5 CrossFit Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

Virtually anyone anywhere can do CrossFit. There are many foundational exercises and complete workouts that can be done without equipment, so you can do them at home, in the park, your workplace breakroom or, of course, your favorite box—Big Barn CrossFit.

Here are some of our trainers’ favorites:

1. V-Ups

This exercise is a twist on the classic scrunch that requires a burst of power to swiftly raise your fully extended arms and legs from a horizontal position (lying on your back) to a V-shape with your feet and hands above your head (to the greatest extent possible).

Feet and hands should stay off the floor at the bottom of the pose to keep your core engaged.

2. Squats

Since we’re talking at-home CrossFit exercises, we’re talking about the air squat—a type of squat that only requires your bodyweight. To perform an air squat:

• Start standing upright with your arms fully extended in front of you.
• Bend your knees slowly to lower your upright upper body. Take care to keep your knees over your toes.
• Once you have reached maximum bend without compromising the straightness of your spine or lowering your arms, raise back to standing.

You can modify this exercise and do ballet squats, which entail starting with your legs slightly bent and wider than shoulder-width apart (about 3 feet) and your toes pointed outward (about 45°). Lower to create as close to a 90° knee bend as possible, taking care to keep your knees over your toes—you should be able to see your big toe at all times during the exercise. Once you’ve reached the bottom of the squat, raise back to standing.

3. Burpees

This exercise provides near-instant cardio challenge because of the big changes in body positions and explosive movements it takes to get there.

• Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart
• Quickly lower to a squatting position that allows your hands to touch the floor in front of your feet
• Kick your feet out behind you to move into plank position with your arms fully extended
• Quickly bring your feet back in to return to the squatting position with your hands on the floor
• Burst upward back to standing or, for added cardio challenge, jump straight in the air with arms above your head

Once you land, you’re back in the starting standing position and ready to repeat.

While this exercise does not require any equipment, it does require ample space to kick out. We don’t suggest trying this in a densely furnished area.

4. Lunges

Whether you prefer to walk your lunges or lunge in place, this exercise works some massive muscle groups that you’ll likely feel the next day.

Most people know the basic lunge position, but this is one exercise where form is really important to prevent knee injuries.

To lunge properly:

• Create a 90° bend at the knee so that your shin is completely vertical (perpendicular to the floor).
• Keep your knee rotating outward so that you can see your big toe over your knee when you are at the lowest point of the lunge.
• Keep your spine straight. You may put your hands on your waist or behind your head for postural support.

Most CrossFit workouts include lunges as an AMRAP (as many reps as possible) exercise, but take care not to sacrifice form for more reps. Your body will thank you.

5. Mountain Climbers

Like burpees, mountain climbers will make you break a sweat in no time…and they require about the same amount of space. To do mountain climbers:

• Start in plank position.
• Keeping your hands on the floor, bring one knee forward so that your toe touches the floor or mat behind the wrist on the same side.
• Move the leg back and bring the opposite knee and foot forward.

See a low-intensity mountain climber here. You can also ramp up the intensity by picking up the pace and eliminating any pause between motions.

These exercises may be done at home as part of a modified WOD or as part of an interval workout that allows rest between sets.

If you need help modifying these exercises to suit your fitness level or modifying WODs for at-home completion when you can’t make it to the box, talk to one of our certified trainers.