My Secret to Staying Fit: 6 CrossFit Exercises

By Maida Dipa

Full Workout in Less Than 30 Minutes!

The toughest part about a fit lifestyle is getting started. Making exercise a priority and sticking to a routine is the single most important part of staying healthy. In this article, I will share with you my personal CrossFit exercises and talk about my "secrets" to staying fit. 

Me

You do not have to spend hours at the gym to get in shape; you can do a full body workout in less than 30 minutes. The key is to keep the intensity up while resting only for a short period of time. Doing so, gets your heartbeat up and helps you to burn calories with will help you shed fat and tone your muscles.  

Me in Turks & Caicos 

Why CrossFit

It can be very intimidating walking into a large gym and not knowing what to do. CrossFit was built on this notion that one does not need machines to build a great body. The motto is "We don't use machines, we build them!" When building your machine (you’re strong healthy body), sometimes your own body weight is the only piece of equipment you need. Since I am a CrossFit addict, I am going to share with you a few CrossFit exercises that I do on a weekly basis which are very effective.

CrossFit Addicts: Me and a Great Friend

CrossFit Exercises That Work 

1. Burpees: These exercise look easy; yet, they are every crossfitter's nightmare. You can add burpees to any exercise and you are guaranteed to get a full body workout. They will condition your body, build endurance and develop strength. Yes, a simple “burpee” can do all that, which is probably why all fitness trainers love them and incorporate them into their fitness routines. Burpees are challenging but the key is to perform them in quick succession with proper form to maximize effectiveness and minimize risk of injury.

CrossFit Partners

A. Sink down into a deep squat, placing your hands on the floor just outside shoulder width.

B. Kick your feet back and drop into a push up position. Once you are more advanced, you may let your lower your chest to touch the floor (which is what I prefer).

C. Press back up through your arms and use your core to pull your legs back-up into a squat position with hands still on the floor.

D. Jump up as far as possible into the air from the squat position, making sure to land with soft knees (not stiff legs, to prevent injury).

E. Now repeat!

Incorporate 3 sets of 10 burpees into your routine, or do tabata style burpees which is 8 rounds of 20 seconds of burpees with 10 seconds of rest in between. Remember, HIT training, or high intensity training is what burns calories.

2. Ktettlebell Swing: Another great exercise that will torch fat, build muscle, and increase cardiovascular fitness is the kettlebell swing. I love to incorporate weight training with cardio because weights are necessary to build muscle, and muscle will burn fat 24 hours post workout. And ladies, do not be afraid of a little weight training! You will not look like the hulk. I promise. The kettlebell swing is an excellent movement that will condition the butt and hamstrings.

Me

There are kettlebells of all weights, pick one that you are comfortable with, but you do want the weight to be slightly challenging.

Normally I will use a 35lb kettlebell for more reps, and a 53lb kettlebell for fewer reps.

A. Stand with feet slightly wider apart than your shoulder width.

B. Squat down with arms extended straight down, grasping the kettlebell with both hands and hold between legs. Back is always straight.

C. Dip down slightly and swing kettlebell up overhead using your hips, and extending your legs.

D. Swing kettlebell back down between legs keeping the back straight.

I like to do about 5 sets of 10-15 kettlebell swings per workout.

3. Wall Balls: Another exercise hated by crossfitters is wall balls, it is one of crossfit's staple exercises. It is a wonderful all around conditioning movement that involves your quads, glutes, calves, hamstrings, abs, lower back, biceps and triceps. All you need is a 10 or 14lbs medicine ball, and a 9ft target on a wall.

A. Assume a squat postion and hold the ball close to your chest.

B. Explode from squat position and toss ball toward the target.

C. As the ball rebounds, catch it and go back into a squat position.

I usually like to do 35-45 wall ball's per workout.

4. Squats and Lunges: I believe lunges and squats are essential for building muscle in the legs and glutes. To make squats more challanging and effective, try doing jumping squats or squats using weights. Lunges are one of my favorite exercises for the butt. To make it more challanging, I will hold a 25lb plate overhead and do about 20 lunges.

Effect of Squats 

5. Abs: There are many exercises one can do for the abs, but when it comes to the abs it is all about the diet. Ever heard of the saying "Abs are made in the kitchen?" Well, that could not be more true. A clean diet is essential in getting that six pack.

My Abs

 The plank is my favorite exercise for the abs, it builds core strength and stability and tightens the deepest core muscles. I like to do tabata planks, 8 rounds of a 45 second plank with 15 second rests between rounds.

6. Upper Body: Let's not forget the upper body, that's why we love push ups, they strengthen the arm muscles and chest. Push ups can be easily scaled, such as starting on your knees, and once you get stronger, move on to regular push-ups.

7. Sample Crossfit Workout: Here is an excellent example of a short workout that will burn calories, build muscle, and boost your metabolism in order to burn calories hours after your workout.

Do this workout as fast as possible with minimal rest, the goal is to keep the intensity up.

Do 3 rounds:

A. 15 kettlebell swings

B. 10 burpees

C. 10 Wall Balls

D. 15 Squats (preferably with weights)

E. 10 push ups

F. 15 Lunges (per leg)

G. 1 min plank hold

Give CrossFit a try, and please leave your comments below how CrossFit has worked for you. Have an amazing week fashionistas! XOXO.