Crossfit workouts for weight loss are not only effective for shedding those extra kilos, but they are also a great way to build up your endurance and stamina. Crossfit is popularly known as the ‘Sport of Fitness’, and for a good reason too.
CrossFit is a strength training and conditioning workout that consists of functional movement performed at a high intensity level with small intervals. It is a type of high intensity interval training (HIIT). These workouts can be done without weights if you are a beginner. Although, some more advanced workouts may require the use of weights for added difficulty.
Crossfit burns calories at twice the rate of a normal workout due to its high intensity. In this article, we have compiled a list of 7 CrossFit workouts for weight loss. But before we dive into these exercises, let's first read about the benefits of CrossFit for weight loss.
Benefits of Crossfit workouts
Better physical strength
CrossFit's high-intensity, multi-joint exercises will allow you to build muscular endurance. Adding more weight to your workouts can help you grow your muscles by putting more pressure on them.
Burns more calories
CrossFit workouts are known to burn more calories than any other type of aerobic exercise. It is due to the quick pace of the workouts that even during the recovery phase, you continue to burn calories. Incorporating a nutritious and healthy diet into your CrossFit workout routine can go a long way if your goal is weight loss.
Improved stamina
Crossfit workouts keep your heart rate elevated throughout the session. This increases your endurance and stamina. Crossfit is also very efficient in improving overall cardiovascular health.
These are only a few of many other benefits of a good crossfit workout. If you are curious and want to try these workouts yourself, check out our 7 favorite crossfit workouts for weight loss below.
7 Crossfit Workouts to Help With Weight Loss
1) Kettlebell swings
Kettlebell swings are a low-impact, high-intensity exercise that boost cardiac fitness, strength, and explosive power. This exercise has a significant impact on multiple muscles and burns a large number of calories in a short amount of time.
Here's how you do it:
- Put a kettlebell in front of you a few feet away. Standing with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width, bend your knees and lean forward, both hands grasping the handle.
- Engage your lats to move the weight between your legs while keeping your back straight.
- With your arms straight in front of you, thrust your hips forward and explosively pull the kettlebell up to shoulder level.
- Return to the starting point and continue the process without pausing.
2) Front Squat
A front squat is done with a barbell, but instead of being held behind the back, the bar is held in front of the chest. This increases upper-body strength while still targeting the glutes, hamstrings, and hips.
Here’s how to do it:
- Stand tall with your legs shoulder width apart.
- Put the crossbar at the level of your sternum and your fingers underneath it. It's best if your elbows are parallel to the ground.
- In a deep lower squat stance, press your hips back and butt outward. The knees should be extended and directed towards the corners.
- Do a total of 10 reps.
3) Murph Crossfit Workout
The Murph workout is not for the faint-hearted, but it's extremely rewarding when it comes to fat burning. It's an excellent fat burner and can help provide the groundwork for many other Crossfit workouts like burpees, box jumps, aerobic work, and general fitness.
Here’s how to do it:
- Do a 1 mile run
- Do 100 pull-ups
- Do 200 pushups
- 300 squats
- Finally, end with a 1 mile run.
If this workout seems a little too difficult, then you can try the next one which is a little less intense than Murph.
4) Cindy Crossfit Workout
The Cindy crossfit workout has fantastic exercises for amateurs, but they may also be employed by pro athletes. You can also add weights for extra burn.
Here’s how to do it:
- Do 5 pull-ups
- Do 10 push-ups
- Do 15 squats
- Finish the entire circuit in a limited time.
5) Helen Crossfit Workout
Do not be deceived by the sweet sounding name of this workout, it's definitely not easy but it is very good for beginner and intermediate level.
Here’s how to do it:
- Do a 400m run
- Do 21 kettlebell swings
- Finish with 12 pull ups.
6) Shoulder press
The shoulder press is a fairly simple CrossFit exercise and great for you if you want to start slow. With shoulder press, you can use extra weights with high reps to enhance strength and muscular endurance or use lighter loads with low reps to develop strength and encourage muscle growth
Here’s how to do it:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your back straight.
- With the bars, place your hands slightly apart from shoulder width.
- Maintain a shoulder-level grip on the bar.
- Gradually raise the bar by extending your arms up..
- Repeat the movement for a total of 10 reps.
7) Josie Crossfit Workout
This is another high intensity training CrossFit workout. It requires energy at a rate that regular workouts can't match.
Here’s how to do it:
- Wearing a weighted vest, run for 1 mile.
- Do 30 burpees
- Follow with 6 front squats
- Finish off with a 1 mile run with a weighted vest.
Crossfit workouts are a great alternative to regular workouts if you want to speed up your fat burning process. It can help you achieve your weight loss goals in much less time. But needless to say, it's not that easy. Crossfit workouts are very intense and might require some level of stamina and endurance to successfully execute.