Crossfit Bootcamp Workouts: Both Crossfit and bootcamp are intense workouts. But with intense comes amazing results. Want to learn more?
Have you seen the bodies on CrossFitters?
They’re amazing right?
CrossFit is an intense workout, but, if they’re paired with good nutrition, wow, the results speak for themselves.
But really, CrossFit AND bootcamp.
Do you really need both?
They’re hardcore workouts. Surely, it would just make them undoable, if that’s even a word.
Well, not necessarily.
In fact I think adding a bit of bootcamp to CrossFit would make it more accessible.
Let me explain….
I’m giving away my age slightly here but, I can remember life before CrossFit. Yep. I’m that old.
It’s been around since 2000.
It’s creators, Greg Glassman and Lauren Jenai took the principles of power lifting, Olympic lifting and functional movements to create an all in one system.
A way of working out that trains all of your body all of the time.
You don’t do strength training followed by a cardiovascular activity. Upper body and then lower body. You train everything. Cardio. Strength. Power. Endurance.
It’s actually designed for professional athletes, whatever their discipline, to increase their performance.
So you’d better believe it’s tough.
The CrossFit workout of the day, or WOD’s as they’re known, are done for time. Meaning you try and get as many exercises, rounds or reps in as possible. Or, you get the workout done as quickly as possible.
It’s a lot like high intensity interval training.
But, honestly, it takes HIIT to another level. Cause there’s not much time to rest at all.
But, on the flip side, for time means you can take as long as you need. Go as slowly as you’d like. So if you’re new to working out, or you’ve been away from it for a while, you don’t have to go balls out on your first session and injure yourself.
CrossFit is great but it is very equipment heavy.
It literally uses everything and anything.
Barbells. Cardio machines. Weight plates. Dumbbells. Kettlebells. Gymnastic rings. Jump Ropes. Medicine balls. Power rack. Push sled. Weighted belts. Resistance bands. TRX bands. Box Step.
Which is why most Crossfit workouts are done in a Crossfit gym, or ‘Box’ as they’re known. They’re quite difficult to do at home, unless you’ve got a fully kitted out gym at home. If you’ve got one of those, you’re sorted.
But, if you haven’t, don’t worry, you won’t be left behind. It’s where bootcamp comes in…
One of the key differences with Bootcamp is that it doesn't need any specific, or special equipment. In fact, bootcamp utilises all kinds of ways to workout and move your body.
You can still use functional movements, you can still do an extreme HIIT style workout. But, you don’t need to use any equipment. You can completely use bodyweight exercises.
So, the workouts below are in the style of CrossFit. Functional. Hitting all systems. Competition. Minimal rest. But I’ve paired them with aspects of bootcamp classes.
By that I mean, they’re all body weight exercises.
Remember these types of HIIT workouts lead to an intense workout. So before starting, please make sure you have familiarised yourself with all of the exercises and you can do each one with proper form.
Air Squats are basically traditional, body weight squats. The term air squats is used in Crossfit to distinguish between bodyweight squats and squats using a weight.
So, if you can do a squat, you can do an air squat.
When you’re squatting, your hips will move back and down, but please make sure your lumbar curve is maintained and your heels stay flat on the floor.
Stand with your feet about hip width apart.
Bend at your knees and hips pushing your bum back, keeping your chest lifted.
Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Push through your heels to return to standing, keeping your chest lifted throughout.
Burpees are probably one of the most infamous exercises. Everybody loves to hate them and no-one loves to do them.
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
Engage your core and lower into a squat position and place your hands on the floor.
Jump your legs back so that you’re in a high plank position. Then jump your legs forward to return to a squat position.
Press through the heels of your feet to return to the starting position.
Push ups are quite a tough exercise, and there are quite a few to do in this workout. So, if you’re struggling, put your knees on the floor.
It’s better to do this and get closer to the floor than keeping on your toes and not lowering yourself enough.
Start in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders.
Engage your core and as you inhale, slowly bend your elbows lowering yourself to the floor, getting as close to the floor as possible.
Exhale and push yourself back up to the start position.
Jump Lunges are a very dynamic exercise. If you have problems with your knees or pelvic floor you might want to substitute with something else.
If you have a kettlebell, do kettlebell swings. Or, if you have a slam ball, do ball slams.
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
Jump your left leg forward and your right leg back into a lunge position, with both knees at 90 degrees.
Jump up and switch your legs in mid-air so that you land in a lunge position with opposite leg forward.
Continue jumping back and forth.
These are a great ab exercise as they work a large proportion of your ab muscles. If you want to make this exercise harder bring your arms closer to your body so they offer less stability.
Lie down on your back and raise your legs to 90 degrees so that they’re perpendicular to the floor, spreading your arms out straight either side to support you.
Take your legs to one side, going as close to the floor as you can without putting strain on your lower back.
Move your legs back to centre and take them to the other side.
And repeat.
This is another dynamic exercise so when you move your legs, do it quickly. Almost like your running, but obviously not quite.
Starting in a high plank position, engage your core and bring your right knee under your torso, keeping your toes off the ground.
Jump your leg back to the start position and repeat on the other side.
Moving like animals is very functional. If you think about how they move...they use their whole body.
Every muscle. Every fibre.
Standing with your feet wider than shoulder width apart, engage your core.
Sit back and drop your hands between your feet.
Jump up and forward, landing with bent knees, hands between your feet again.
Repeat for the required amount of time or reps.
This is a difficult exercise, so take your time and concentrate on form.
Lie down on your back, engaging your core.
Raise your legs and your upper body off the floor so both are about 45 degrees. Think of a V Shape.
Pause for a couple of seconds and then lower back down to the ground, stopping before you reach the floor.
Pause for a couple of seconds and repeat.
This takes a typically isometric exercise and take it into the dynamic category.
Move quickly but make sure you stay strong and firm through your core.
Start in a high plank position, but with your feet about hip width apart.
Engage your core whilst taking your left hand to your right shoulder.
Return your hand to the ground and repeat on the opposite side.
Repeat and alternate on each side for the required number of reps.
Don’t be fooled by this one. It’s tough and it is a full-body exercise. It uses all of your muscles.
Only go as far as you feel comfortable.
Start in a high plank position but with both feet completely touching the wall.
Engage your core and start walking your feet up the wall whilst moving your hands closer.
One foot at a time, one hand at a time. Until the front of your body is flat against the wall. Although if you don’t get there that’s fine. Keep trying and you will.
Another dynamic exercise that could be difficult if you have knee or pelvic floor issues.
If you do, think about substituting these with kettlebell swings, ball slams, mountain climbers or squat thrusts.
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
Engage your core and lower down into a squat position and jump up explosively.
Land with soft knees, as quietly as possible, lowering back down into a squat position. That is one rep.
Let’s get going.
Remember to rest where you need to during these workouts. Push yourself yes, but don’t push yourself to the point of injury or exhaustion.
You’re not going to get a smoking body if you can only do the workouts once.
Have fun. Challenge yourself.
Set a timer for 5 minutes. Your first job is to complete 50 reps of the first exercise in the list. For the remaining time complete the second exercise.
After 5 minutes, rest for 1-2 minutes and then repeat with the next two exercises.
This round is done for time. Do the reps as quickly as possible. Make a note of your time and next time you do see if you can do it a little faster.
Start with 10 reps of both exercises, then 9, then 8...all the way down to 1. rest where you need to.
This round is another good way to test your fitness and progress. As many rounds as possible. AMRAP.
Set your timer for 15 minutes and work your way through the following exercises. Do it as many times as possible in the 15 minutes, resting where you need to.
Both crossfit and boot camp are higher intensity workouts, which means they will give you amazing results, whether that's weight loss, burning body fat, improving your athletic performance, or you just want to be in the best shape of your life.
They're tough, yes, but the sense of accomplishment you will feel when you've finished...that's got to be worth it.
If you give any of these workouts a go, please let me know how you get one.
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