I know it’s not for everyone, but I love training on vacation. You’ll feel less time pressure than your typical pre-work sweat session, and you’ll definitely feel better. But every time I search for bodyweight crossfit workouts to tackle outdoors, his WODs like Mary, Annie, and Cindy are recommended.
While these Technically Bodyweight training doesn’t require weights for any of the movements, but you do need some kind of equipment, such as a jump rope or a pull-up bar, neither of which is a burden.
I enlisted the help of CrossFit athlete Lucy Campbell to solve this recurring challenge. She finished 16th and won two events at last year’s CrossFit Games to retain her UK Most Fitted Women title for 2022.
Check out four no-equipment CrossFit workouts you can do anytime, anywhere. Don’t confuse no equipment with easy.
1. AMRAP 20
exercises
how to do this training
Start a 20-minute timer and do 5 burpees, 10 push-ups, and 15 zero-gravity squats, resting as little as possible between movements. Repeat this sequence to complete as many rounds as possible in 20 min.
Campbell says: The key to this workout is pacing. You’ll be working for 20 minutes, so be careful not to burn yourself out too quickly in the heat. Instead, go at a pace that allows you to keep moving steadily for the entire duration without taking many breaks.
Push-ups are the most likely to cause muscle fatigue, so try to divide them into 2 or 3 sets from the beginning and maintain that number from start to finish. If you still can’t do a full push-up, or if the push-up is too large, do it on your knees or with your hands on an elevated surface such as a chair.
2.21-15-9
exercises
how to do this training
While the final workout tests your muscular endurance, this session will test your pushing power and strength. Following the popular 21-15-9 format, in the first round he has 21 repetitions of each exercise, followed by 15 rounds and then his 9 repetitions in the final round.
Handstand push-ups require a wall to support your back, and dips require a chair or bench, neither of which are pieces of equipment that need to be packed, so I was allowed to do them.
Instead of rushing to complete your workout as quickly as possible, focus on form and muscle activation and aim to complete every move “quality”.
Campbell says: This is a very upper body focused workout that requires a lot of pushing. It is very important not to rush the movement and not to spoil your form. So split your rep scheme into smaller sets to make them more manageable.
If you can’t do handstand pushups, do pike pushups [where your hands and feet are on the floor, your legs and back are straight, and your hips are raised to place more emphasis on your shoulders] Instead.
Elevate your feet to make the dip more difficult, or make it easier by flattening your feet on the floor and bending your knees for extra support.
3. 5 Rounds for Time Limit
exercises
how to do this training
This training is a race against time. Also, be sure to warm up the wheels before stepping on the accelerator, as this puts a strain on your legs.
Start the stopwatch, then do 40 walking lunges, 30 mountain climbers, 20 air squats, and 10 burpees. As soon as you finish your last burpee, stop your watch and note the time. After this, rest for 2 minutes and then try again.
Strength is key here. As you progress through your workout, aim to finish each round as quickly as possible, taking a few seconds off your time from the previous round.
Campbell says: The goal of this workout is to complete each round as quickly as possible with minimal inter-round rest. Keep the intensity high and aim to complete each repetition seamlessly.
If doing burpees really slows you down and off the floor, do a non-elemental chest-to-floor move to keep the intensity up.
Lucy Campbell has been named Britain’s Most Fitted Woman for 2022 after placing 16th at the CrossFit Games. She is only the second British athlete ever to qualify for the elite women’s edition of the competition. All the more impressive considering that she started the sport four years before her.
Alongside her athletic career, Lucy is a coach at CrossFit Nottingham. Before she started CrossFit, she was a gymnast and she swam at the international level until she was 20 years old.
