High-intensity workouts are popular for a reason: They work. So it’s not surprising that more and more CrossFit gyms—packed with shirtless men and kick-butt women tearing through intense workouts—are popping up every day. But what is it about this training style that makes it so effective? Or perhaps a better first question: How specifically is CrossFit different from other popular, challenging workouts? The answer’s not immediately obvious.
“It’s easy to confuse CrossFit-style workouts with traditional bootcamp classes,” says Erica Giovinazzo, Greatist Expert and CrossFit coach at Brick New York. “But while both incorporate some similar elements like Tabatas and bodyweight exercises, CrossFit also includes gymnastics moves and Olympic lifting. In fact, many WODs begin with a straight strength training portion where athletes work on back squats or clean and jerks before moving on to the conditioning part.” Another point of difference: In CrossFit every workout is tracked, making it easy to see if that front squat weight is a new personal best or if a specific WOD was completed faster than ever.
To understand those amazing results even better (and get them yourself), here’s a closer look at three key characteristics of CrossFit-style workouts:
They use functional moves. Think of movements done in normal life—carrying heavy bags of groceries, bending down and lifting up a piece of furniture, hoisting a heavy suitcase into an overhead bin. Those are the exact same motions done in CrossFit (Lifting up a sofa? That’s just a deadlift. And toting your groceries is the same thing as afarmer’s carry). “Instead of a move that targets one muscle, these make the entire body work together,” Giovinazzo says. “So the core is constantly engaged and multiple muscles get worked at once.”
They constantly vary from day to day. It’s called “workout of the day” for a reason: A CrossFit box never repeats a WOD from one day to the next. “Doing the same moves all the time will at some point stop producing results,” Giovinazzo says. Changing the routine keeps your muscles guessing and the improvements coming.
They incorporate high-intensity intervals. The entire workout may last an hour, but that includes a warm-up and the strength portion. The conditioning segment can be as short as 12 minutes. Why so quick?Because doing short bursts of high-intensity exercise is more effective at boosting V02 max (a measure of cardiovascular fitness) than doing the same amount of work at a lower intensity.
Now for the best part: You don’t have to join a CrossFit box to reap the benefits of these killer conditioning workouts! Here’s how to build your own WOD-worthy plan.
How to Build Your Own HIIT Routine workout
This workout can be done with no equipment so it is great for when you are traveling or confined to small spaces. You may need a set of dumbbells or kettlebells depending which exercises you choose to do. Otherwise, simply follow the directions and have fun!
Choose:
- 3 exercises from Upper Body & Lower Body
- 2 exercises from the Core
- 7 exercises from Cardio.
Mix and match exercises so that a cardio exercise follows a strength exercise. Do each exercise for 1 minute before moving to the next move. Repeat routine up to 3 times for a complete body HIIT workout.
Upper Body (Choose 3)
| Push ups | Kettlebell Sumo High Pulls |
| Bicep Curls | Lateral Raises |
| Tricep Dips | Shoulder Press |
| Upright Standing Rows | Overhead Tricep Extensions |
| Kettlebell Renegades | Reverse Fly |
Lower Body (Choose 3)
| Plie Squats to Calf Raise | Deadlift |
| Goblet Squats | Pulsing Squats |
| Reverse Lunges | Side Lying Leg Raises |
| Walking Lunges | Donkey Kicks |
| Kettlebell Swings | Curtsy Lunge to Side Leg Lift |
Core (Choose 2)
| Plank | Bicycle Crunches |
| Side Plank | Supermans |
| Reverse Crunch | Spidermans |
| Russian Twists | Frog Crunches |
| V-ups | Downward Dog Leg Pull |
Cardio (Choose 7)
| Burpees | Tuck Jumps |
| Mountain Climbers | Sprint |
| Jumping Jacks | Heismans |
| High Knees | Diamond Jumps |
| Speed Skaters | High Knee Jog |