The beauty of crossfit is that there is no routine in it, and complexes can be made up of a variety of exercises. The most common complexes of functional training are WOD AFAP, in which you need to perform a certain number of laps as fast as possible, and AMRAP, where you need to run as many laps as possible within a particular time limit. But many crossfitters prefer another type of complex. This is a chipper. It is a WOD that basically consists of just one round, but it can have a lot of exercises or reps. The chipper is not recommended to be used too often. It is better to add it into the training process from time to time. The exercises in this complex can be very diverse. They can involve all muscle groups. Performing the chipper, an athlete can trace his weak points, where he loses precious time against other athletes, and to focus on them in the future. Also, a large volume allows you to develop the will to win. The inherent intensity of crossfit does not lose its relevance for the chipper. Such a complex should also be performed as quickly as possible, developing strength, speed and endurance.

How To Do Chipper Workout

Overhead is a series of squats with the barbell overhead. The condition for performing this exercise is to lower the pelvis below the level of the knees. Jumping over the bollard is performed as follows: jump on the box and jump off, on the other side, then repeat everything in reverse order. Thrusters – throwing the bar up from the sitting position, bar on the chest. The barbell is lifted to the chest in a rack from a position where the bar is on the floor. Through the muscles of the back and legs, give the barbell acceleration, slightly sit up, and catch it at chest level. The starting position is with the barbell on the chest, and the torso is completely straightened.

For a burpee with entrance to the rings, place yourself under the rings. Do one burpee, then jump on the rings and do one step out. And do that 10 times.

Many factors should be considered. We will review them in this article.

Number of Exercises Per Workout Depending On A Goal

The focus of exercises in the gym may vary:

1. Gaining muscular mass

2. Developing strength

3. Work on body shape

4. Improvement of muscle tone

5. Rehabilitation after injuries, etc.

To establish how many exercises you need to do per workout, you should first define your goal.

The Goal is Muscle Mass

It is better to do 6-8 exercises per workout to gain muscle mass.

As a rule, 1-2 big muscle groups and 1-2 small ones are worked out during one session (split).

For large muscles such as legs, chest and back 4-5 exercises are performed on average, while 3-4 exercises are enough for small muscles (shoulders, biceps, triceps).

Shins, abs, forearms, and neck demand only 1-2 movements.

The Goal is Strength

The optimal number of exercises for developing strength parameters is 4-6 per training.

Strength classes have their own specifics. Unlike bodybuilder style you don’t need to pump your muscles. You work out the movements instead. Weights are also used by an order of magnitude more.

Such training just can’t be extensive because the load is at the limit.

The Goal is Perfect Body Shape and Endurance

The work on body shape and development of endurance implies a large number of exercises per workout – 10-15.

More isolation movements are needed to improve the detailing and the shape of the muscles. This leads to such a large number of exercises.

Such loads often demand using supersets, trisets or a circular method. Muscle groups rotation during the workout allows you to do more within a shorter period.

Training Level

The level of fitness, that is, how well your body is adapted to the workout, also affects the amount of training.

Beginners

Regardless of the focus of the workout, the optimal number of exercises for beginners is 8-10.

The main goal is to smoothly get involved in the power load, master the correct technique, strengthen the ligamentous apparatus and bring the muscular system into tone.

Only after these tasks are solved, you can move on to the next stage, which is correction of your body shape or the main physical qualities growth.

This is why all programs for the beginners are pretty much the same.

This is also true when we talk about the number of exercises.

All major muscle groups – back, chest and legs – are usually pumped at once with two movements for each group.

Strengthening the muscle corset of the spine – abs and lower back (1-2 exercises for each group) is also needed.

Intermediate Level

For the intermediate level in training for mass and strength the optimal number of exercises is 6-8.

Split training is often used in this case when one large and one small muscle group is pumped during a workout.

For one muscle group 3-4 exercises are performed. For small muscles 2-3 exercises, and one exercise is needed for abs and lower back.

When working on your body shape the usual number of exercises is 10-15. In this case 1-2 isolating movements are added to each muscle group.

Advanced Level

Experienced athletes already know their bodies well and the number of exercises is highly variable.

However, the general pattern for muscle and strength growth is the same – the higher the level of training is, the less exercises are needed. But in the case of body shape exercises the picture is opposite.

A high level of training allows you to perform a larger volume of load, which is also reflected in the increase in the number of movements (15-20).

For example, when using supersets or trisets.

Conclusion

The main indicators of how many exercises you need to do per workout are the level of training and the main target.

When exercising for mass and strength there is a regularity. The more trained a person is, the less exercises are needed.

In case of the body shape training the situation is opposite. With the growth of training the number of movements increases.

It is important to know: even if you do not train to the point of exhaustion and wet fitness, the body after exercise is dehydrated and needs water.

During exercise you lose water with sweat and breathing, and your body temperature rises considerably. That’s when the thirst mechanism kicks in, and the body tries to get back on track. Water is essential for normal thermoregulation and high metabolic rate in cells. That is why it is necessary to drink 200-250 ml of water every 15-20 minutes of training (drink it in separate sips between approaches). After training it is imperative to replenish the lost liquid for 1.5-2 hours (about 0.5 liters for every 500 grams of weight lost). If you do not have an opportunity to weigh yourself, aim for about 0.5-1 liters of water.

What water to drink

Be sure to drink clear non-carbonated water after your workout. It is advisable to choose water of room temperature or cool, but not ice-cold. If you had a cardio workout or a very intensive training, it is better to drink water in small sips. But if you had a strength training or a workout with sufficient rest time, and in general in a relaxed mode – do not limit yourself in the amount of water and drink as much as you want.

An experiment was carried out. Volunteers were divided into two groups. The first group warmed up for 50 minutes at a fairly high pace, and the second group spent 15 minutes at a slow pace. After the warm-up, they started exercising. The results showed that the first group was more exhausted than the second.

The experts concluded that a long warm-up causes fatigue. This has a bad effect not only on the results of the subsequent workout, but also on the state of the body as a whole. If you want to achieve great success, then because of the long warm-up your expectations will not be met.

In addition, muscle fatigue is caused by static stretching. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid these two unpleasant moments in order to achieve the best results. The warm-up exists to warm up the muscles and to warm up the joints. No more than that!

The optimal time for each athlete is different, because everyone’s training is different. Be sure to listen to your body, so as not to miss the moment when you feel fully prepared for the workout. After a good warm-up you should feel invigorated and want to get on the machine. Naturally, such a feeling will not arise if you get tired.

Do not fail in any case during the warm-up, otherwise you will strain your muscles or get an injury. In a good case, you will not be able to go to the gym for some time.

Do not forget to take small breaks in time to rest. This will restore your strength and increase your performance during the workout.

Cult feature film directed by John Evildsen – Rocky, the soundtrack of which you can download on our website, has won many awards. With his charm Sylvester Stallone wins the hearts of millions, and with his bloody fights he shocks even the professionals.

In general, Pilates has learned how to get people back on their feet. After injuries, after childbirth, the elderly and the sick. This type of fitness not only proved to be universal, but also so health-promoting that to this day the Pilates system is one of the most popular around the world.

Achieving the highest level of strength and flexibility is what else the Pilates exercises were designed for. The concentration here is on the position of your own body. The abdominal muscles and the framework of strength are actively developed. Also significantly strengthened after the practice is the spine. Injuries during the classes are nonexistent or minimal. Pilates is safe!

There are no varieties of breathing practices here, but proper execution plays no small part. A lot of work is done on lateral (chest) breathing, which strengthens the intercostal muscles. Pilates used to help the wounded get into shape. Now it helps develop:

• body strength;
• endurance;
• muscles (most of the exercises are aimed at strengthening them);
• the ability to breathe correctly.

All Pilates exercises are repeated and performed as smoothly as possible. Unlike yoga, there is no room for philosophy and you can use some equipment, such as specialized machines, a fitness ball or elastic bands.

Pilates is a system that has remained one of the most popular in fitness for many years. Many stars have chosen it as a basic exercise, such as Madonna, Paris Hilton, Uma Thurman, Jennifer Aniston, and Charlize Theron practicing Pilates five times a week!

Originally, Pilates was a sequence of 34 exercises that alternated seamlessly, without jerking, flowing into each other. However, trainers can make adjustments to the sequences and even to the equipment. For example, Joseph Pilates, the founder of Pilates, took a big iron rim from a beer keg and twisted it for his classes! 

On one hand, Pilates is an activity that suits everyone. On the other hand, some people may find it boring, especially those who are used to quick results and being constantly on the move. This type of fitness still remains however universal for people with any contraindications. A competent Pilates trainer will give such exercises and loads that will not stress or fatigue your muscles, and also make you healthier!

In addition, daily exercise against a background of low calorie diets (ie, if you undertake a diet for weight loss) disturb the hormonal balance, leading to adverse effects on metabolism. In the end, everyone can train but only if they follow a number of rules.

Is it healthy to play sports every day?

It is wrong to consider sports solely as a means of burning calories. The mechanism of influence of physical training during the process of weight loss is not based on direct energy consumption from fat reserves, but on changes in metabolism – and, in particular, an increase in the rate of metabolism.

The main thing in the process of slimming down is consistency. By setting a date for the “perfect weight” every two weeks – and doing sports everyday – you will only harm your metabolism. In order to get rid of excess weight, you should train regularly for months, not days.

Exercising every day (especially on a diet) creates serious stress for the body – in fact, energy needs are increasing and the amount of food is decreasing. The body’s response will be not a sharp burning of fat, but the activation of energy saving processes.

Training duration

There are two slimming training strategies. The first one is a long average pace of exercise (for example, twisting the pedals of a bicycle for at least 45-50 minutes), the second one is a short but high-intensity exercise to activate metabolism and to burn fat quickly.

Training on a bike machine, fast walking or swimming can be done almost daily, however high-intensity training takes time to recover. You should not do circuit training, HIIT, Tabata and interval running more than 3-4 times a week.

Daily slimming exercises

The higher your daily exercise level, the more calories your body needs. Exercising every day increases the energy needs of basic metabolism while at the same time speeding up your metabolism – which definitely helps you lose weight faster.

Despite this, the total calorie intake is also important, as well as adherence to the rules of good nutrition. Many sports (from swimming to dancing) directly affect the appetite – the more activity the body gets, the more hungry it is.

In order to lose weight, you not only need to exercise, but also control the calorie rate. Otherwise, you risk increasing your body weight through a set of fat deposits – even with high levels of stress and daily exercise. 

The benefits of sport every day

As a result of physical training, the body’s ability to store energy in the muscles (in the form of glycogen) rather than store it in fat depots is improved. This has a positive effect on the sensitivity of tissues to insulin – which is especially useful for people with high blood sugar levels.

In simple words, daily sport helps to reduce the craving for sweets and teaches the body to use reserves, not to create them. In addition, regular exercise helps control the level of stress hormones (primarily cortisol), as well as improve the cardiovascular system. 

Is it possible to lift everyday?

Despite the benefits of daily (but moderate) exercise for weight loss, the body needs a longer resting period during strength training. Although it is also possible to go to the gym every day, it is recommended to alternate between heavy exercises for muscle growth and cardio.

The advantages of frequent training is the ability to work not only in large muscle groups (legs, back, chest), but also smaller ones. For example, one training session per  week can be devoted entirely to press exercises and another to relatively easy bicep and tricep  exercises.

How many times a week should I lift weights?

One of the most effective programs for muscle mass gain, ‘the triple split’ implies three strength training sessions per week. In addition, as we mentioned above, one day can be used for press pumping, as well as 1-2 full sessions of cardio training.

This division is based on the fact that the body needs up to 60 hours to fully recover large muscle groups. That is, if you have been training your chest, legs or back on Monday, the next time you work on those parts of the body should be no earlier than Thursday.

Reinforced nutrition also plays a role – strength training for muscle recruitment itself requires a 15-20% increase in caloric intake. If you are actively engaged in sports every day, your body needs at least 3000 cal per day.

If you exercise everyday (in a moderate manner and with a moderate reduction of calories), you can lose from 6-11 lbs per month. However, trying to lose weight by increasing the intensity of exercise while reducing your nutrition intake will only harm your metabolism.

Burpee – a simple exercise for the whole body

Go down, get up, jump in. The exercise is brilliant in its simplicity. It is suitable as a warm-up for the trained athlete, as well as the most intense part of a beginner’s training. Take a position for push-ups with a wide grip. After you throw your legs back, immediately return them to the palm area, skipping the push-up phase. Make a single jump and return to the original position.

Crouch down and jump

The four-headed leg muscle is one of the strongest in our body, so it is difficult to strengthen it at home. Make a full squat, but as soon as you start to rise, make it more dynamic. Jump as high as possible, but be careful not to hit your head against the ceiling.

Important: move smoothly to the next squat to soften the landing. If this is not possible, jump slightly lower and do smaller squats.

Crossbar pull ups

Want to have a wide, strong back? Gain the strength to give your friends some good advice? Or reduce back pain? You can achieve all of the above by studying pull-ups. Even if you can pull up only once, you will get great results.

Just do one repetition every 30-60 seconds for 10-20 approaches. Is even one time too much? It doesn’t matter! Use a chair to put your chin on the crossbar and then slowly fall down to your straight arms.

Push-ups to increase chest circumference

If your goal is to enlarge and strengthen your chest, make push-ups the main item in your weekly list of exercises. The basic version quite quickly becomes too simple, but fortunately it can be complicated in many creative ways. Try cotton push-ups, a few seconds of lowering or changing the position of your arms – do 10 repetitions.
Are you just getting started? Limit yourself to the phase of lowering and get up with your knees on the floor.

Plank – different types

While practicing at home, one should not forget about strengthening deep muscles. A classic exercise for this muscle group is a bar. Perform with different grips to work out all the muscles of the body. Lean on your forearms for 15 seconds, then continue the exercise with a side support on your left hand. Return to the starting position for 15 seconds, then switch to the right hand. Rest for a minute, then repeat the approach 3-5 times more. Too difficult? Reduce the exercise time to 10 seconds and go to the palm rest, by increasing the angle between body and floor, the exercise will be a little easier.

Hits on quadriceps

Above, we looked at squats that will help you strengthen your quadriceps. The buttocks require just as much attention. They should be trained first of all by athletes, because these muscles generate the strength needed for sprint, kicks, etc.

Stair climbing is the best. Do a total of 100-300 reps, resting every 20-50. If the outbursts are too difficult, take a low chair and rise alternately with your left and right foot. If you live in a multi-storey home, go up the stairs to the top floor.

Not enough curls?

Take your battle with your six pack to a new level. Lie down on the mat, legs straight, hands raised behind your head. At the same time, lift the body and legs so that the hands touch the feet just above the thighs. Too hard? The starting position is the same, the end legs are bent and the hands are stretched forward along the body.

Stretching exercises 

After you have trained all muscle groups, it is worth spending a few minutes on stretching. If you have time for only one exercise, it is not a big deal. You will need a sofa. Put your knee in the place where the back meets the seat, and place the second leg on the floor. You should feel the tension in the hip area. Not intense? Move the leg from the floor to the seat, which will increase the angle between the hips and make the exercise more difficult. You can also use the wall for stretching by placing something soft under the knee.

Crossfit is a brand?

Interestingly, the name originally emerged as a commercial one. The founder of the Crossfit brand is Greg Glassman. The idea itself was realized in 2000, when the first gymnasiums were opened. 

Just a few years later, the program spread around the world. The brand profits from the work of gyms, training of trainers in the workout. The concept (essence) of the industry – the rejection of specialization. The creator himself claims that life is more like climbing stairs with a barrel of beer than a 1-mile run on Tuesdays.

That’s why crossfit combines several workouts: 

• weightlifting;
• gymnastics;
• aerobics. 

In one training session, methods from different sports are implemented, but it is not for the sake of exercises, but the training of a “universal soldier”.

An athlete in the crossfit pulls up equally well on the bar, enduring, flexible, with good coordination. He can be called the perfect athlete. Also, the ideology of the brand is that anyone, even unprepared people can exercise in the gym. There are even gentle training sessions for beginners and children. 

Crossfit Features

The main differences are the intensity and significant load on different muscle groups. And since the methods are borrowed from different sports, there is a great variety in exercises. Duration from 15 to 60 minutes. The task is to optimize human strength in each discipline: gymnastics, strength, endurance.

At the same time, power, aerobic load with high intensity is combined. Which is used in training:

• your own body weight in gymnastics;
• Turntiles;
• special simulators for rowing;
• espanders;
• weights;
• barbells;
• the tires;
• gymnastic rings;
• ropes.

There is also a competitive element in this exercise, which adds motivation. The two most famous exercises are tire roll and burpees (squatting with jumping out with full weight). You won’t get bored and relaxed, there are heating and restorative complexes before and after training.

Crossfit offers different types of workloads: from amateur to professional. The method is used in schools, and in the training of security, police, special forces, weightlifters, etc. Each program optimally calculates the workload on the body, but still stays true to the concept of versatility, with rapid adaptation to changing activities.

Who would benefit from crossfit

Separate techniques from other types of fitness are being developed:

1. Endurance: stimulate the heart, train the circulatory system, improve metabolic processes. You lose extra weight, sleep better, your general well-being comes back to normal. Aerobic exercises also have a positive effect on the respiratory system.
2. Flexibility, coordination, precision through gymnastics. Athletes feel their bodies better. 
3. Strength and acceleration of muscle growth. To do this, athletes conduct weightlifting exercises. Of course, it is impossible to get pumped up to the size of bodybuilders with one crossfit, but that is not the purpose of the program.

Therefore, training is suitable for those who aim at the overall development of strength and endurance, which can be applied in everyday life. The universality of the direction of both plusses and minuses. 

On the one hand, you will become a physically sturdy person, for whom it is not a problem to lift weights or run 1-2 miles. But training on the program will never give the maximum result in a particular industry. You will not be able to compete with professional runners or weightlifters, because you work on all muscle groups little by little without focusing on something specific.

Sometimes professional athletes come to crossfit wishing to improve the body as a whole. Often athletes do not have enough strength, and elevators – endurance. But for the average person it’s just a way to train, without choosing a single workout industry.

Contraindications to crossfit classes

Since the first years of the crossfit, hot discussions have been hovering around. Some advocate intensive training, others consider it useless or even dangerous. Therefore, before going to the boxing or special room, study all the disadvantages and pitfalls of crossfit:

1. Due to the intense stress on the heart, it is contraindicated for people with insufficiency. The fact is that most training takes place at a high heart rate, which heavily wears out the organ. Therefore, coaches insist on unconditional compliance with the regime of work and recovery.
2. The risk of rhabdomyolysis. This is a state of muscle destruction (necrosis) under excessive load. Exercises in crossfit also load joints, so carefully choose the intensity. 
3. Trauma hazard. There is a high risk of stretches or even sprains if not sufficiently heated. This also increases when working with equipment such as tires or ropes, where the load on the musculoskeletal system is high.

Professional athletes have different opinions. The benefits and harm of crossfit are still being investigated, as it is a very young sport (in America it appeared in the 2000s). The problem of rhabdomyolysis is not denied by the brand creator, however, as he does not consider it indisputable. 

Today, the sport is gradually becoming a culture. Thus, the official resources of the brand often publish posts on politics, sociology, philosophy of health. There have even been several notorious scandals within well-known companies producing potentially harmful products. 

So even inspired by the methods of crossfit, think well before you start the program. It is recommended to take basic check ups with doctors to minimize the risks to your health and do only usefully.