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Can you only spare 15 minutes at lunch to exercise? Hit every muscle in your body with these CrossFit workouts, designed by Paul Walton, a CrossFit trainer.
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In the gym
This is a modified version of the benchmark CrossFit workout “Cindy”:
- 5 chin-ups
- 10 push-ups
- 15 squats
If you’re a beginner do five rounds in 15 minutes. If you’re at an intermediate level do 10 rounds in 15 minutes. And if you’re at an advanced level and you’ve been smashing your fitness goals, do 15 rounds in 15 minutes. Nobody said this would be easy.
Read more: The 15-minute body-weight workout you can do anywhere
Outdoors
- 800m run
- 75 squats
- 50 push-ups
- 25 sit-ups
- 400m run
- 25 sit-ups
- 50 push-ups
- 75 squats
- 800m run
“Both workouts incorporate nearly every muscle group, which will increase energy output,” says Walton. “By changing movements regularly, the structure of the workouts allows you to maintain intensity without fatiguing too early, so you maximise your training time.”
Read more: 5 tips for max strength from one of CrossFit’s strongest men
Here’s how to do these muscle moves:
This might be a quick workout but your form shouldn’t suffer.
Do a perfect chin up: With hands facing towards you and closer than shoulder-width apart, grab the bar. As you breathe out, pull your body towards the bar until your head is inline with the bar. Hold. Breathe in as you slowly lower yourself back to start position.
Do a perfect push up: Get down on all fours and place your hands on the floor so that they’re slightly wider than and in line with your shoulders. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Pause at the bottom, and then push yourself back to the starting position as quickly as possible. If your hips sag at any point during the exercise, your form has broken down. When this happens consider that your last repetition and end the set.
Do a perfect squat: Stand as tall as you can with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees. Pause, then slowly push yourself back to the starting position.
Do a perfect sit up: Lie face-up on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Raise your torso to a sitting position. The movement should be fluid, not jerky; if it’s the latter you need to use a variation that’s easier. Slowly lower your torso back to the starting position.
This article was originally published on www.mh.co.za
Image credit: iStock
