Even if you don’t have access to a CrossFit gym, you can still get your swole on at a local park. Hell, you can do most of these workouts just about anywhere—that’s the whole idea. They require virtually zero equipment, except maybe a bench (which can easily be substituted with a high curb, a solid crate/box, or even a big, flat rock).
The following bodyweight workouts are designed to be high-intensity, so expect to feel the burn, and make sure to warm up beforehand (perhaps with a nice jog through the park).
5 CrossFit Workouts You Can Do in the Park
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Around the Loop
4 rounds, as fast as possible, of:400-meter sprint30 Air Squats20 Pushups10 BurpeesMatthew LeBaron, a coach and programmer at Brick New York, recommends this workout, which will test your endurance and upper and lower-body strength. Even though it says a “400-meter sprint,” careful not to come out of the gates too quickly. You have four rounds to do, and the burpees are going to light up your respiratory system.
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Death by Shuttle Run
6 rounds, as fast as possible:100-meter run100-meter run backwardsAnd then:2-minute max push-ups2-minute max sit-upsIt’s all about intensity with this workout, which comes from Ray Cooney, the lead trainer and co-owner of Sopris CrossFit in Carbondale, CO. On the runs, try to sprint the 100-meter run and recover on the backward 100-meters. On the push-ups and sit-ups, it’s max effort, so use the full two minutes.
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Grin and Bear It
Work for 90 seconds and rest for 30 seconds. Finish each set before you go on to the next one.50 air squats50-meter bear crawl100 burpees50-meter bear crawl50 jumping lunges 50-meter bear crawlDo 2 rounds as fast as possible.You know a workout is going to be tough when there’s rest programmed into it. This one, also from Cooney at Sopris CrossFit, is no exception. A 30-second rest won’t be enough for you to recover completely, but it will be allow you to catch your breath. Go slow but steady, especially on the 100 burpees.
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Park Bench Tabata
Tabata: Pushups with hands on benchRest 1 minute.Tabata: Bench step-upsRest 1 minute.Tabata: Bench tuck-ups (like a mountain climber but both feet move together)A tabata is 8 rounds, each 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest.”Tabata intervals are meant to be completed at a high intensity,” says Ryan McCarthy, a rowing and CrossFit coach at Bowery CrossFit in New York City. “Take 5-10 minutes before and jog, stretch, and practice each movement so you can move fast through each set.”
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Run and Jump
For 20 minutes, complete the following:2-minute run1-minute Burpee Bench Jumps1-minute restAs with any box jump, step down from the bench—don’t jump down.”The workout is designed so you run away from your bench for one minute and then turn around and run one minute back, hitting the same distance every time,” says six-time CrossFit Games competitor Scott Panchik. “Once you return to your bench, complete a burpee and jump onto the bench as many times as possible within a one-minute window. Once the clock hits three minutes, rest for one minute and then head back out to your run and repeat four more times. I love this workout because you can easily see if you are getting slower or faster on each and every run. I also love having a set goal of burpees to accomplish in the minute.”
Matthew LeBaron, a coach and programmer at Brick New York, recommends this workout, which will test your endurance and upper and lower-body strength. Even though it says a “400-meter sprint,” careful not to come out of the gates too quickly. You have four rounds to do, and the burpees are going to light up your respiratory system.
Death by Shuttle Run
6 rounds, as fast as possible:
100-meter run
100-meter run backwards
And then:
2-minute max push-ups
2-minute max sit-ups
It’s all about intensity with this workout, which comes from Ray Cooney, the lead trainer and co-owner of Sopris CrossFit in Carbondale, CO. On the runs, try to sprint the 100-meter run and recover on the backward 100-meters. On the push-ups and sit-ups, it’s max effort, so use the full two minutes.
Grin and Bear It
Work for 90 seconds and rest for 30 seconds. Finish each set before you go on to the next one.
You know a workout is going to be tough when there’s rest programmed into it. This one, also from Cooney at Sopris CrossFit, is no exception. A 30-second rest won’t be enough for you to recover completely, but it will be allow you to catch your breath. Go slow but steady, especially on the 100 burpees.
Park Bench Tabata
Tabata: Pushups with hands on bench
Rest 1 minute.
Tabata: Bench step-ups
Rest 1 minute.
Tabata: Bench tuck-ups (like a mountain climber but both feet move together)
A tabata is 8 rounds, each 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest.
“Tabata intervals are meant to be completed at a high intensity,” says Ryan McCarthy, a rowing and CrossFit coach at Bowery CrossFit in New York City. “Take 5-10 minutes before and jog, stretch, and practice each movement so you can move fast through each set.”
Run and Jump
For 20 minutes, complete the following:
2-minute run
1-minute Burpee Bench Jumps
1-minute rest
As with any box jump, step down from the bench—don’t jump down.
“The workout is designed so you run away from your bench for one minute and then turn around and run one minute back, hitting the same distance every time,” says six-time CrossFit Games competitor Scott Panchik. “Once you return to your bench, complete a burpee and jump onto the bench as many times as possible within a one-minute window. Once the clock hits three minutes, rest for one minute and then head back out to your run and repeat four more times. I love this workout because you can easily see if you are getting slower or faster on each and every run. I also love having a set goal of burpees to accomplish in the minute.”
