A CrossFit Box with Equipment on a Steel Shelves Near a Gymnastic Rings

CrossFit Workouts That Require No Equipment

CrossFit presents a fitness program that intertwines intense functional movements with varied workouts. These workouts, commonly referred to as WODs (workout of the day), effectively challenge your strength, endurance, agility, power, speed and coordination.

However, not everyone possesses access to a CrossFit gym or equipment. Does this mean that you are incapable of engaging in CrossFit at home? Certainly not!

There are numerous CrossFit workouts that require no equipment. All you need is your own body weight and a bit of space. These workouts retain the ability to provide you with a training session while concurrently enhancing your fitness and overall well being.

Within this article we intend to divulge several exceptional CrossFit workouts that require no equipment, permitting you to perform them conveniently at home or any other location. These workouts remain suitable for individuals at all levels, both novices and proficient athletes alike. Additionally, they can be effortlessly adapted in accordance, with your current level of fitness and personal objectives.


7 Effective CrossFit Workouts That Require No Equipment

Here are some CrossFit workouts that require no equipment that you can try at home:

1. EMOM

Man and Woman Practicing Plyometrics

One of the best ways to measure your work and recovery time is through an EMOM. EMOM stands for every minute on the minute, which means you have to complete a certain number of reps of an exercise within one minute, and rest for the remaining time until the next minute starts.

EMOMs can help you improve your work capacity, endurance, power, and speed. They can also help you track your progress and challenge yourself by increasing the number of reps or the difficulty of the exercise.

For example, you can do a 10-minute EMOM of:

  • 10 burpees
  • 15 squats
  • 20 sit-ups
  • 25 mountain climbers
  • 30 jumping jacks

Repeat this sequence twice for a total of 10 minutes. Try to complete each exercise as fast as possible and rest for the remaining time. If you find it too easy or too hard, you can adjust the number of reps or the exercise accordingly.

2. Tabata

Athletic Young Woman Doing Lunges

While four minutes may appear to be a short duration, for a workout participating in a high intensity session can make those four minutes feel like an eternity. This is where Tabata comes into play.

Tabata represents a type of high intensity interval training (HIIT) that revolves around performing an exercise at effort for 20 seconds followed by a 10 second rest period. This cycle is then repeated eight times amounting to a total of four minutes.

The beauty of Tabata lies in its ability to assist in calorie burning, metabolism enhancement, cardiovascular fitness improvement and muscular endurance development. Additionally it offers the advantage of saving time while preventing the monotony that often accompanies workouts by incorporating various exercises.

For example, you can do a Tabata workout of:

  • Squat jumps
  • Push-ups
  • Lunges
  • Plank jacks

Do each exercise for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, and move on to the next exercise. Repeat this sequence twice for a total of four minutes. Try to do as many reps as possible in each interval and keep your intensity high.

3. AMRAP

Fit Woman Doing a Burpee Exercise. Endurance Training. Step by Step Instructions Burpee

An AMRAP, which is short for “ as many rounds (or reps), as possible ” serves as a workout format where the objective is to complete numerous rounds or repetitions of a specific exercise set within a designated time frame.


Engaging in AMRAP workouts offers benefits, including enhancing your endurance, strength, power and mental resilience. Moreover they present an opportunity to push your boundaries and motivate yourself by striving to surpass your performance.

For example, you can do a 15-minute AMRAP of:

  • 5 handstand push-ups
  • 10 pistol squats
  • 15 burpees

Do as many rounds as possible of these three exercises within 15 minutes. Try to keep a steady pace and minimize your rest time. If you find it too easy or too hard, you can adjust the number of reps or the exercise accordingly.

4. Murph

Man Is Doing Squats under the Bridge during His Street Workout

Murph is one of the most famous and challenging CrossFit workouts that require no equipment really, except a pull up bar. It is named after Lt. Michael P. Murphy , a Navy SEAL who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2005.

Murph consists of:

  • 1 mile run
  • 100 pull-ups
  • 200 push-ups
  • 300 squats
  • 1 mile run

You have to complete these exercises in order, and you can break them up into any way you want. For example, you can do 20 rounds of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 squats, or 10 rounds of 10 pull-ups, 20 push-ups, and 30 squats.

Murph can help you improve your endurance, strength, and mental fortitude. It can also help you honor the memory and sacrifice of Lt. Murphy and other fallen heroes.

Murph is usually done with a 20-pound vest or body armor, but you can do it without any equipment as well. However, you should only attempt Murph if you are an experienced and fit athlete, as it is a very demanding and potentially dangerous workout.

5. Chipper

Man and Woman Practicing Plyometrics

A chipper is a type of CrossFit workout that involves doing a large number of reps of different exercises in a single round. You have to “chip away” at the reps until you finish them all.

A chipper can help you improve your endurance, strength, power, and coordination. It can also help you work on your weaknesses and challenge yourself by doing different exercises.

For example, you can do a chipper of:

  • 50 burpees
  • 40 sit-ups
  • 30 lunges
  • 20 handstand push-ups
  • 10 pistol squats

You have to complete all the reps of one exercise before moving on to the next one. Try to complete the chipper as fast as possible and rest as little as possible. If you find it too easy or too hard, you can adjust the number of reps or the exercise accordingly.

6. Ladder

Man Doing Push-Ups

Ladders in CrossFit workouts provide an opportunity to enhance your physical abilities across various dimensions. These workouts entail progressively. Decreasing the number of repetitions for a particular exercise or multiple exercises. Lets say, for instance you could embark on a ladder sequence starting from 1 and progressing up to 10 reps or vice versa – commencing from 10 and gradually decreasing to 1 rep.

Participating in ladder workouts can yield improvements in endurance, strength, power and speed. Furthermore, ladders enable you to diversify your training intensity as you can challenge yourself by altering the number of repetitions involved. This versatility adds a twist to your routine while pushing you towards new limits.

For example, you can do a ladder of:

  • Push-ups
  • Squats
  • Sit-ups

A good way to approach this workout is to commence with a repetition of each exercise gradually increasing to two reps then three reps and so forth until reaching a total of ten reps. Following that you can descend back down from ten to one rep. It is advisable to aim for completing this ladder in the manner possible and taking minimal rest intervals, between exercises. Should you discover this routine to be either excessively effortless or challenging feel free to modify the number of reps or choose exercises that suit your abilities.

7. No Equipment CrossFit WOD #1 (Heart Pumping)

Young fitness female model in blue training sportswear doing single leg split squats on bench in street city valley

This is a simple but effective CrossFit workout that requires no equipment and can be done at home or anywhere else. It involves three exercises that will get your heart pumping and your muscles working.

AMRAP in 5 minutes:

  • 10 high knees
  • 10 burpees
  • 10 split squats

Try to complete as many rounds as possible of these three exercises within five minutes. Try to perform each exercise as fast as possible and rest for the remaining time. If you find it too easy or too hard, you can adjust the number of reps or the exercise accordingly.

Conclusion

To summarize, incorporating equipment CrossFit workouts into your fitness routine offers numerous advantages, including cost and time savings by eliminating the need for gym memberships or specialized gear. These workouts, which can be conveniently performed at home or in any space, encompass a comprehensive range of physical challenges targeting strength, endurance, agility, power, speed and coordination. Moreover, engaging in these exercises supports calorie burning, metabolism enhancement, stress reduction and mood elevation. Nonetheless,  prior to commencing any CrossFit workout, it is advisable to consult with your doctor and adequately warm up. Additionally, it is essential to maintain a balanced and nourishing diet that aligns with your goals and facilitates recovery. By adhering to these guidelines you can optimize your outcomes. Reap the benefits of equipment free CrossFit workouts.

James Freeman

Author

Meet James Freeman, a California native whose passion for fitness emerged during challenging times, reshaping his life. With over two decades of coaching experience, he's not just a coach; he's a real-life example, shedding over 100 pounds in a journey to a healthier lifestyle. Beyond his coaching career, James is passionate about inspiring at-risk youth and promoting wellness in schools. In his downtime, he enjoys swimming and cycling, connecting with nature. Join him on his Instagram and LinkedIn profiles for insights into his empowering fitness journey.