Not feeling the “gym commute”? Fire up your metabolism and burn some serious calories with these no-excuses, no-holds-barred WODs you can do pretty much anywhere.
We’re all about being committed to workouts. But hey, we get it: Sometimes you can’t make it to the gym.
Maybe there’s a blizzard outside. Maybe your bike got stolen. Maybe you don’t feel like putting on a shirt. Whatever the reason, we have five fairly short, very accessible workouts for you to try.
10 Pushups 15 Squats 20 Situps 1 Run around the block
Six-time CrossFit Games competitor and 2017 Games runner-up Kara Webb has a warm place in her heart for at-home workouts. “I trained at home under my mum’s balcony for 12 months waiting for the local CrossFit gym to open, and simple always did the trick,” she says. “Try to maintain balance with things like situps, squats, pushups, and maybe a run around the block. These movements were my go-tos. Accessorize with things like plank holds and handstands.”
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“Death by Bodyweight”
Minutes 0–10:
Air squats in multiples of 3 (3 the first minute, 6 the second, 9 the third, etc.)
Minutes 11 – 20:
Sit-ups in multiples of 2 (2 the first minute, 4 the second, 6 the third, etc.)
Minutes 21 – 30:
Burpees and pushups in multiples of 1 (1 the first minute, 2 the second, etc.)
Noah Ohlsen, a four-time CrossFit Games athlete, did this workout while he was stuck inside his Miami home during Hurricane Irma. As for that “death by” format: When you reach a minute where you can’t finish the prescribed work, you move onto the next exercise.
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Tempura
“Jailhouse 10”
Do 10 burpees
Walk across the room and back
Do 9 burpees
Walk across the room and back
Do 8 burpees
Walk across the room and back
Do 7 burpees
Walk across the room and back
Do 6 burpees
Walk across the room and back
Do 5 burpees
Walk across the room and back
Do 4 burpees
Walk across the room and back
Do 3 burpees
Walk across the room and back
Do 2 burpees
Walk across the room and back
Do 1 burpee
This workout comes from Sam Orme, the owner of CrossFit Virtuosity in Brooklyn. “On the up side, you can do burpees anywhere, with zero equipment, and they’re incredibly effective for both strength and conditioning,” she says. “On the down side, you have to do burpees. Feeling hardcore today? When you get down to one, work back up to 10 again.”
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“Every Minute on the Minute”
Four rounds:
Min 1: 100m run down the street
Min 2: 10-15 Pushups
Min 3: 20-25 Air Squats
Min 4: 7-10 Burpees
Min 5: Rest
Tia-Clair Toomey, the 2017 Fittest Woman on Earth, recommends this straightforward workout. As the minutes drag on, you’re going to want to hit the low end of the ranges Toomey gives, but try to push yourself a little further each time. At least you get a full 60 seconds of rest after the burpees.
This workout comes from Alethea Boon, a three-time CrossFit Games competitor and former elite gymnast. She calls it “The No Excuse WOD” and adds: “For those who are time-poor and just want a quick, effective breather, substitute pushups for handstand pushups.”
