Top 15 CrossFit exercises. The best of the best

CrossFit can help you get into great shape, and depending on the trainer you work with, it's not as dangerous as some people would have you believe.
However, this is not the best way to gain muscle mass, increase strength and burn fat. Although many people come to CrossFit precisely for this. If your main goal is to pump up your muscles, become stronger, get leaner and improve your cardiovascular system, then it is better to turn to traditional strength and cardio training. Perhaps you have all heard this motivational phrase: “CrossFit will not just transform your body, it will change everything: who you are, your views on the world around you, your attitude towards yourself, it will push the boundaries of what is possible.”

Nobody argues: fitness and health can change our lives, but...

Indeed?

This sounds more like a network marketing ad than a training program. This kind of thinking is very common in the CrossFit universe, which has gained enormous popularity in the last 10 years. There are tens of thousands of dedicated CrossFit gyms around the world, and the people who do it are some of the most passionate fitness fans you'll ever meet.

• Is it really that great?
• Is this really the best way to get in great shape?
• Is there really much more to it than just training?

Or just another fad movement with nothing special about it other than the risk of injury and overtraining, as many of its detractors claim?

More about crossfit

This is a highly intense training program that is based on performing various strength and aerobic exercises, including push-ups, sprints (running with acceleration), and work with weights, rope, pull-ups, lifting a barbell (weightlifting exercise - push).
The exercises are usually combined into so-called “Workouts of the Day” (“WOD”), which usually last from 5 to 15 minutes. Results are tracked and assessed to promote friendly competition and measure progress. In most WODs, you perform one exercise after another, without resting in between, for a certain number of circuits (rounds), as quickly as possible. In other WODs you need to do as many rounds as possible, against the clock. For example, a WOD called "Helen": Do 3 laps (rounds) as quickly as possible:

1. 400 meter run.
2. Kettlebell swings – 21 times.
3. Pull-ups - 12 times.

WOD "Fran": Complete the following as quickly as possible: Three rounds of 21, 15 and 9 reps:

1. Bar ejection – 40 kg;
2. Pull-ups.

Murph WOD: Complete the following steps as quickly as possible:

1. 1600 m run.
2. Pull-ups – 100 times.
3. Push-ups – 200 times.
4. Squats – 300 times.
5. 1600 m run.

You can split the strength exercises however you like, but you should start and end the workout with a 1,600-meter run.
People pay a lot of money for these workouts; the average CrossFit gym membership costs more than a regular gym membership. Here's what they look like:

As you can see, they are well equipped with squat racks, dumbbells, medicine balls, kettlebells, gymnastics rings, weightlifting platforms, ropes, rowing machines and other fancy exercise equipment. This is one of the great things about CrossFit: most gyms have everything you need to perform strength training. Of course, what you do with the equipment is most important, but step one is undoubtedly having good equipment, and most CrossFit gyms excel in this regard. However, the enormous interest in CrossFit is not associated only with fancy exercise names and well-equipped gyms. It was the emotional atmosphere that made him so popular.

Load protocols

Ascending

ladder

–

circular staircase. With each subsequent circle, the number of exercises increases by one. The task is to complete as many circles as possible, and the result will be the sum of all repetitions for the entire time of work.

4time

- for a while.

AFAP

– (As fast as possible) – as quickly as possible.

AMRAP

– (As many reps/rounds as possible) – complete as many reps/rounds as possible in the allotted time.

EMOM

– (Every minute of the minute) – every minute at the beginning of the minute. It is necessary to perform a certain number of given exercises. For example, the complex is designed for 10 minutes, start every minute by performing 3 squat cleans and 5 burpees. Rest until the end of the minute.

The positive aspects of CrossFit

Clear instructions from the trainer

Typically, people visit the gym several times a week in order to work out what they want at the moment. Such trainings do not have a specific logical structure; they are quite chaotic and spontaneous, so one cannot expect any results in increasing strength and gaining mass. And at the same time, when you come to CrossFit classes, the trainer gives you a clear task, explains how to do it and when to stop. A competent instructor can create a task so that every large muscle group in your body receives enough load. He can also tailor workouts to suit your needs and abilities. For example, if your upper body is weak, the trainer will replace the bench press with something you can do better (push-ups or dumbbell presses). If you're not particularly good at running, you can do a combination of walking/running or some other form of cardio (like rowing). Most CrossFit coaches will track your progress, which is vital to avoid plateauing in strength or weight gain.

Basic exercises

The main goal of strength training is to become stronger. The best way to achieve this is to focus on multi-joint compound barbell exercises such as the squat, bench press, military press and deadlift. Many people do not pay enough attention to these exercises, and sometimes do not do them at all. This is perhaps the main reason why they stop growing. Well, the first thing they teach you in CrossFit is how to squat, bench press, do military press, deadlift (and this is the most correct way to get acquainted with strength training).

Very heavy loads

You will never push yourself to train as hard as CrossFit does. Many people don't like discomfort, and the more discomfort they feel, the more they want to stop everything abruptly. This number won't work here. Although sometimes it becomes too extreme, the fighting spirit of “I can’t do it” is one of the reasons for the effectiveness of CrossFit. Be prepared to work harder, faster and longer in every workout. Give it your all if you want to see your name rise higher and higher on the demo board. Not all people like such a hyper-competitive environment. But this is a huge help for those who find it difficult to motivate themselves to exercise.

CrossFit makes you fall in love with fitness

In the gym you will be surrounded by people who love a healthy lifestyle. Not only do they spend more time exercising than the average person, but they also eat healthy and have fewer bad habits (smoking, alcohol, lack of sleep). When you spend a lot of time in the company of health enthusiasts, it is inevitable that their drive for life will rub off on you.

Warm-up

A quality warm-up consists of 3 main elements.

Joint warm-up and mobility exercises

The first part of the warm-up prepares joints and muscles for work and expands the range of motion.

Total work time 5-6 minutes, 6-10 repetitions of each movement:

• tilting the head to the sides;
• tilting the head back and forth;
• rotation of the brushes;
• rotation in the elbow joints;
• turning the PVC stick (the stick is held with both hands with a wide grip, the arms are straightened at the elbows, the stick is smoothly rotated over the head to the position behind the back and back);
• tilting the body back and forth;
• bending to the sides;
• “mill” (arms extended to the sides, bend forward, left hand reaches to the right foot, then the right hand reaches to the left foot);
• swing your leg back and forth, to the sides (you can hold on to the support with your hand);
• flexion/extension of the knee joint;
• rolls (wide stance of the legs, one leg extended to the side, the toe pulled towards itself, the other leg bent at the knee, a smooth roll from one leg to the other);
• rotation of the foot.

Cardio warm-up

Light aerobic exercise for 2-3 minutes. The goal is to increase body temperature and increase heart rate.

Exercises to choose from:

• run;
• rowing;
• exercise bike;
• jumping rope.

Preparing for the exercises of the main part of the workout

You need to look at what is included in the “Workout of the Day” and within 5-7 minutes. practice these movements with light weights. This part of the warm-up can also serve to practice difficult movements that the athlete struggles with.

Disadvantages of CrossFit

If you want to become a little stronger, master some exercises with a barbell, develop decent endurance and flexibility, if the atmosphere of the workout is important, then CrossFit is ideal in this regard. But CrossFit is definitely not suitable if the goal is to effectively and quickly gain muscle mass, lose excess fat and get healthier. And that's why.

CrossFit effectiveness?

There are many such expressions in the CrossFit lexicon:

• functional readiness;
• general fitness training;
• workout training;
• conditioning training (“MetCon”);
• general physical fitness (“GPP”).

The idea is that using a wide variety of exercises is the best way to achieve an overall level of fitness, which is the best way to achieve an aesthetic physique.
In the CrossFit lexicon, fitness has an unusual definition: “Increasing the ability to perform functional movements across multiple time intervals and modal domains.” That is, it turns out that your overall fitness is not measured by anything other than results in CrossFit. A very convenient and clever definition.

But not entirely true. For example: watch some videos online or visit a CrossFit gym and you will see quite a few weak, obese, inflexible people playing the role of Spartans, doing strength exercises incorrectly, and some of them throwing up after completing a WOD. These are not the most trained people. It's not that they aren't fit; we all respect people who work to improve their physical condition. But any activity is as beneficial for your physical fitness as it helps you become stronger and more resilient and improves your physique and flexibility. How effective is CrossFit? It is often claimed that it is the best way to simultaneously increase endurance, gain muscle mass and strength. At first glance, this theory looks very plausible due to the very structure of the training - high-intensity load with heavy weights.

But what does sports science say about this?

Unfortunately, if you try to do everything at once, your results will always be below average. In simple terms, when you combine strength and endurance exercises, you are sending ambiguous, conflicting signals to your muscles. You don’t give them the opportunity to adapt to either one or another load. Does this mean CrossFit won't improve your strength and endurance?

No, that doesn't mean it. But if you want to get significantly stronger or improve your aerobic endurance as much as possible, then, according to sports science, CrossFit is not the best way. So it's no surprise that most people who do CrossFit aren't particularly big, strong, or tough.

Although…

Many of us have seen the incredible bodies of athletes in the CrossFit Games, which seems to demonstrate how CrossFit develops the body. Who wouldn't want to look like this guy and girl:

However, it is important to remember that CrossFit is a professional sport, meaning it uses vitamin S extensively (in most cases, athletes are not tested for anabolic steroid use). It sounds cynical, but none of us will ever naturally achieve the same chiseled figure and level of strength as most of the athletes at these Games. How then to train? Many sports physiologists believe that the best way to gain muscle mass and strength, and improve aerobic endurance, is to train them separately. It is most effective to adhere to clearly defined training programs, to focus only on gaining mass and strength for a certain period of time, and a little less effective - to do strength training and cardio simply on different days. As a last resort, you need to separate cardio and strength training for at least a few hours.

Crossfit and weight loss

Many people are convinced that because CrossFit training is so intense, it must burn tons of calories and fat. In fact, this is not entirely true. While CrossFit workouts are high intensity, they are not long, so on average, girls can expect to burn between 60 and 120 calories per workout, while men can expect to burn between 110 and 170 calories. While this seems impressive, especially considering the length of the workout, you can burn the same amount of calories in 30-40 minutes of walking. It's also quite insignificant when it comes to weight loss because 1 kg of fat contains over 8,000 calories (you need to burn a lot more energy every day if you want noticeable fat loss results).

CrossFit leads to overtraining

Many CrossFit athletes pride themselves on the fact that their workouts are so intense and hard that by the end of the training they are ready to collapse from exhaustion. This all sounds really cool in theory and no doubt requires a lot of physical and mental toughness, but it can also lead to overtraining, which in turn can lead to serious health problems including general fatigue, depression, anxiety, loss of appetite and much more. If you train to the point of exhaustion several times a week, especially with heavy lifting, you will eventually drive yourself into a state of extreme fatigue. It's only a matter of time.

You Can Get Injured in CrossFit

Most people who do CrossFit experience sprains, joint injuries, and even torn muscles and tendons. No wonder.

According to statistics, on average, every 1000 hours of training, a person receives from 2 to 4 injuries. This is the same as in weightlifting and powerlifting, but 2-4 times higher than in bodybuilding (1 injury per 1000 hours).

The risk of injury largely depends on the trainer and training program. For example, if you are tasked with performing exercises such as deadlifts, squats, or bench presses, then it is advisable to know how to do them. If a trainer (instructor) has not taught you the correct technique, or suggests working with too heavy weights until complete muscle failure (very popular in CrossFit), the likelihood of injury increases significantly. The main cause of injuries is not even the trainer, but working with heavy loads to the point of exhaustion. This is why sports physiologists in weightlifting recommend resting at least 3 minutes between heavy sets. The main conclusion: the CrossFit exercises themselves do not lead to injury; the risk of injury increases significantly if you perform them without a break or with incorrect technique.

Be friendly

One of the most attractive things about CrossFit is the sense of partnership and camaraderie that comes with training at your local gym. By encouraging competition, interaction, and supportive bonds in the gym, CrossFit believers believe they can improve athletes beyond just their athletic skills. They also create a place where it is pleasant to study.

Of course, no gym, whether it caters to CrossFit or any other form of training, is complete without resident idiots, jock fanatics and people with overdeveloped egos. But by adhering to the simple rules that we have drawn up with the help of our branches scattered throughout the country, you can avoid the fate of becoming one of them:

• Keep it clean. CrossFit gyms may be large, open-air, or Spartan-style, but they are always clean! Help keep them that way. Sweat, blood, equipment, chalk and vomit can fly throughout the gym while performing complexes. But it is entirely your responsibility to clean up after yourself and return the used equipment to its place. Rubberized plates are a lot of fun to throw on the floor, but don't make a habit of it, as drops like these will still cause damage to them and can damage an expensive barbell.
• Leave your ego at the door. No matter how fit you are, CrossFit, with its high-intensity, compound movements and heavy weight exercises, will not be a cakewalk for you. Don’t be angry if the slender mother or 16-year-old in your group shows the best time or lifts more weight, because you are also competing with yourself. Remember what you were capable of before and smile at yourself while others are congratulated for their impressive results. You can “win” another time.
• Push yourself. You can only get stronger, faster and healthier if you increase the weight of the barbell and the speed of your movements. There is no need to compromise common sense and safety. But if you can deadlift correctly, then you can do it with more weight. This can also motivate those around you – make them move forward. Listen to your trainers, who will monitor the correct execution of the exercise, they will correct you when necessary. If you fail the attempt due to poor physical shape, repeat.
• Show your support. Group classes are a great challenge, but they shouldn't be competitive. Those who have difficulty with the same weights and movements that you have difficulty with need the same support in order to cope well with their complexes. If you finish before someone else, cheer that person up and mentally help him finish this stage. Group support should also not be underestimated when someone is trying to set a personal best. Such encouragement can determine whether a person lifts a weight or throws a barbell.

Is it worth doing CrossFit?

It depends on what you want to achieve. If you just want to get stronger and healthier and at the same time have a great time in the company of like-minded people, and you also have a good trainer who will help you avoid overtraining and injuries, then CrossFit is a very good choice. But if you want to gain muscle mass and strength, lose excess weight as quickly as possible, with minimal risk of injury, then CrossFit is not for you. To do this, it is better to use more traditional methods (cardio or strength training).

Main conclusions

Overall, there is a lot that is attractive about CrossFit.
Thanks to him, millions of people began to train, became acquainted with weightlifting and barbell exercises. CrossFit helps you lose weight, improve your figure and improve your overall health. On the other hand, it has significant drawbacks - it is not the safest or most effective way to achieve all of the above. So, if you're looking for something more athletic than just a simple gym workout, love to compete, and want to push the limits of your training, then you'll likely enjoy CrossFit. And if you want to build muscle, increase strength and stay lean, toned, or improve aerobic endurance, then traditional, time-tested strength and cardio training will be safer and more effective. Good luck!

See you later!