscles of the legs and buttocks, as well as for developing endurance. Jumping lunges are considered a difficult exercise due to the need to constantly maintain balance. Starting position: stand with one leg in front, the other behind, hands on your hips, body straight, knees bent at right angles. Push your chest forward and lower your back knee toward the floor into a lunge position, keeping your front shin as vertical as possible. Push off the floor quickly, jumping and switching legs in the air, and land in a lunge position with the other leg in front. Repeat, changing legs as you jump.

We perform 10 lunges on each leg.

8 Skater

An intense exercise that perfectly trains the buttocks and develops coordination. Repeat the movements that a speed skater makes, but try to squat as low as possible. This exercise requires good hip stability, muscle strength and balance. Starting position: lean forward, bending your legs slightly, as before jumping. At the same time, press your hands to your chest. Take a wide step to the right with your right foot. Bend your right leg at the knee so that you cross your left leg. The body emphasis should be on the heel of the right foot. Lean forward slightly, swinging your left hand in front of your right thigh and your right hand behind you. This movement will help you balance your body weight. From the previous position, take an extra step to the left, mirroring all movements.

We do it 20 times.

9 Burpees

A great CrossFit exercise for burning fat, as well as increasing endurance and explosive power throughout the body. This exercise will be equally useful for both men and women. Do burpees regularly and your body will become strong, lean and resilient.

The exercise, or rather the complex, consists of three parts:

• Squat while sitting from a standing position;
• and return to point-blank range while sitting;
• Jump up with clap of your hands above your head and return to a standing position.

Every joint, every muscle will get its due in the burpies, but the following muscle groups will make themselves felt first:

• Upper shoulder girdle (deltoids, triceps, trapezius),
• Abdominal Press,
• thigh muscles,
• gluteal muscles,
• Middle part of the pectoral muscle
• Calf muscles.

We do it 15 times.

10 Sprint

Sprint is a type of running performed at a very fast pace and only for short distances. Sprint is a powerful strength exercise, in terms of the force on the body that is in no way inferior to the same squats with a barbell or deadlift. The body should be pushed forward strongly even at the start, so that it literally flies forward, and the legs simply act as a support to prevent falling. Strive to make every step as wide as possible. Use your hands actively. Almost half of the speed during the race depends on their coordinated work. Breathe with sharp, short, powerful exhalations that coincide with the work of your hands. Inhalations are as short and powerful as possible

We run from 20 to 400 meters.

11 Push-ups

To perform it correctly, you take a lying position. The body should be straight. The hands are positioned shoulder-width apart. When only the arms are bent, the body remains elongated. The mistake of many is raising and lowering the pelvis and not doing the work with the hands. At the lowest point, you can touch the floor with your chest, or lower down to the distance of your fist to the floor. In many sports, the exercise is considered completed if the angle in the elbow bend is at least 90 degrees.

They train mainly the upper body - the body and arms, namely:

• biceps;
• triceps;
• pectoral muscle;
• serratus anterior muscles;
• deltoid muscle;
• back muscles.

We perform 20 repetitions.

Go to the wall, place your hands on the floor at a distance of 15-25 cm from the wall. Hands shoulder width apart. Push up with your feet and throw them over the wall, so you should be in an upside down position. So, you are in a classic handstand against the wall - your arms are straight, your torso muscles are tense, and the natural curves in your body are preserved. Begin to slowly bend your elbows, lowering your body down, and stop when the top of your head is approximately 15 cm from the floor - half the distance at which your head is in the starting position. Pause for a second, then push up to the starting position. Basically, the anterior and middle bundles of deltoid muscles are involved in the work. The delta transmits the load to the main muscles of the torso, and during power movements it is redistributed to the arms. Everyone knows that if there is no strength in the shoulders, then the rest of the muscles in the upper body will be weak.

We perform 15 repetitions.

13 Climber

Less common, but recognized among professionals, the “mountain climber” exercise effectively trains the abdominal muscles, just as well as. And by the way, not only the press.

The exercise also uses the muscles of the legs and shoulder girdle, which in turn provides additional calorie burning. Take the position for. The abdominal muscles should be compressed and the back should be slightly rounded. The body is straight from the toes to the shoulders. Lean on straight arms. Bring one knee toward your chest (all the way) and return to the starting position. Repeat this with the other knee. The body should remain straight and the abdominal muscles should be compressed. As you exhale, we stretch, while inhaling, we return the leg to its original position.

We perform 20 repetitions.

14 Double jump rope

Start with single jumps, jumping on the balls of your feet. Keep your legs together, your chin neutral, your abs and glutes tense, and your arms close to your body. Remember that you rotate the rope with your wrists, not your arms. Do the exercise in front of a mirror, making sure your body is in the correct position. Experiment, practice makes perfect.

Perform 10 repetitions

15 Handstand Walks

Try doing a handstand. To belay yourself, lay out a mat or, if you fall, go into a somersault or “bridge.” Having learned to stand for 10 seconds, master walking. Well, then, as they say, it’s a matter of technique. And it’s like riding a bicycle - no one will teach you how to maintain balance, only yourself. The main thing is to try not to bend your elbows, and tilt your legs slightly forward, bending your knees - this will make it easier to maintain balance.

To summarize, CrossFit brings a huge variety of training process, which does not get boring for years, each workout is different from the previous one. If your goal is health, excellent physical shape, and endurance for all occasions, CrossFit is for you.

Be sure to read about it

September 16, 2016

The lunge is one of the main leg exercises that engages the gluteal and thigh muscles. Depending on the length of the lunge, you can pump up certain leg muscles. The world famous bodybuilder and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger gave this exercise second place in his training.

The history of the exercise is not entirely clear. Some researchers claim that lunges were “invented” quite recently, during the era of fitness. Others claim that they were actively used back in the days of Ancient Greece for the physical training of warriors.

Nowadays, lunges are widely used by professional athletes to train their legs, as well as by many women to make their thighs and buttocks attractive.

CLASSIC LUNCHES performed without any weighting agents. However, many athletes use a barbell or dumbbells to increase the load.

• Lunges are a core exercise that primarily targets the leg muscles (along with squats and presses). They perfectly “outline” the quadriceps, making them as sculpted and powerful as possible. The longer (deeper) the lunges, the more they affect the buttocks area.
• In addition, lunges are also great for training stability and coordination of movements, as the athlete has to learn to support the weight of the entire body (and additional weights) on one of the legs.
• The lunge is an excellent compound exercise that uses a huge number of large and small muscles in the body. It is extremely popular among experienced bodybuilders who want to make their legs even more powerful and strong. Lunges are widely used in modern fitness, in particular, for women who dream of beautiful and attractive hips.
• According to recent medical research, this type of exercise also has a beneficial effect on the joints and ligaments of people in adulthood.

How to perform this exercise correctly? What should you pay special attention to?

• At the very beginning, you need to straighten your body and place your legs slightly wider than your hips, parallel to each other.
• Before starting, you should “tighten” your stomach and buttocks, and bend your knees slightly.
• The step forward should be as wide as possible, and the body should be kept straight when lunging.
• The body weight should be completely transferred to the forward leg.
• At the bottom of the exercise, it is important to keep the muscles of the back leg tense.
• You need to hold your breath for a few seconds and then return to the starting position.

Lunges can be performed either without weight or using weights (barbells or dumbbells). In the first case, the barbell is held at the top behind the athlete’s head, and in the second, the dumbbells must be held in the hands.

Lunge options

There are several variations of performing lunges.

LET'S LIST THE MOST BASIC OF THEM:

1. Promenade lunges with barbell
2. Reverse lunges with barbell

In this variation, you should alternate lunges with the right leg in front and with the left.

LUNCH IN PLACE

LUNCH WITH STEP

• If an athlete performs an exercise with a barbell, then you need to do a certain number of lunges on one leg (8-12), and then the same number of repetitions on the other leg (8-12).
• Number of approaches: 3.

This option is significantly different from the classic lunge.

Here, after completing the exercise, you do not need to return to the starting position. Pull your back leg forward and straighten, then perform the next lunge on the other leg. Obviously, to fully perform this exercise you will need free space in the room.

• For this exercise, it is recommended to do three sets of 8-12 repetitions on each leg.

Reverse lunge with barbell

In this case, the exercise begins with a step back with the right foot. After this, you need to perform a classic, standard lunge. It is necessary to perform a certain number of repetitions on one leg, and then on the other. Alternating lunges are allowed, when the supporting leg changes each time.

• For this exercise, it is recommended to do three sets of 8-12 repetitions on each leg.

REVERSE LUNGE WITH BARLES

REVERSE LUNCH WITH DUMBBELLS

This variation allows you to significantly increase the load on your legs. This exercise is actively used in the Cross Fit circuit training system, because with its help you can effectively develop the calf and gluteal muscles. With the same effect, lunges with jumps train the body's endurance.

The specificity of the exercise is that the change of legs between lunges is performed by jumping. To achieve maximum results, lunges with jumps are performed with dumbbells in your hands.

• In one approach you need to perform 20-30 jumps (number of approaches: 3-4).

Side lunges allow you to effectively develop the muscles of the inner thighs. The exercise should be performed with dumbbells or a bar.

From the starting position, you need to take a step to the side and sit down, lowering your arms with the weight down. In this case, the supporting leg should be extended straight. Returning to the starting position, you need to repeat the lunge on the other leg.

• Do the exercise 10-12 times (for each leg), the total number of approaches is 3.

The Bulgarian lunge is a rather difficult exercise, both physically and technically.

The technique for performing it is essentially the same as for a standard lunge. But there is one “but”: the trainee’s back leg is on a low bench. Thus, the Bulgarian lunge specifically loads the muscles of only one leg, and not two.

• When performing this exercise, you need to do 10-15 lunges on each leg.
• The number of approaches is 3 or 4, depending on the athlete’s physical fitness.

This lunge variation is also one of the more difficult ones. But it will allow you to quickly tighten your leg muscles and remove their sagging.

The technique for performing such lunges is as follows:

1. We assume a standard lunge position: the front leg is bent at the knee at a right angle, the back leg almost touches the floor with the knee.
2. Leaning on the front leg, pull up the back leg and, without stopping, lift it to the elbow. The higher you can go, the better.
3. Straining your abs as much as possible, hold in this position for a few seconds and return to the starting position.
4. You can use dumbbell weights and help yourself with your hands. The main thing is to tense your abs and keep your back straight.

• The exercise must be repeated 10-12 times on each leg (the total number of approaches is 3 or 4).

Before you begin testing this exercise, you should carefully familiarize yourself with the technique of its implementation.

• So, the step forward when lunging should be as deep as possible. Otherwise, the body weight will be projected onto the knee joint, which is not very beneficial for the latter.
• You need to thoroughly prepare for performing lunges: warm up well and thoroughly warm up the body muscles. This will significantly reduce the risk of injury during training.

Jumping lunges Suitable for people who want to lose weight and tidy up their lower body. Don’t forget about Muay Thai fighters and free fighters, for them this exercise is suitable for developing explosive leg strength, which is necessary for a jumping knee strike.

Initial position

Take the position as for lunges. Place one leg forward, the main emphasis is on it, the knee should not go beyond the toe. The back foot is on the toe as a stabilizer, not a support. Pull your stomach in, keep your back straight with a slight bend forward.

Technique for performing lunges with jumping up

Lunge until your front thigh is horizontal. Stand with your front leg and, transferring your body weight to it, immediately jump out. Hands are involved in the exercise to stabilize the body. When jumping, the knee of the back leg is brought forward, and the opposite hand is up, respectively, the hand of the same name is down. Exhale when jumping up. Lower your leg, bent at the knee, to the starting position.

• The jump goes up, not forward.
• Try to perform the exercise in one movement.
• Jump, shifting your body weight from heel to toe.
• For greater load, place your supporting foot on the step.
• It is possible to perform a jump with both legs at once, then in the starting position place your body weight between them. Suitable for beginners and a little different in nature.
• If space allows, you can jump while moving forward, but the effectiveness is reduced.