Crossfit without equipment: the best exercises and programmes

Are you a CrossFit aficionado Faced with the challenge of not having specific equipment? Don't panic! Opt for the CrossFit without equipment is a perfectly viable solution for keeping fit and following your training routine.

CrossFit stands out for its flexibility and its ability to be integrated into a variety of contexts, without the need for dumbbells, bars or machines. By exploiting the weight of your bodyIn CrossFit, you fully embrace the principles of CrossFit, promoting the development of strength, flexibility, power and cardiovascular endurance through a variety of functional movements.

Whether you're travelling, at home, or looking for an alternative to traditional sessions, CrossFit without equipment is a practical and intense approach to staying active. This article will guide you through the basics of CrossFit without equipmentWith exercises and programmes for all levels, as well as advice on how to progress safely.

Introduction to crossfit without equipment

What is crossfit without equipment?

THE CrossFit without equipmentalso known as Bodyweight CrossFit Or bodyweight trainingis a version of the CrossFit training programme based solely on the use of the weight of your body as a means of resistance and is perfectly suited for time situations, offering quick and effective sessions. This method retains the key principles of CrossFit, namely exercise diversity, functional movements and intense workouts, while eliminating the need for specific equipment.

This form of training favours natural, functional movements that call on several muscle groups at once, making the sessions both effective and complete. Typical exercises include burpees, push-ups, squats, sit-ups and lunges, all of which can be varied in a multitude of ways to create a complete workout. WODs (Workout of the Day) stimulating and diverse.

Advantages of crossfit with bodyweight

Bodyweight CrossFit has a number of notable advantages. Firstly, it offers a great flexibility and can be practised anywhere, whether travelling, at home, or even in a public space, making training accessible to everyone, with no dependence on equipment.

In addition, this training considerably improves the strength, there flexibility, there powerand thecardiovascular endurance as a whole. Functional exercises help to strengthen muscles and joints, reducing the risk of injury while improving coordination and balance.

Finally, training without equipment encourages a deeper connection with your own body, promoting a better understanding of your limits and capacities. This cultivates discipline and regularity in training, enabling you to maintain excellent physical condition on an ongoing basis.

The basic principles of crossfit without equipment

Importance of planning sessions

Careful planning is essential to ensure that continuous growth and avoid stagnation in your CrossFit programme without equipment. Drawing up a structured plan helps you to follow a consistent programme, even without specialist equipment. This means setting precise objectives, selecting suitable exercises and organising your sessions to diversify movements and challenge different muscle groups.

An effective plan should also specify the duration and frequency of training sessions, while incorporating appropriate rest periods. This encourages regular practice, which is essential for maintaining good habits and staying motivated, even when travelling or when access to a gym is restricted.

Warm-up and mobility

L'warm-up and the mobility are fundamental before starting any CrossFit session without equipment. A dynamic warm-up adequately prepares muscles and joints for the intense efforts to come, minimising the risk of injury.

Activities such as jumping jacksKnee raises, shoulder and hip rotations and active stretching are all great for stimulating circulation and improving flexibility.

Mobility, meanwhile, is essential for maintaining correct posture and efficient movement. Incorporating specific mobility exercises, such as hamstring, quadriceps and pectoral stretches, before and after training helps to improve flexibility and prevent injury.

Intensity and variation of exercises

L'intensity and the variation are the pillars of successful CrossFit training without equipment. Sessions should be designed to be both intense and varied, to maintain your commitment and encourage your physical progress.

WODs (Workout of the Day) such as '10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1' or 'The Longest Kilometre', which combine exercises such as burpees, push-ups, air squats and sit-ups, illustrate this approach perfectly, maximising both intensity and variety.

Varying the exercises allows you to use different muscle groups and ensure that your workouts are effective. By adding high-intensity cardiovascular exercises, such as burpees or jumping jacks, to strengthening exercises, you can guarantee an overall improvement in your physical condition and cardiovascular health.

Top 10 crossfit exercises without equipment

Upper body exercises

Exercises targeting the upper body essential in CrossFit without equipmentThis is because they help to strengthen the muscles of the chest, shoulders, triceps and back. Here are some particularly effective exercises:

– Push-Ups A CrossFit staple, push-ups mainly work the pectorals, triceps and deltoids. They can be endlessly varied, including standard, diamond and one-handed versions.

– Handstand Push-Ups More demanding, these exercises work the shoulders and triceps intensely and require good control of balance and strength.

– Dips without equipment Using a chair, windowsill or sofa, dips help to strengthen the triceps and pectoral muscles.

– Pull-Ups Although pull-ups generally require a barbell, there are alternatives such as arm curls or assisted pull-ups, which are perfect when you don't have a fixed bar at your disposal.

Lower body exercises

Strengthening the lower body is essential for working the muscles of the legs, buttocks and calves. Here are some effective exercises:

– Air squats Squats: Perfect for improving strength and mobility in the legs and hips, these squats are performed without weight.

– Lunges : Whether static, walking or jumping, lunges work the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes.

– Jumping squats Adding a cardiovascular aspect, these squats boost leg muscle strength.

Sheathing and abdominal exercises

Sheathing and abdominal exercises play a major role in improving core stability and abdominal strength. Here are a few examples:

– Burpees A complete exercise par excellence, burpees are an intense workout for the abdominals and core muscles.

– Hollow Rock (abdominal workout) This exercise targets the abdominal muscles and obliques, reinforcing core stability.

– V-Up (Abdominals) V-Up exercises target the rectus abdominis and obliques.

– Sit-ups A classic for the abdominal muscles, sit-ups can be varied, including standard or rotational versions.

5 WODs (Workout of the Day) without equipment for beginners

WOD "Cindy" adapted

The "Cindy" WOD is a classic CrossFit adapted here for beginners, with no need for special equipment. Discover a simplified version:

– 20 minutes AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible) for time: 5 Push-Ups, 10 Air Squats, 15 Sit-Ups.

This WOD targets the main muscle groups and is ideal for improving general fitnessIt's still accessible to beginners.

20-minute AMRAP

This WOD is designed to be performed in 20 minutesThe aim is to repeat a circuit as many times as possible:

- 20-minute AMRAP : 40 Jumping Jacks, 30 Air Squats, 20 Burpees, 10 Sit-Ups.

This varied circuit uses different muscle groups and is excellent for improving cardiovascular fitness and general strength.

Tabata bodyweight

Tabata is a high-intensity training method, here applied to bodyweight exercises. Here's an example of a Tabata WOD for beginners:

• Tabata: Burpees 20 seconds effort, 10 seconds rest
• Air Squats 20 seconds effort, 10 seconds rest
• Mountain Climbers 20 seconds effort, 10 seconds rest
• Push-Ups 20 seconds effort, 10 seconds rest
• Repeat each exercise for 8 rounds (a total of 4 minutes per exercise).

This Tabata WOD is intense and effective to improve cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength.

The descending pyramid

This WOD is based on a descending pyramid of repetitionsmaking training engaging and varied:

• The descending pyramid : 10 Burpees, 10 Push-Ups, 10 Air Squats
• 9 Burpees, 9 Push-Ups, 9 Air Squats
• Continue in this way until you reach 1 repetition of each exercise.

This WOD is ideal for building strength, power and enduranceAnd it's relatively easy to follow.

The calorie-burning circuit

This WOD is specially designed to maximise calorie combustion while improving your overall physical condition.

Here's your calorie-burning circuit:

• Perform 3 series including :
• 3 alternating lunges + 6 knee raises
• 3 small squats + 3 cross squats
• Insert a 20-second pause between each exercise, and a 30 seconds to 1 minute between each series

This circuit is particularly effective for targeting legs and buttockswhile significantly improving your cardiovascular condition. It is also ideal for beginners.

5 advanced WODs for experienced crossfitters

Murph" without equipment

The "Murph" WOD is one of the most famous and intensive CrossFit, which can be adapted without special equipment. The structure consists of :

• 1 mile race
• 100 pull-ups (or alternating arm curls)
• 200 push-ups
• 300 air squats
• 1 mile race

For pull-ups, consider alternatives such as arm curls or assisted pull-ups if a high bar is not available. This WOD is extremely demanding and requires a excellent physical condition and a strategy for dividing the effort into manageable sections.

EMOM 30 minutes

EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute) is an intense training method, consisting of performing a certain number of repetitions of an exercise every new minute. Example for experienced crossfitters:

• Minute 1-5: 10 burpees
• Minute 6-10: 15 air squats
• Minute 11-15: 10 push-ups
• Minute 16-20: 15 sit-ups
• Minute 21-25: 10 jumping jacks
• Minute 26-30: 15 mountain climbers

This training requires high intensity and rigorous time management to keep up the pace over the 30 minutes.

The 500 reps challenge

The 500 reps challenge is a WOD targeting the whole bodyinspired by the famous Filthy Fifty. It consists of :

• Achieve as much as possible as quickly as possible, while maintaining good technique:
• 100 burpees
• 100 air squats
• 100 push-ups
• 100 sit-ups
• 100 jumping jacks

This WOD requires great endurance and impeccable technique to prevent injury.

Death by Burpees" session

The "Death by Burpees" session is an intense version of the classic "Death by" WOD, focusing on burpees:

• Minute 1: 1 burpee
• Minute 2: 2 burpees
• Minute 3: 3 burpees
• Continue in this way until it is impossible to maintain the rhythm

This WOD is particularly demanding in terms of cardiovascular condition and of Muscular forceRecommended only for very experienced crossfitters.

The modified "Chelsea" WOD

The "Chelsea" WOD represents a high-intensity training which has been adapted so that it can be carried out without any special equipment:

- To be performed every minute, for a total duration of 30 minutes:

• 3 air squats
• 3 push-ups
• 3 pull-ups (or arm curls if preferred)
• 3 sit-ups

This training requires great regularity and an excellent intensity managementThese are essential to maintain a steady pace throughout the 30-minute session.

How to progress in crossfit without equipment

Techniques for increasing intensity

To progress in CrossFit without equipment, it's essential to gradually increase the intensity of your workouts. Here are some strategies for achieving this:

– Increase the number of repetitions or rounds In WODs such as "Cindy" or "Barbara", adding reps or rounds can greatly intensify your workout. If you usually do 3 rounds of "Barbara", try doing 4 or 5.

– Reducing rest periods Decreasing the number of breaks between sets or exercises can increase intensity, both cardiovascular and muscular. For example, if your usual breaks are 2 minutes, try limiting them to 1 minute or less.

– Incorporating more intense variations Opting for more difficult versions of the exercises, such as replacing classic push-ups with handstand push-ups, can increase the intensity of the workout and work different muscle groups more effectively.

Tracking progress

Keeping track of your progress is essential for assessing your improvements and adapting your training accordingly. Here's how to do it:

– Use tracking applications Applications such as SmartWOD Workout Generator or SmartWOD Timer help you record your scores, times and repetitions. They also offer options for recording your results and analysing your progress.

– Keep a training diary Documenting your sessions, including exercises performed, times and repetitions, allows you to identify progress and areas for improvement. It also helps you to set precise objectives for future training sessions.

– Assessing performance Regular performance testing, such as standard WODs or strength and endurance tests, is essential to measure your progress and adjust your training strategy.

Nutrition for crossfit without equipment

The right diet is fundamental to your CrossFit training without equipment. Follow these nutritional tips:

– Macronutrient balance The key is to consume a balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats to promote muscle rebuilding, energy and recovery. Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth.

– Hydration Staying well hydrated is essential for performance and recovery. Drink enough water before, during and after training.

– Pre- and post-training nutrition Eat foods rich in carbohydrates and protein before training to provide energy, and foods rich in protein and complex carbohydrates afterwards to aid recovery.

Precautions and advice to avoid injury

The importance of technique

Maintaining impeccable technique is essential to avoid injury when practising CrossFit without equipment. A proper technique is the key to safe, productive practice.

It ensures that the appropriate muscles are engaged, minimising the risk of injury while optimising results.

It's important to perform each movement, whether burpees, push-ups or squats, with great attention to posture and movement mechanics. Consult a coach or an experienced coach is very beneficial for learning and maintaining proper technique, especially if you're practising CrossFit on your own.

Listening to your body and recovering

He is it's important to listen to your body to prevent injury. Knowing how to recognise warning signs, such as fatigue, aches and pains, is essential.

When these signals appear, it's important to respect your body and not push it to its limits. Preventing an injury is always wiser than having to stop training for several months.

There active recovery also plays a vital role. Staying properly hydrated, eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting a good night's sleep are all essential for rebuilding muscles and preventing injury.

Post-training stretching and recovery activities such as yoga or Pilates help to reduce muscle tension and inflammation.

When to consult a coach or health professional

It is often necessary to consult a coach or a health professional to ensure that you are practising CrossFit safely and effectively without equipment. A sports coach can personalise your training programme to suit your abilities and goals, and help you avoid overload and injury.

In the event of persistent pain or symptoms of injury, it is essential to consult a health professional. A physiotherapist or osteopath can diagnose and treat injuries, while providing advice on appropriate rehabilitation.

Conclusion

In short, the CrossFit without equipment is proving to be a method flexible and efficient to maintain and improve your fitness, wherever you are. It's important to plan your sessions upstream, to ensure impeccable techniqueIt's also a good idea to diversify your exercises so as to involve different muscle groups.

L'the importance of warming up and mobility, as well as the importance oflisten to your body and give it the rest it needs.

THE WODs available, whether designed for novices or seasoned sportsmen and women, offer motivating challenges that are accessible to all. Don't underestimate the vital role of the nutrition and hydration in your development.

Consult a coach or a health professional is recommended to optimise your training and avoid injury.

So don't hesitate! Join the CrossFit without equipment to your training routine and explore the benefits of a complete and varied programme that can be used anywhere. Take the first step today and start improving your fitness levels in an effective and sustainable way.

FAQs

Can I do crossfit at home without equipment?

YesYou can practice CrossFit at home without any equipment. Bodyweight exercises such as burpees, THE pumps, THE squats, THE hand-stand push upsand V-Up can be carried out anywhere, without the need for any equipment.

These WODs (Workouts of the Day) aim to improve your physical condition and your cardiovascular health, using only your body weight.

How do you do cross training without equipment?

For cross-training without equipment, opt for bodyweight exercises. The "10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1" WOD, combining burpees, pumps, And air squatsis a popular example. It consists of repeating each exercise, reducing the number of repetitions from 10 to 1.

You can also do sets of 74, 44, and 11 repetitions of burpees, pumps, sit-ups, And air squats. Other alternatives include freehand pumps, of the step slots, and sit-upsor combine handstand push-ups And burpees to vary your workouts.

What sport can replace CrossFit?

To find an alternative to CrossFit, there are several options open to you. The High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is an excellent option, offering short, intense sessions with little or no equipment. Programmes such as Street Parking And CrossFit Linchpin offer a variety of daily routines, adapted to different levels of skill and equipment.

You could also turn to traditional strength training sessions such as Stronglifts 5×5 Or Starting Strengthor explore more innovative activities such as Parkour, l'Animal Flowor the fitness trampoline. Each alternative presents a unique approach to maintaining your fitness in an engaging way.

Why is CrossFit criticised?

CrossFit has been criticised for a number of reasons. The risk of injury are high due to the intensity and complexity of the movements, which are often performed without sufficient recovery time. The coach certification is also being criticised for being too accessible, leading to technical errors and injuries.

In addition, thecompetitive atmosphere can be intimidating, pushing some participants beyond their physical capabilities. Visit high membership costs and public image issues, including controversies around diversity and inclusion, also fuel this criticism.