CrossFit workouts for beginners: best exercises

Are you just beginning with CrossFit and wondering which exercises you should start out with? Here is a beginner's guide to CrossFit which you could find useful.

Let’s go on to learn some CrossFit tips for beginners as well as some of the best CrossFit exercises for beginners:

• Treadmill Sprints
• Barbell Squat
• Tabata Push-Ups and Lunges
• Lateral Jumps
• Knee Tuck Jumps
• Burpees

CrossFit can be a bit intimidating, with its tough reputation and exercises that push your body to its limits. Classic CrossFit exercises include: jumping rope, weighted lunges, push-ups, pull-ups, and kettlebell swings. Though when you imagine CrossFit, you probably imagine the intense, gritty exercises that will have you quickly working up a sweat, there are some exercises to start with as you get your feet wet.

Now keep in mind, these are exercises for beginners, but they are CrossFit exercises for beginners. So they won’t be easy by any means! Before doing any of these exercises, be sure to start with a warm-up and end with a proper cool down and stretch. With these exercises, you can boost muscle growth and promote the burning of fat.

CrossFit Training Exercises for Beginners

Treadmill Sprints

Now this one is simple, but it is common to see it weaved through CrossFit workouts for beginners as well as advanced workouts.

How To:

1. Sprint at full speed for 60 seconds
2. Rest for 60 seconds.

Complete 5 sets.

Barbell Squat

The barbell squat makes the classic squat that much more difficult.

How To:

1. Start by standing with your feet more than shoulder-width apart.
2. With an overhand grip, hold the barbell across your upper back.
3. Engage your upper back muscles and abdominals.
4. Perform a squat with the barbell, keeping your hips aligned with your knees.
5. When in the down position, hold for 2 minutes.
6. Push yourself explosively back up by driving your heels into the floor.

Complete 5 sets of 10 reps.

Tip: Maintain stability of the barbell by keeping your muscles engaged. Hold the down position for as long as you can to boost the effectiveness of this exercise even more.

Tabata Push-Ups and Lunges

Tabata training is intended to get your heart rate up quickly and train all of your energy systems within a short period of time.

You do Tabata training for a total of 4 minutes for each move, and each interval consists of exercises 20-seconds-on, 10-seconds-off.

You can do Tabata push-ups and lunges (or any Tabata training circuit) anywhere, anytime as no equipment is needed.

How to:

1. Set a clock for 8 minutes and alternate push-ups and lunges.

Tip: Be sure to go at as high of an intensity as you possibly can, and only do this style of training 1-2 times per week. This is a high-intensity workout, so you don’t want to place excessive stress on your body or overdo it.

Start working out

Lateral Jumps

Muscles Involved: Calves, Glutes, Hamstrings, Hip Adductors, Quadriceps.

How To:

1. First, stand upright with feet wider than shoulder width apart.
2. Bend one of your knees, pointing the toes of that leg outward.
3. Lean your torso laterally in the direction of your bent leg.
4. Push through the foot of your bent leg while extending your leg to jump in the opposite direction.
5. While in mid-air bend at the knee of the leg you pushed off with and bring it behind your body.
6. Prepare to land with the opposite leg.

Knee Tuck Jumps

Muscles Involved: Abdominals, Calves, Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps.

How To:

1. First, stand upright with feet positioned slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
2. Bend at both your knees and hips, while maintaining a flat back, to enter a half squat position.
3. Generate as much power as possible, pushing through your feet until you enter mid-air.
4. Once off the ground, begin to forcefully drive your knees up towards your abdomen while moving your arms out of the way, holding in this position until the apex of your jump.

Complete subsequent reps starting from step 2.

Burpees

Muscles Involved: Abdominals, Deltoids, Glutes, Hamstrings, Pectorals, Quadriceps, Triceps Brachii.

How To:

1. First, position your feet shoulder width apart, with arms extended by your sides while standing upright.
2. Squat as low as you comfortably can by bending your knees to lower your torso.
3. Lower your body to assume a push-up position by placing your hands on the ground in front of you, and then extending your legs behind you.
4. Squeezing the abs and glutes while maintaining a flat back, bend your arms, lowering your body until your chest is about 1 inch from the ground.
5. Push through the palms of your hands.
6. Once your arms are fully extended, keep your palms on the ground while jumping forward and bending your legs into a squatting position.
7. Remove your palms from the ground, explode up into a jump, and land on feet as softly as possible.

Complete subsequent reps starting from step 2.

Tip: For an effective workout, do as many burpees as you can in 8 minutes at high intensity.

Before starting up with CrossFit and these CrossFit exercises for beginners, speak with your doctor to see if it is the right fit for you.

Download 30 Day Fitness Challenge to discover more CrossFit workouts for beginners!