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Along with everything else in this world, there are pros and cons to CrossFit. I have seen many of my clients get hurt doing these workouts because of the pressure to complete it within a given time frame. As they get faster, form tends to go out the window. However, once proper form has been enforced to reduce the risk of injury, I highly recommend these following WOD’s (Workout of the Day):
Note: All exercise descriptions and videos can be found on the CrossFit website, here.
1. Tabata This
Choose 4 exercises. If you can take it, go with a Thruster, Kettlebell Swing, Box Jump, and Burpee.
If you are fairly new to the fitness game, use the Dumbbell Squat, Overhead Press, Romanian Deadlift, and the Lat Pulldown.
Now, take the first exercise and do 8 sets of as many reps as you can do in 20 seconds. Once your 20 second mark hits, take a 10 second break. After the 8 sets (4 minutes) have past, you have earned a 1 minute break. Keep going until you finish all 4 exercises. The whole thing should take 20 minutes.
If you find that a 1 minute break is too short, I recommend taking as long as you need to regroup. Just try to keep the pace for the 8 sets and then take your break.
2. Fight gone Bad
Aptly named, if you finish this one, you look like you just lost a fight.
Start by setting up 5 stations. Get the necessary equipment for each of the following exercises:
- Wall-ball
- Sumo deadlift high-pull
- Box Jump
- Push-press
- Row
You are going to spend 1 minute at each station with no break in between. Count the reps at each station, and add up the calories burned in your row. Calculate your total and try to improve that number each round. If it is too hard, I don’t advise changing the exercises, rather, the weights. CrossFit recommends 3 to 5 rounds of this, but I would start off with just 2. Build from there.
3. Murph
Named after Lt. Michael Murphy, this is an excellent workout if you don’t belong to a gym. All you need are running shoes and a chin-up bar. Complete the workout as follows:
- Run 1 mile
- 100 Pull-ups
- 200 Push-ups
- 300 Squats
- Run 1 mile
You can approach this workout a few different ways. I would recommend starting with 0.5 mile first and building to a full mile after a few times. With the weighted exercises, you can cycle for 10 rounds of 10, 20, and 30 (your best bet).
If you have access to a gym, you can make it easier for the first two exercises. I use a Gravitron to complete all the pull-ups (adjusting the weight as needed), or a Smith Press and slowly bringing the incline up as needed. I really like this workout to prepare for any physical tests like military, police, firefighter, etc.
Note: Angie, Barbara, Chelsea and Cindy are also very similar workouts to use for body weight training.
4. Fran
Ah, the cult favorite. You are only going to do two exercises here, a thruster and a pull-up. Piece of cake huh?
Perform the exercises with reps of 21-15-9. The standard weight for the thruster is 95 pounds. However, don’t feel like that is necessary. By all means, go lighter. As well, if you cannot perform the 21 pull-ups, I would recommend using the Gravitron or a lat-pulldown machine instead.
5. Linda (The three bars of death)
Three exercises-the deadlift, the bench press, and the clean. The weights recommended are as follows:
- Deadlift: 150% body weight (a 200 pound guy/gal lifts 300 pounds)
- Bench: 100% body weight (a 200 pound guy/gal lifts 200 pounds)
- Clean 75% body weight (a 200 pound guy/gal lifts 150 pounds)
Cycle through all three exercises with the following reps: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
As a side note, I rarely have a client who can do the recommended weights. So, what to do is find a weight you can perform 15 reps to failure with. Stick with that weight throughout the entire workout.
Well, there you have it. These are really the only CrossFit workouts I use. Remember to enforce proper form throughout the entire workout (even after you throw up). Each time you do a lift incorrectly, it teaches your body the wrong movement. So train safe, train smart, and train hard!
Your Digital Trainer,
Jeremiah
Images by scarndp, and BNowack.
Comments: Any questions about the WOD’s? Do you have a favorite CrossFit workout?
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