Beginner CrossFit Class Overview
The CrossFit Class vs Beginner CrossFit Class
In Foundations we teach you how to perform the exercises correctly. We practice and drill the exercises until you learn how to do them.
In contrast, the purpose of our CrossFit Class is to get you in-shape. If you cannot perform the exercises safely, the coach will scale or modify the exercise so you can perform it safely.
The purpose of the Beginner CrossFit Foundations Class is to teach you how to perform CrossFit exercises correctly.
The Beginner CrossFit Class Program
Below are 18 sample CrossFit Foundations Workouts. You can view the current workout we are using by visiting the workout of the day page. Beginner CrossFit is held on Sunday mornings. All skill levels are welcome.
Mastering the Squat Pattern
Air Squat WOD
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1130: Banded Quarter Squats, Jump Squats, Air Squats
3 Rounds for Time
- 20 Banded Quarter Squat Lateral Walk
- 30 Jump Squats
- 50 Air Squats
The air squat is the first beginner CrossFit workout because it establishes the fundamental pattern of the squat.
Front Squat WOD
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1131: Front Squat / Good Morning
- 10 x 5 Front Squat for load
- 10 x 5 Good Morning for load
The front squat is the second beginner CrossFit workout because it helps with your mobility in the upper extremities.
Overhead Squat WOD
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1132: Overhead Squat, Banded Seal Jacks, Jump Rope
5 Rounds for time:
- 10 Overhead Squats
- 20 Banded Seal Jacks
- 40 Jump Rope
The overhead squat is the third beginner CrossFit exercise because it helps challenge the air squat even further by adding resistance overhead.
Learning the Deadlift, Sumo Deadlift, and Medball Clean
Deadlift WOD
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1133: Deadlift / Pushups
- 5 x 5 Deadlift
Pushups
- 2 Minutes: Max Strict Pushups
- 2 Minutes Rest
- 2 Minutes: Max Hand
- Release Pushups
- 2 Minutes Rest
- 2 Minutes: Knee Pushups
The deadlift is one of three powerlifting exercises done in CrossFit. CrossFit does not frequently program the back squat or bench press. You’ll learn those exercises in the Strong class. The deadlift is the single most important hinge exercise and builds strength in the posterior chain.
Sumo Deadlift High Pull
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1134: Sumo Deadlift Highpull / Ball Slams
20 Minute AMRAP
- 12 Sumo Deadlift High Pull 75 / 55
- 20 Hurdle Ball Slams 30 / 20
The Sumo Deadlift High Pull is a less technical way of performing the barbell clean. It’s a valuable technique for conditioning WODS since it can be done much faster than a full barbell clean. The Ball Slam is a personal training staple. We added in a hurdle to make it that much more evil.
Medball Clean
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1135: Medball Clean, Medball Thrusters, Medball Situps
For Time: 21-18-15
- Medball Cleans
- Medball Thrusters
- Medball Situps
The medball clean has frustrated more clients and coaches than any other exercise. The medball clean is a drill uses to teach the hip mechanics of the barbell clean. We combine it with the thruster and situps for a fast and hard metcon workout.
Strict Press, Push Press, Push Jerk for Beginner CrossFit
Strict Press & Pullups
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1136: Strict Press / Pullups
- 5 x 5 Strict Press
- 40 Pullups in as few sets as possible (10 Minute Time Cap)
The overhead/ strict press is a powerlifting exercise. It looks simple, but performing an overhead press correctly takes skill and mobility. The opposite of strict press is the pullup and we have 40 of them to complete in as few sets as possible.
Push Press & Ring Rows
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1137: Push Press / Goblet Squat
- 5 x 5 Push Press
5 Rounds for time:
- 8 Push Press @ 70% of 5 Rep Max
- 25 Goblet Squats 35 /31
The Push Press, Ring Row, and Renegade Row require precise body alignment to perform safely. These beginner CrossFit exercises appear frequently in metcons. Many underestimate the value of ring row, wanting to move to the pull-up too quickly. The ring row is a great exercise and well worth learning how to do it correctly.
Push Jerk WOD
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1138: Push Jerk / Lunge
- 5 x 5 Push Jerk
4 Rounds for time:
- 30 Kettlebell Walking Lunges
- 10 Dumbbell Curls
The Push Jerk is a simplified version of the squat jerk. The jerk is a technique to pull yourself under the bar, while pressing the bar upwards. The metcon after the push jerk is an easier CrossFit Beginner workout to allow sufficient time to teach the push jerk.
Wall Ball, Box Jump, and Thruster for CrossFit Beginners
Wall and Burpees
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1139: Wall Ball / Burpee
For Time:
- 40 Wall Balls / 10 Burpees
- 30 Wall Balls / 20 Burpees
- 20 Wall Balls / 30 Burpees
- 10 Wall Balls / 40 Burpees
This beginner CrossFit workout will teach you the basics of the wall ball. The wall ball and burpee are staples of Beginner CrossFit metcons.
Box Jumps and Step Ups
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1140: Box Jump / Step Up
For Time:
- 20, 19, 18…1 Box Jumps 24 /20
- 1, 2, 3 … 20 Kettlebell Step Up 25lbs
The box jump is another conditioning classic. The Step Up isn’t used as frequently in beginner CrossFit programming, but it’s an excellent exercise to improving hip strength.
Thruster and Toes 2 Bar
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1141: Thruster / Toes 2 Bar
For Time: 21-15-9
- Thrusters 95 / 75
- Toes 2 Bar / Knees 2 Elbows / Bent Hanging Knee Raise / Leg Lift
The Thruster and Toes 2 Bar are two powerful CrossFit exercises that challenge your entire body. This particular workout utilizes the infamous rep scheme of Fran. Fast and Light — this work is a sprint WOD that will leave you breathless.
CrossFit Beginners: Mastering the Olympic Lifts
Barbell Clean for Beginners
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1143: Barbell Clean
- 10 x 5 Barbell Clean
The barbell clean is the most important of the 3 Olympic lifts. It builds explosive pulling power. It’s a hinge, pull, and squat in one powerful exercise.
Barbell Snatch for Beginners
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1144: Barbell Snatch
- 10 x 5 Barbell Snatch
For beginners, the Barbell Snatch isn’t a very important exercise. We cover it in our beginner CrossFit class, because CrossFit programs it frequently. The snatch takes a long time to learn, and many people do not possess the necessary mobility to perform this exercise correctly.
Barbell Split Jerk
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1145: Barbell Split Jerk
- 10 x 5 Barbell Split Jerk
The barbell jerk is the exercise technique used in Olympic lifting to aid the lifter in pressing the bar overhead. By pulling oneself under the barbell, one can press more weight than with a push press. Like the barbell snatch, the barbell jerk is not a beginner CrossFit exercise. Still we cover it, because CrossFit frequently programs this exercise.
Foundations of the Kettlebell Swing, Clean, and Snatch
Kettlebell Swing
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1146: Kettlebell Swing
Each Round for Time. Rest 5 Minutes Between Rounds.
- 100 Kettlebell Two Hand Russian Swings 44/35
- 100 Kettlebell Two Hand American Swings 35/31
- 100 Kettlebell Alternating Swings 35/31
The kettlebell swing is a unique hinge / pull exercise. Kettlebell swings build lats, glutes, biceps, and grip. Kettlebell Swings are an excellent exercise that most beginners do not perform correctly.
Kettlebell Clean
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1147: Kettlebell Clean
Each Round for Time. Rest 5 Minutes in Between Rounds.
- 100 Kettlebell EZ Cleans 35/31
- 100 Kettlebell Russian Cleans 35/31
- 100 Kettlebell American Cleans 35/31
The kettlebell clean is the technique to bring the kettlebell from the floor into the guard position. In our beginner CrossFit class, we cover 3 common kettlebell clean variations.
Kettlebell Snatch
Beginner CrossFit WOD 1148: Kettlebell Snatch
Each Round for Time Rest 5 Minutes Between Rounds
- 100 Kettlebell American Power Snatch 35/31
- 100 Kettlebell Russian Snatch 35/31
The kettlebell snatch takes some practice to learn. Mastering the kettlebell snatch takes precise timing. It’s a total body exercise and well worth the effort to learn.
Absolutely Amazing Class. Most CrossFit charges $200-$400 for their “foundations” program. The owner teaches this Beginner CrossFit class every week. Each week you learn two to three new exercises. Highly recommended.