Are you ready? Are you pumped? Are you prepared to go all in? Good. Because this CrossFit workout is going to take all your physical and mental effort to push through. But it's totally worth it. You'll feel completely worked by the end, and you can count on being sore all over later.
Each of the six exercises is in pyramid format, so you'll build up, then repeat backward. Jade Jenny, CrossFit coach and owner of Champlain Valley CrossFit [1], said that as the pyramid goes up, you're doing more minutes of each move (um, six minutes of air squats!?). Jade's advice: get in the zone, just like you're running a long distance, and make it like a moving meditation. Go at your own speed, even if it's slow; the goal is to keep moving. If you're going a little heavier on the weights, don't be afraid to put down the dumbbells and take a short break if you need it.
Full-Body CrossFit Workout
Equipment needed:
- Pair of light to medium dumbbells (five to 20 pounds, depending on your strength)
- Cardio machine (rower, bike, treadmill) — or run in place, jump rope, or run outside
- Optional: ABMAT [2], a rounded mat that supports the lower back during sit-ups (it's not necessary, it just feels nice!)
Directions: After warming up for five minutes with some light cardio [3] and dynamic stretching, start the timer and complete the below 36-minute workout. Progress from one exercise to the other, moving as fast as possible, with correct form and with as little rest as possible.
- 1 minute: dumbbell thruster
- 2 minutes: dumbbell shoulder press
- 3 minutes: dumbbell bicep curl
- 4 minutes: ABMAT sit-up (diamond sit-up)
- 5 minutes: cardio machine
- 6 minutes: air squat
- 5 minutes: cardio machine
- 4 minutes: ABMAT sit-up
- 3 minutes: dumbbell bicep curl
- 2 minutes: dumbbell shoulder press
- 1 minute: dumbbell thruster
Keep reading for details on how to do each move.
Dumbbell Thruster
- Stand with your legs just slightly wider than hip-distance apart, arms raised to shoulder height with elbows bent, holding weights by your ears.
- Bend your knees as if you were sitting in a chair, keeping weight on your heels.
- Press the dumbbells overhead as you straighten your knees to return to standing.
- Do as many reps as you can for one minute.
Shoulder Press
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand just above your shoulders, palms facing in.
- Straighten your arms above you.
- Bend your elbows, coming back to the starting position to complete one rep.
- Keep going for two minutes, taking breaks if you need to.
Bicep Curl
- Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand at the sides of your body.
- Keeping your elbows close to your sides, slowly raise the dumbbells to the chest.
- Moving with control, lower back to the starting position.
- This counts as one rep.
- Complete three minutes of bicep curls.
Diamond Sit-Up
- Lie on your back and open your legs into a diamond shape (aka butterfly legs), with the soles of your feet pressed together and knees out wide. Extend your arms overhead.
- Inhale to curl your torso up, and tap the floor in front of your feet to stretch your glutes a bit.
- Slowly lower back to the starting position.
- This counts as one rep.
- Do as many diamond sit-ups as you can in four minutes.
Cardio
- Choose a cardio machine (rower, bike, treadmill), and go strong for five minutes. You should be working hard enough that you can't have a conversation. If you don't have access to a machine, run in place, run outside, or jump rope.
Air Squat
- Begin with your feet slightly wider than hip's width apart and toes pointed slightly outward. Bring your hands together in front of your chest.
- Keeping weight in your heels, sit back into a deep squat. Make sure your knees do not go beyond your toes or roll in or out of alignment. Keep your abs engaged as you squat.
- Deepen your abdominal engagement as you press through your heels to return to standing, completing one rep.
- Do as many air squats as you can for six minutes.
Now work you way back through the pyramid, starting with five minutes on the cardio machine of your choice.