10 of the Best Crossfit Workouts You Can Tackle at Home
You're unlikely to have missed the meteoric rise of CrossFit over the last few decades. From the Crossfit Games becoming one of the fastest growing sporting events in history, to ‘boxes’— as CrossFit gyms are known— springing up in every railway arch and industrial estate in the country, the 'Sport of Fitness' has made an impression on the fitness landscape like nothing before.
Most boxes smartly operate a coach-led, class-based model, running WODs (CF vernacular for ‘workout of the day’) on a tight schedule, which can sometimes make it difficult for busier Crossfitters to get their fix. If this sounds like you, or you’re simply someone that wants a little taste of some Crossfit style workouts before you drink the Kool-aid, then having some certified Crossfit WODs that you can tackle from the (dis)comfort of your own home is certainly not a bad shout. Luckily, we’ve got you covered.
Whether you’re lucky enough to have a home gym that includes a pull-up bar, skipping rope and dumbbells, or you’re working with nothing but your own bodyweight, there’s sure to be a WOD here that will help you to build strength, pack on muscle and increase your fitness, even if you can't make it to the gym.
Consider this your definitive guide to tackling Crossfit workouts at home.
Home Crossfit Workouts
“J.T.”
Crossfit ‘Hero’ workout (modified)
Requires: Bodyweight
MH says: The 'Hero WODs' are workouts dedicated to servicemen and women as well as law enforcement officers who have given their lives in the line of duty. They're generally longer, tougher and more gruelling than standard WODs. 'J.T.' takes a slightly different approach to normal CrossFit WODs. Instead of hitting your whole body, it takes aim at just you chest, shoulders and triceps, delivering a nasty pump that will also jack up your heart rate. This modified version can be performed anywhere, making it the perfect CrossFit workout for at home, but you can swap out the feet elevated push-ups for ring dips if you want to try the original workout.
21-15-9 reps of:
Handstand push-ups
Feet elevated push-ups
Push-ups
How: Perform 21 reps of each movement, circuit style, followed by 15 reps of each and finally 9 of each. Rest as necessary to maintain good form, but time yourself and aim to complete as quickly as possible with quality movement.
“Loredo”
Crossfit ‘Hero’ workout
Requires: Bodyweight, running
MH says: Another Hero WOD, 'Loredo' challenges you to some major movement. Combining squats, push-ups, lunges and a mile and a half of running, Loredo is the perfect Crossfit workout to do at home if you're looking to hit your entire body whilst clocking up some mileage. Make a note of your finishing time and aim to beat it on subsequent attempts.
6 rounds for time:
24 Air Squats
24 Push-Ups
24 Walking Lunges
400 metre Run
How: Complete six rounds of the above circuit as quickly as possible whilst maintaining high movement standards.
"Annie"
Crossfit benchmark workout
Requires: Bodyweight, skipping rope
MH says: This one is an ab-building lung buster. A skipping rope is an affordable piece of kit, and a must have for anyone looking to hone their CrossFit workouts at home. Performing 'double-unders' is essentially skipping on steroids – with the rope having to pass underneath your feet twice each time your feet leave the ground. This is a tough skill to master, and if you're not quite there yet just double the reps and use 'single' skips, counting a rep each time you bounce.
50-40-30-20-10 reps of:
Double-unders
Sit-ups
How: Perform 50 double-unders followed by 50 sit-ups, next perform 40 of each, then 30, then 20 and finally 10. Rest as necessary to maintain good form, but time yourself and aim to complete as quickly as possible with quality movement.
“Cindy”
CrossFit benchmark workout
Requires: Bodyweight, somewhere to perform pull-ups
MH says: This classic CrossFit benchmark is one to come back to again and again if you're looking to see gains in size and stamina across your entire body, using just your bodyweight. You'll need somewhere to perform pull-ups, this can either be on a tree, a swing set in the garden, or an affordable 'doorway' pull-up bar. Somewhere to perform pull-ups will literally double your movement selection and the amount of CrossFit workouts available to you at home. Record the total amount of reps you achieve for each movement in the twenty-minute time frame and aim to 'beat' you reps each time to retest.
20min AMRAP (as many reps as possible):
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Air Squats
How: Set a countdown timer for twenty minutes and perform as many high quality rounds as possible of the above circuit. Rest as necessary to maintain quality movement standards, but push yourself to achieve as many reps as possible.
"Mary"
CrossFit benchmark workout
Requires: Bodyweight and somewhere to perform pull-ups
MH says: Mary is a workout that is not for the feint-hearted. Requiring that you have two pretty high-skill CrossFit moves in your locker, as well as some serious pull-up proficiency, this is definitely one for the devoted CrossFit athlete who's looking to test their mettle at home.
20min AMRAP:
5 Handstand Push-ups
10 Pistol Squats
15 Pull-ups
How: Set a countdown timer for twenty minutes and perform as many high quality rounds as possible of the above circuit. Rest as necessary to maintain quality movement standards, but push yourself to achieve as many reps as possible.
"Death-by-Burpees"
A functional fitness classic
Requires: Bodyweight
MH says: You can perform any movement using the 'death-by' protocol, but burpees work particularly well as you can perform them absolutely anywhere, including at home. Simple but sinister, all you have to do is start a running clock and perform a single burpee. At the top of the next minute perform two, on the third minute perform three, then four etc. Carry on in this fashion, adding a rep each minute, the workout finishes when you can no longer fit the prescribed reps into sixty seconds, or you quit. Whichever comes first.
EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute):
1, 2, 3, 4... etc burpees
How: Perform a burpee at the top of each minute. Add an additional rep every minute until you can no longer fit the prescribed reps into the minute, or you give up.
"Single Dumbbell DT"
Modified Hero WOD
Requires: Single dumbbell
MH says: Another grizzly CrossFit Hero WOD. This workout is usually performed with a heavy barbell and takes its toll on your entire body, especially your shoulders and back. This modified version, perfect for working out at home, requires only a single dumbbell but packs just as much of a punch. Make a note of your finishing time and aim to beat it on subsequent attempts.
10 rounds (alternating sides each round):
6 push press
9 hang cleans
12 deadlifts
How: Perform a round of the above circuit with your weaker arm, before repeating on the opposite side. Perform five rounds on each side, for ten total. Complete all rounds as quickly as possible whilst maintaining high movement standards.
"Full Body(weight) Circuit"
Our Fitness Editors Go-To Hotel Room WOD
Requires: Bodyweight
MH says: Wherever you find yourself, home or away, this workout is the perfect way to get your muscle-swelling fitness hit. Requiring just your bodyweight and hitting your chest, shoulders and legs whilst firing up your metabolism, this WOD is an epic 'break glass in the case of emergency' CrossFit style workout. Keep your form sharp but make a note of your finishing time and aim to beat it on subsequent attempts.
20 rounds:
5 burpees
10 press-ups
15 squats
How: Work your way through 20 rounds of the above circuit as quickly as possible whilst maintaining good movement standards. Rest as necessary but push yourself and aim to beat your time on subsequent attempts.
"Dumbbell Kalsu"
Modified Hero WOD
Requires: Single dumbbell
MH says: A modified version of the only CrossFit workout our fitness editor will admit to being actively afraid of. Your aim here is to get through 100 dumbbell thrusters as quickly as possible. The catch? At the beginning of each minute you must stop and perform 5 burpees, majorly breaking your stride and adding to your fatigue. For this home workout remix, switch arms every 5-10 reps, depending on the weight of your dumbbell. Make a note of your finishing time and aim to beat it on subsequent attempts.
100 single arm thrusters
EMOM until complete
perform 5 burpees beginning of every minute
How: Start a running clock and immediately perform five burpees before beginning your thrusters. Count backwards from 100, switching sides every 5-10 reps, depending on the weight of your dumbbell. At the beginning of new minute stop and perform five burpees. Complete all reps as quickly as possible whilst maintaining high movement standards.
“Zachary Tellier”
Crossfit ‘Hero’ workout
Requires: Bodyweight
MH says: A high rep bodyweight only Hero WOD, 'Zachary Tellier' employs a combination of burpees, push-ups, lunges and sit-ups to tax your whole body using nothing but enough space to lie down in. Divided into 5 rounds, each round sees the addition of a new movement ('12 days of Christmas' style). By the end of the workout you will have completed a staggering 700 reps.
For time:
10 Burpees
10 Burpees
25 Push-Ups
10 Burpees
25 Push-Ups
50 Lunges
10 Burpees
25 Push-Ups
50 Lunges
100 Sit-Ups
10 Burpees
25 Push-Ups
50 Lunges
100 Sit-Ups
150 Air Squats
How: Work your way through all reps, resting and pacing as necessary to maintain high movement standards.
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