You’ll never see a stodgy that is a pro in CrossFit—these guys come in one size and that’s lean. This CrossFit workout, from champion Rich Froning, combines bodyweight moves with big lifts to deliver athletic results in a hurry. The trick? Froning’s high-octane circuits use the Tabata format to scorch fat and reveal the muscle beneath. Try this workout to get lean during lunch.
The 25 Minute CrossFit Workout
Time: 25 Minutes | Muscles Targeted: Total Body | Level: Medium | Equipment: Pull-Up Bar | Results: 3 Weeks
Directions: Do 8 rounds of each exercise before progressing. Rest 60 seconds between each move, but stay strict with your timings—max effort and low rest will seriously spike your metabolism. See you at the next CrossFit Games?
READ MORE: The 5 Exercises You Need To Add to Your Workout, According to a Biokineticist
1. Bodyweight Squat
20 seconds on, 10 seconds off. These are a cinch if you nail the form, but expect your thighs to be screaming by the end of this CrossFit workout. Tabata keeps your heart rate high, so you’ll never plateau—this workout should keep getting harder.
How: With your feet shoulder width apart, bend to lower to 90 degrees, keeping your head up and heels flat. Pause then stand up. Repeat for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, then do another 7 rounds.
2. Superman
20 seconds on, 10 seconds off. If the squats have taken it out of you, go ahead and lie down. There is, however, a catch.
How: Extend your arms in front of you, then raise them, your chest and legs off the floor by a few inches. Hold for a second, then lower them to the ground. Aim to maintain tension at the bottom of the rep to keep your core engaged: by the sixth or seventh round, you’ll be feeling it in your lower abs.
READ MORE: The 15-Minute Bodyweight Workout You Can Do Anywhere
3. Jumping Pull-Up
20 seconds on, 10 seconds off. While adding a jump takes pressure off your arms and back, the extra momentum comes at a price: faster reps for an elevated heart rate.
How: Squat, then jump up to catch the pull-up bar with a shoulder-width grip. Use that momentum to pull your chin over the bar, squeezing your shoulder blades at the top. Lower slowly—only drop to the ground when your arms are fully extended.
4. Sit-Up
20 seconds, 10 seconds off. You might not think sit-ups are particularly hardcore—but after eight fast-paced rounds, that’s exactly what you’ll get.
How: Sit with your knees bent and hands behind your head. Anchor your feet with a weight plate to stop them sneaking up. Keeping your posture straight, slowly hinge back at the hips until your back is just above the floor, then quickly fire up to the top and go again.
READ MORE: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building Abs of Steel with the Kneeling Half Moon Exercise
5. Push-Up
20 seconds, 10 seconds off. The good news: you’ve only one more move to go. The bad? That move is press-ups, which hammer all the upper body muscles you’ve worked already, while also demanding serious core stamina.
How: Place your hands in line with your chest and keep your elbows narrow as you lower to the ground. Push up with force.
