Fitness models, bodybuilders, dedicated gym rats – they all look great but at one time or another, each of them succumbs to the warm blanket of complacency. Without even thinking on it, these hard-working athletes – who all share the goal of building lean muscle – get cozy with a certain way of doing things. As a result, the body stops responding. The only way out of this muscle malaise is to switch things up – to escape the confines of expected routines and mainstay moves.

Adding in some non-traditional exercises can do wonders for your physique and athletic performance. That is where adding in some of the traditional CrossFit exercises can help. Most CrossFitters strive to increase performance and reduce bodyfat in order to perform a WOD (workout of the day) with ninja-like speed and precision. When watching the CrossFit games, you not only will see these athletes perform well, but they also carry around an appreciable amount of muscle while staying ultra lean.

These seven exercises will not only help you add variety but you also shock the body into responding with more muscle and less bodyfat.