CrossFit for weight loss: exercises and training programs for girls and men

What is CrossFit - why is it effective for losing weight?

Exercise programs related to developing strength, achieving a slim and beautiful body - that’s what CrossFit is. The point of this direction is to abandon narrow specialization and conduct diverse, interesting training aimed at comprehensive physical development.

The heart and respiratory system are trained, metabolism is improved, and sleep is normalized. Gymnastic elements are aimed at increasing body flexibility, working deep muscles, and improving coordination. Strength training helps develop muscle tissue.

Training is carried out in licensed gyms, fitness centers, at home and even on the street.

CrossFit for weight loss includes intense aerobic, gymnastic and strength training. This is what distinguishes it from most other programs, which are characterized to a greater extent by narrow specialization. Some of them are focused on losing weight, others on endurance, and others on gaining strength.

CrossFit allows you to effectively manage calories, get rid of fat tissue and build muscle. It is estimated that a 45-minute workout will burn between 600 and 1,000 calories. In a short time you can get rid of excess subcutaneous fat.

Some girls are frightened by the misconception that additional load is used for training. However, it is not necessary to use it. Training is carried out at home, on the street, without any additional equipment, weights, barbells.

CrossFit classes, in addition to the physical exercise program, require a careful approach to nutrition:

You need to eat at least three times a day. Ideally there should be five meals.
It is better to eat foods containing carbohydrates in the morning, protein foods in the evening.
Avoid consumption of fatty, hot sauces, processed foods, and bread.
Count calories whenever possible.
Increase your intake of vegetables and fruits.
The menu should be balanced.

What it is?

CrossFit is a relatively young system developed by Greg Glassman and his wife Lauren Janay. The training is characterized by high intensity, exercises are aimed at endurance and strength. CrossFit is based on many elements of other sports: from athletics to kettlebell lifting. That is why training programs can be easily adjusted to suit your own needs. At the same time, during exercise you can not only lose weight, but also increase the functionality of your own body.

Contraindications

Any sport with intense, high-speed physical activity has contraindications. They are connected with the fact that during classes there is a large load on the heart, respiratory organs and musculoskeletal system. Exercise is not recommended for people who have been diagnosed with:

diseases of the cardiovascular system;
pathologies of the respiratory system;
injuries;
colds;
high blood pressure.

Training is contraindicated during pregnancy, lactation, and after surgery.

CrossFit Benefits

Why have weight loss workouts using this program become so popular?

Helps you lose weight faster. Thanks to intense exercise, calories are burned even after the workout is completed. In combination with proper nutrition, this approach to losing weight will very quickly give positive results.
Helps get rid of cellulite. Strength training is aimed at working all muscles, cardio burns excess fat, and a combination of exercises helps to get rid of the “orange peel” as quickly as possible.
Improves metabolism. After regular training, the body's metabolic processes improve, sleep and appetite normalize. In addition, physical activity has a beneficial effect on your emotional state.

An additional advantage of CrossFit is that the variety of exercises allows you to evenly work out all areas of the body.

Training programs

The structure and program of classes is very intensive, requires great dedication and is associated with maximum load. After a workout, many people feel drained. In this regard, it is recommended to carry them out in accordance with the following schedule:

experienced athletes are recommended to conduct 3-4 workouts per week;
Beginners are advised to start with 2 times a week, and after about a month switch to a three-time complex.

The average duration of a CrossFit workout is 30-80 minutes. The structure of each lesson necessarily includes the following elements:

Warm up. The goal is to warm up and stretch the muscles, prepare them for the load. Lasts on average up to 10 minutes. Many trainers note that the more complex the complex, the more complex the warm-up should be.
Basic exercises. Includes a complex of specially selected elements - a round (circle). Several laps are performed within one workout. This includes jumping rope.
Stretching. Its main task is to stretch the muscles after training and relieve tension from them. This will help avoid muscle damage, pain and prepare for future activities. Another function of stretching is to lower your heart rate.

The exercises included in one complex are done in a row. Each of them is aimed at developing a specific muscle group. Missing one leads to loss of integrity and harmony of the complex

You can rest between individual elements, but as your form improves, it is recommended to reduce the rest.

For girls

The CrossFit program for girls is focused on making the body strong, beautiful, and harmonious. Exercises, even strength ones, are chosen so as not to pump up the muscles, but to get a toned, slender figure.

The weekly training program for the gym includes the following exercises:

In the second, third and fourth weeks, the complex is repeated, and the number of circles increases. In some cases, an increase in the elements in the circle is shown.

CrossFit doesn't just have to be done in the gym. Almost all exercises are performed at home and outdoors. This program includes:

In the second, third and fourth weeks, the complex is repeated, with the duration of the circle increasing by 5 minutes.

For men

The program for outdoor or indoor training varies depending on the week of training. The complex for the first and third weeks of training includes:

Exercises of the complex for men on the street and at home for the second and fourth weeks:

The program for the gym for the first and third weeks differs from training at home:

Gym program for weeks two and four:

The following programs are suitable for beginners. Experienced athletes use more complex and varied complexes, with more repetitions.

CrossFit workout at home for weight loss

What is CrossFit?

CrossFit is a system of high-intensity circuit training that incorporates many different sports (elements of athletics, weightlifting, powerlifting, etc.). This is what provides variety in choosing exercises and drawing up a training plan. The main goal of training for girls is not only to lose weight, make the body elegant, slender and fit, but also to quickly develop the functional capabilities of the body. CrossFit is an excellent way to burn calories, develop flexibility, body coordination, endurance of the whole body, and, as a result, health.

Benefits of CrossFit.

An effective way to lose weight for girls. Due to the intensity of the workout, calories will be burned in the body after the workout. However, it is important not to forget about the calorie deficit, otherwise no workout will help.
Fight cellulite. Strength training tightens muscles, cardio burns excess fat, and in combination they will help you forget about the problem of cellulite.
Strength training speeds up your metabolism, which improves your overall well-being, sleep and appetite.
A variety of exercises allows you to work out all areas of the female body.

What is CrossFit training?

Impact on all muscle groups. Training according to this system does not imply emphasis on the shoulders, abs or buttocks on different days. Every workout you work on everything at once. The training program can be changed almost every day, so after a month or two of training you will not get bored with the same type of movements.
Aerobic (cardio) and strength endurance increases. You are unlikely to be able to move furniture in your apartment with just one finger, but the CrossFit program will definitely help with everyday issues (carrying bags from the store).
Reaction speed, body flexibility and overall coordination of movements improves.
Intense training will provide you with a daily release of the hormone endorphin, which will lead to reduced stress.

There is a common misconception because of which many girls refuse the CrossFit system - they think that exercises with heavy weights are a prerequisite for such training. In addition to the reluctance to lift a heavy barbell or kettlebell, they are afraid that due to such training they will not lose weight, but rather gain muscle mass.

In fact, there are a large number of CrossFit programs that can be performed even without additional equipment at home or outdoors. And the rapid growth of muscle mass in the female body can only begin due to the use of special drugs and many hours of intense exercise.

CrossFit training at home for beginners.

All exercises in this direction can be divided into four categories:

Cardio (module M). Running, burpees, jumping rope, rowing, working with ropes, jumping jacks and so on;
Gymnastics (module G). Bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, squats, or crunches;
Weightlifting (Module W). Exercises with free weights, such as deadlifts or barbell presses;
Complex load. Exercises that combine strength and cardio exercises.

The training should begin with joint exercises and cardio warm-up. After a short rest, it is important to work out the exercise technique, and then perform the complex itself.

While CrossFit competitions may include ocean swims, mountain runs, and sand powerlifting, regular training routines can consist of simple exercises that are accessible to everyone. One complex consists of several rounds. Each round includes 3-6 exercises.

Beginners can start training without timing, doing the exercises from the round. The goal of training should be to reduce the time it takes to complete the entire complex.

Usually a combination of modules is used in one complex (M+G+W, MG, GW, MW), and one module is very rare. It is interesting that many complexes have female names, for example, Sidney, Nancy, Linda and others.

After completing the complex, attention should be paid to stretching and cool-down.

Olga Portnova is the first current Russian CrossFit champion. Below is a set of exercises she developed that can be performed without equipment.

Basic CrossFit exercises for beginners.

Burpee is a cardio exercise that includes a plank, jump and push-up. The beauty of it lies in the great variability of execution. In the classic version it works like this:

We start from a squat with our palms on the floor.
We jump to move our legs back.
From a lying position, perform push-ups. Depending on your physical fitness, push-ups can be removed.
We jump back into a squat.
We jump out with a clap above our heads and lower ourselves into a squat. Repeat the cycle for 2 minutes.

Several other options for performing the exercise: burpees with jumping over a pedestal or barbell instead of jumping, burpees on one leg, burpees with a jump on a pedestal.

Sit-ups or sit-ups from a lying position.

We take a lying position with legs bent at the knees. Straightened arms lie above the naked one. It is important to press your lower back, buttocks and upper back firmly into the floor.
As you exhale, lift your body up, while it is advisable to keep your back straight. We touch our feet with our hands.
Smoothly lower the body to the opposite position, exhaling. We hold our hands above our heads and touch the floor with them. Repeat the exercise.

Athletes who do not find it difficult to do a large number of repetitions can pick up weights in the form of a disc or light dumbbells.

Air squats strengthen the muscles of the hips, lower back and buttocks, which are important for the female figure, and have a fat-burning effect.

Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. We stretch our arms straight forward or spread them to the sides for balance.
Lower your hips to a point parallel to the floor. It is important to keep your back straight.
We fix the position, then rise to the starting position.

Make sure that your feet are pressed firmly to the floor, your knees do not extend beyond your feet, and your back is straight.

Lunges are a powerful tool for building beautiful and firm buttocks.

In the starting position, place your feet shoulder-width apart.
We take a step forward by about 70-80 cm. It is important to lean on your entire foot and make sure that your knee does not go beyond your foot. Keep your back straight.
We return to the starting position. We repeat the exercise again.

This exercise also has many variations, such as side, back or cross lunges. You can pick up light dumbbells. You should not take dumbbells with heavy weights, otherwise you will not be able to properly work out the muscle group and there is a risk of injuring the joint-ligamentous apparatus.

How often should you exercise?

The class schedule depends only on your preparation and how much free time you have. However, there are standard schemes, for example, 2-1-2-2 (two days of training, a day of rest, two days of training, two days of rest).

For both beginners and professional athletes, it is important to gradually enter the regime, monitor how your body reacts and not overload.

Below are different CrossFit complexes:

Is it possible to train on your own or is it better to work with a trainer?

Classes, at least in the first stages, should be carried out with a trainer. He will show you the specifics of performing all the exercises and tell you the basic rules. Most of the elements seem simple only at first glance, however, you need to approach their execution wisely so as not to harm yourself.

The coach’s task is to teach the athlete to listen to his body, recover, and select a comfortable heart rate for performing exercises. In the future, you can move on to independent studies.

Advantages and disadvantages

CrossFit, being a combination of anaerobic and aerobic exercise, effectively promotes weight loss:

weight will decrease (with proper nutrition up to - 3 kg per week);
your figure will become slimmer, you can place emphasis on the right places and remove problematic ones;
muscle relief will be pumped up;
belly fat will go away;
your health will improve: blood pressure will normalize, cholesterol and blood sugar levels will decrease.

However, it also has its drawbacks. In particular, he is criticized for:

too high risk of injury;
excessive loads that are not compatible with heart disease and can even tear a healthy person;
increased risk of developing rhabdomyolysis.

When starting to lose weight with CrossFit, you need to keep these negative aspects in mind, and even better, consult with a specialist to see if you can practice it. Moreover, it has contraindications.

Briefly about the results

An ideally beautiful, pumped up, healthy body is the main result of CrossFit training. Exercises will allow you to:

remove excess weight;
increase lung capacity, improve breathing;
strengthen the heart muscle, stabilize blood flow;
reduce the risk of diabetes, stroke, heart attack;
stabilize blood pressure;
improve metabolism;
develop balance, coordination, accuracy of movements;
achieve harmonious muscle development;
learn to concentrate;
become resilient, ready for any load.

Advantages and disadvantages of CrossFit for girls

The benefit of the training is comprehensive physical development. Absolutely healthy people with sports experience who want to quickly pump up due to a sharp release of testosterone and the hormone IGF-1, an insulin-like growth factor that stimulates hypertrophy, can train. Each exercise from the complex:

increases blood flow and gas exchange;
trains the cardiorespiratory system;
promotes muscle gain in girls;
reduces the risk of stage 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis.

Women choose CrossFit for weight loss in order to lose 1000 kcal in one session. Working in this quickly thins out the subcutaneous fat and creates relief.

What is crossfit

CrossFit is a sports movement that represents a special program based on the development of the human body through a thruster set of exercises. The founder is Greg Glassman. Being a professional gymnast, he took a lot from the sports system of his training. All CrossFit workouts conducted in the gym are taken from weightlifting, bodybuilding, and fitness. Even beginners can do endurance exercises at home.

CrossFit workouts are designed so that they can be done in a variety of settings, for example, in the gym or at home. At the same time, CrossFit exercises are divided according to the degree and level of training, and physical condition. By doing workouts, you can get a slim body and keep it in good shape. Everything depends, first of all, on the intensity and power load.

CrossFit classes will strengthen the heart muscle, increase the body's endurance, and improve metabolism. If you constantly do CrossFit exercises, you will develop flexibility. This sport helps to build muscles, and with them increase your physical strength. The program is designed so that regardless of whether a man or a woman engages, they will get the maximum result. It doesn’t matter whether CrossFit takes place at home or in the gym, you need to follow the methodology and perform the exercises correctly.

The main contraindications to CrossFit exercises for weight loss are the presence of diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Classes are also contraindicated if there are injuries to the musculoskeletal system, acute infectious diseases, problems with the liver, kidneys, urinary tract, central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. All this is due to the fact that CrossFit exercises for weight loss involve high loads and after training you need to drink the required amount of water. Therefore, in order to avoid complications, you need to consult a doctor.