I'm feeling especially grateful for my CrossFit gym right now, because even though I can't go, I've realised my coaches have prepared me for this moment. I've learned all the exercises I need to be strong and I've learned how to push myself past my comfort zone. I just need to find the inner motivation to do it at home alone. And with this simple workout template crafted by my coach, Jade Jenny, head CrossFit coach and owner of Champlain Valley CrossFit, I've created this two-week CrossFit workout plan.
I chose four different exercises per day and mixed them up to target different muscles, using mostly bodyweight and dumbbell exercises. Having this basic plan set up for two weeks avoids me staring at my dumbbells every morning, wasting time figuring out what to do. I set my alarm for 5:15 a.m. and work out from 5:30 to 6:15 a.m. — the warmup, workout, and cooldown takes just under 45 minutes. It feels so important to be in a routine, and having alone time first thing in the morning puts me in the positive mindset I need for the chaos joy of working from home with two kids.
Equipment needed: two pair of dumbbells (15 pounds and 25 pounds), a jump rope, a box (I used my coffee table), a kettlebell (20-40 pounds; use a dumbbell if you don't have one), and a set of sliders or two paper plates
Directions: After a five-minute dynamic warmup, perform each of the four exercises below for 40 seconds followed by a 20-second rest. Repeat this four-minute workout eight times for a 32-minute workout or do as many rounds as you choose based on the time you have, such as five times for a 20-minute workout or 10 times for a 40-minute workout.
After the workout, be sure to do a cooldown such as these stretches. Keep reading for instructions for each exercise.
Day
Workout
Day 1
8 rounds: 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off of each exercise
Lower into a crouching squat with your hands on the floor.
Do a squat thrust by jumping your feet back into a plank position.
Do one basic push-up, bending the elbows and then straightening back to a plank.
Jump the feet forward to the hands, and come into a squat.
Do an explosive jump straight up, getting as much height as you can.
Complete as many burpees as you can in 40 seconds. Rest for 20 seconds.
1 / 30
Dumbbell Deadlift
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Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides with straight arms.
Push your butt back as you bend your knees, squatting down just enough to tap the front end of the dumbbell to the floor. Keep your back straight, not curved or arched. Your chest should be parallel with the floor.
Straighten your legs to stand up.
This completes one rep.
Complete as many reps as you can in 40 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest.
2 / 30
V-Ups
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Lie on your back with your legs and arms extended above the floor.
Lift your upper back off the floor, reaching your hands toward your feet with straight legs.
This complete one rep.
Do as many V-ups as you can in 40 seconds. Rest for 20 seconds.
3 / 30
Overhead Shoulder Press
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Hold a dumbbell in each hand just above the shoulders, palms facing in.
Straighten the arms above you.
Bend the elbows coming back to the starting position to complete one rep.
Complete as many reps as you can in 40 seconds. Rest for 20 seconds.
Grab a regular or heavyweight jump rope and do as many jumps as you can in 40 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest.
5 / 30
Dumbbell Thrusters
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Stand with your legs just slightly wider than hip-distance apart, arms raised to shoulder height with elbows bent, holding weights by your ears.
Bend your knees as if you were sitting in a chair, keeping weight on your heels.
Press the dumbbells overhead as you straighten your knees to return to standing.
Complete as many reps as you can in 40 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest.
6 / 30
Mountain Climber
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Start in a traditional push-up starting position — shoulders over hands and weight on just your toes.
Bring your right foot forward, bending the knee and putting weight on the ball of your foot.
Switch legs, bringing the left knee forward while moving the right leg back. This completes one rep.
Complete as many mountain climbers as you can in 40 seconds. Take a 20-second rest.
7 / 30
Dumbbell Swing
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Stand with your legs shoulder-width distance apart and toes pointed slightly outward, holding the dumbbell (or a kettlebell if you have it) in both hands.
Bend the knees slightly, pushing the hips back, lowering the weight between your legs with the forearms pressing against the inner thighs. Keep your chest open with shoulder blades sliding down your back.
Forcefully squeeze your glutes and drive the heels down to thrust the weight forward as you straighten the legs. All the work is done by the lower body and core in this exercise and your arms will naturally swing forward to around chest height or above the head.
Allow the weight to fall between your legs, bending the knees, ready for the next rep.
Keep going for 40 seconds, then rest for 20.
8 / 30
High Knees
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Run in place while lifting your right knee high to the level of your waist. Engage your abs as the knee comes up. Pump your arms at the same time.
Then lift your left knee up. This counts as one rep.
Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Hold two dumbbells overhead (or a plate or medicine ball if you have it), locking out your arms and engaging your core.
Keeping your belly tight, take a step forward with your right foot, coming into a lunge with both knees at 90-degree angles. Gently tap your left knee to the floor.
Immediately step your left foot forward, coming into a lunge, gently touching your right knee to the floor.
This counts as one rep.
Keep walking for 40 seconds, alternating legs. If you don't have room to walk, do alternating lunges in place. Rest for 20 seconds.
10 / 30
AbMat Sit-Ups (Diamond Sit-Up)
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Lie on your back, and open your legs into a diamond shape (aka butterfly legs) with the soles of your feet pressed together and knees out wide. Extend your arms overhead.
Inhale to curl your torso up, and tap the floor in front of your feet to stretch your glutes a bit.
Slowly lower back to the starting position.
This counts as one rep.
Do as many reps as you can in 40 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest.
11 / 30
Plank Dumbbell Row
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Start in a plank position with your legs wider than hip-width distance; the wider stance makes you more stable. Hold onto your dumbbells, keeping your wrist locked to protect the joint.
With your core tight and your glutes engaged, exhale, stabilising your torso as you lift your right elbow to row; feel your right scapula sliding toward your spine as you bend your elbow up toward the ceiling.
Keeping your neck long and energised, return the weight to the ground.
Do as many rows as you can in 40 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest.
Stand with your feet slightly wider than hips-width distance apart in front of a sturdy box that's six to 24 (or more!) inches tall.
Bend your knees and swing your arms back.
Jump onto the top of the box with both feet, swinging your arms forward to give you a little momentum.
Step one foot at a time back to the floor, or jump down softly with both feet.
This counts as one rep.
Do as many box jumps as you can for 40 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest.
13 / 30
Dumbbell Squat
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Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, holding a dumbbell at each shoulder.
Slowly bend your knees as if you were going to sit in a chair, keeping all the weight in your heels. Don't let your knees move beyond your toes, and don't let the knees roll out or in. Squat down as low as you can, keeping your head and chest lifted, your spine long, and your shoulders relaxed.
Press through your heels, and slowly straighten your legs to stand up to complete the rep.
Complete as many squats as you can with proper form for 40 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest.
Hold the dumbbells above your chest, shoulder-width apart, creating a 90-degree angle between your upper arm and forearm. Palms should be facing forward.
Exhale as you push the dumbbells up, fully extending your arms. Hold for one second.
Inhale and lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest with control.
This counts as one rep.
Do 40 seconds of presses, followed by a 20-second rest.
16 / 30
Lateral Bunny Hop
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Place a dumbbell on the floor and stand beside it.
Make small jumps side-to-side jumping over the dumbbell.
Keep your legs as close together as possible, and swing your arms to help you jump.
A jump to the left then the right completes one rep.
Find a sturdy bench, coffee table, wooden box, or kid's chair that allows your knee to be at about a 90-degree angle or larger when you place your foot squarely on it.
Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand by your side (or, for a more advanced version, in the front rack position at your shoulders as shown in the photo).
Step your right foot onto the box, then your left, so both feet are on top of the box.
Softly step the right foot back to the ground, then the left.
This counts as one rep.
Alternate feet and keep going for 40 seconds. Rest for 20.
18 / 30
Triceps Push-Up
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Start in a plank position with your arms and legs straight, shoulders above your wrists.
Take a breath in, and as you exhale, bend your elbows out behind you and lower your chest toward the ground. Stop as soon as your shoulders are in line with your elbows. Inhale to straighten the arms. This counts as one rep.
If this is too difficult, do this exercise with your knees on the floor or place your hands on a chair, coffee table, or the arm of your couch and do incline push-ups.
Complete as many as you can in 40 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest.
19 / 30
Squat Thrust
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Begin standing with the feet hip-distance apart.
Lower into a crouching squat with your hands on the floor.
Keeping the abs engaged, jump your feet back so you're in plank position.
Keeping the arms straight, jump your feet forward behind the hands.
Stand up to complete one rep.
Do 40 seconds of squat thrusts. Rest for 20 seconds.
Stand tall with your feet hips-width distance apart. Bend the elbows at your sides or rest your hands on the hips.
Step forward with the right foot, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. Keep the front knee directly above the ankle, and lower the left knee to just above the floor.
Keep the weight in your heels as you push back to the starting position.
Repeat stepping with the left foot this time, completing one rep.
Complete as many lunges as you can for 40 seconds. Rest for 20.
Lie on the ground with the soles of your feet just in front of a wall.
Place your hands underneath the shoulders and straighten the arms, doing a push-up.
Step your feet on the wall and walk your hands in toward the wall as you walk your feet up.
The goal is to touch your belly and nose or forehead to the wall, but this can feel really scary at first, so walk as close as you feel comfortable. As you get stronger and more confident, you can walk all the way in.
Simultaneously walk your feet down the wall and your hands away, coming back to lie down on your belly.
This completes one rep.
Do as many wall walks as you can in 40 seconds. Rest for 20 seconds.
If you don't have a pair of sliders, use two hand towels on smooth surfaces, or paper plates on carpet. If you don't have enough space to walk your plank, just do plank ups with sliders. If you don't have sliders, towels, or paper plates, just do mountain climbers.
Grab a pair of sliders, and put the hard side down on the ground. Place your toes on top of the sliders, and come into a plank position. Your wrists should be directly underneath your shoulders, and your back and neck should be in a neutral position.
Engage your abdominals as you move your right hand forward and simultaneously pull your entire body forward. Repeat this same movement with your left hand. Continue to move forward with control. Be sure to maintain a plank position throughout the entire motion, never rotating your hips and torso.
Walk for 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds.
23 / 30
Air Squat
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Stand with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, feet parallel or toes slightly turned out.
Bend your knees, lowering your hips deeply. Bring your thighs parallel to the floor and bend the elbows, keeping weight back in your heels.
Rise back up, straightening the legs completely, squeezing the glutes at the top of the movement to get the most out of the exercise.
This counts as one rep.
Do as many squats as you can in 40 seconds. Rest for 20 seconds.
24 / 30
Upright Row
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Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, and place a dumbbell in each hand. Your closed palms should be facing your body. Your shoulders should be over your pelvis with knees slightly bent.
Keeping the dumbbells close to your body, raise them to your shoulders, bending your elbows out to the sides.
Slowly lower them to the starting position. This counts as one rep.
Complete as many upright rows as you can in 40 seconds with proper form. Rest for 20 seconds.
25 / 30
Man Maker Burpee
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Start with a wide stance, toes slightly pointed out.
Lower into a deep squat, grabbing your free weights with your hands.
Walk or jump your feet back into plank position. Optional: do a push-up.
From plank position, begin your row: with your core tight and your glutes engaged, exhale, stabilising your torso as you lift your right elbow to row. Feel your right scapula sliding toward your spine as you bend your elbow up toward the ceiling.
Keeping your neck long and energised, return the weight to the ground, and repeat the movement on your left side.
Jump your feet back in toward the hands, drop your hips toward the ground, and lift your chest.
In a squat, curl your weights into the chest, and stand.
Do an overhead press by extending your arms above your head, weights in hand. Carefully lower the weights to the starting position.
Do as many reps as you can in 40 seconds. Rest for 20 seconds.
26 / 30
Glute Bridge
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On your mat, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Be sure to keep your feet underneath your knees, not in front. Plant your palms by each side, facing down.
Press through your heels to raise your hips up to the ceiling, tensing your abs and squeezing your butt as you do. You should be making a long diagonal line with your body, from shoulders to knees.
Hold for a few seconds, making sure your spine doesn't round and your hips don't sag. Keep your abs and butt muscles engaged.
Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-distance apart.
Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in your right hand and straighten your arm overhead. If this is too difficult, or you don't have the shoulder mobility, bend the elbow and rest the weight on your shoulder.
With the weight overhead and the elbow locked out, keep the core engaged as you bend the knees into a squat, lowering the hips just below the knees. Extend the left arm out for balance. (The photo on the right is demonstrating the exercise on the other side).
Try to keep equal weight in both feet as you stand up, keeping the right arm straight.
This counts as one rep.
Complete as many rounds as you can on one side in 40 seconds. Alternate sides every round. Rest for 20 seconds.
28 / 30
Squat Jack
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Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly turned out, in a deep squat. Put your arms in a "goal post" position with elbows bent and close to your thighs.
Jump up explosively, bringing your feet together and clapping your hands above your head. Keep your core engaged.
This completes one rep.
Keep going for 40 seconds. Rest for 20 seconds.
29 / 30
Russian Twist
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Holding a dumbbell with both hands, sit on the ground with your knees bent and your heels about a foot from your butt.
Lean slightly back without rounding your spine at all. It is really important, and difficult, to keep your back straight.
Pull your navel to your spine and twist slowly to the left, bringing the weight to your left side. The movement is not large and comes from the ribs rotating, not from your arms swinging. Inhale through centre, and rotate to the right. This completes one rep.
Complete as many twists as you can in 40 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest.
