Crossfit Movements you can do anywhere

CrossFit uses functional movements similar to those you use in every day life. This means you can get started with no equipment, making it easy to modify for at-home workouts or hotel workouts. Here are some traditional CrossFit movements that can be performed using bodyweight and/or odd objects.

Burpee

Whether you consider yourself a beginner or advanced, burpees challenge everyone. And being a strictly bodyweight movement, you can do them just about anywhere. Burpees primarily target cardiovascular endurance, but they also work essentially every muscle group including arms, back, chest, core, glutes, and legs!

In CrossFit, the burpee is a fundamental movement which involves lowering your body to the ground and standing back up. Unlike other forms of burpees, CrossFit burpees don’t include a proper pushup at the bottom, they are a conditioning exercise and the goal is to move your bodyweight down and up as quickly as possible. A full repetition entails your thighs and chest hitting the floor and your hips fully extending when you jump up at the top. 

Odd-Object Clean

A clean involves picking something up from the floor and moving to a standing position. Odd-object cleans are great because the real world rarely gives you handles on the outside of your knees, so using an odd object like a potato sack or a bag of dog food makes it even more functional. A clean works your glutes, hamstrings, and calves as well as your shoulders and upper back.

There are a few things to keep in mind when performing this movement. Since the object you’re cleaning isn’t bar-shaped, it’s difficult to get it to the front rack position like a traditional clean. For this reason, it’s recommended to clean the object onto your shoulder (alternating sides) as shown in the demonstration. Secondly, make sure you choose a weight that allows you to maintain a flat back while performing the movement. If you catch yourself hunching, you may need to scale down the weight. 

Single-Leg Deadlift

This movement, similar to a traditional deadlift, targets your hamstrings, glutes, and back. However, it involves lifting one leg off the ground (extending out behind you). This helps work your core muscles and helps to improve balance. 

Adding in weight can adjust the level of difficulty for this movement. You can use anything from a soup can to a gallon of water. Just make sure the item you use is easy to grip or has a handle. If you’re just learning this move, use lighter or no weights according to your balance and core strength. Once you become more comfortable, increase weight. 

Box Jump & step up

Box jumping strengthens your main lower body muscles: quads, calves, hamstrings, and glutes. Depending on how fast you choose to do them, they can also raise your heart rate and burn calories like crazy. 

The standard hight for a box jump is 20 inches for women and 24 inches for men. If you’re performing this movement without an actual box, try to choose a bench, chair, or stack of sturdy items that’s comparable in height. Jumping off of both feet and landing with both feet fully planted on the ‘box’ is the traditional method. If you’re new to this move, step ups are a great variation. They can work your muscles just as hard, and are a bit easier on the joints.