CrossFit® exercises fall into three broad families: gymnastic movements (using your own bodyweight), weightlifting and strength work (with a barbell), and metabolic or cardio work (running, rowing, skipping, jumping). A workout combines exercises from these families into a WOD, the Workout of the Day. Mastering the technique of the basic movements comes first: every WOD is built on them, however complex it may look.
Here are the fundamental movements ordered by category, how they combine into the most common WODs, and what to do if you’re a beginner.
The three families of CrossFit® exercises
CrossFit® blends disciplines that are normally trained separately. That’s why its catalogue of exercises is so wide, but it all fits into three categories.
1. Gymnastic movements (bodyweight)
These use your own body as resistance. They build control, relative strength and coordination:
- Air squat (unweighted squat): the foundation of everything. Drop your hips below your knees and stand back up with a solid torso.
- Push-up: chest to the floor and full extension of the arms.
- Pull-up: strict or with kipping (a hip drive) once you have a base.
- Burpee: from the floor to a jump, the movement that shows up most and tires you out most.
- Toes-to-bar, muscle-up and handstand push-up: advanced movements that come with time and practice.
2. Weightlifting and barbell strength
This is where the power work lives. These are the most technical movements, so it’s worth learning them with a coach before loading up the weight:
- Deadlift: lift the barbell off the floor with a straight back.
- Back squat and front squat: a squat with the barbell on your back or at the front.
- Shoulder press, push press and push jerk: driving the barbell overhead.
- Clean and snatch: the two Olympic lifts, which take the barbell from the floor to the shoulders or overhead in a single movement.
- Thruster: a front squat linked straight into an overhead press. It appears in a huge number of WODs.
3. Cardio and metabolic work
This is the endurance engine of the workout:
- Running (sprints or short distances).
- Rowing on a machine (Concept2 rower).
- Skipping, above all the double under (the rope passes twice per jump).
- Wall ball: throwing a medicine ball at a target on the wall as you come out of a squat.
- Box jump: jumping onto a box.
How they combine in a WOD
A WOD mixes exercises from these families under a time or repetition format. The most common are:
- AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible): as many rounds as you can in a fixed time, for example 20 minutes.
- For Time: complete a set number of reps as fast as possible.
- EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute): a block of work at the start of every minute, resting for the rest of it.
- 21-15-9: a classic descending rep scheme, where you do 21, then 15, then 9 reps of two alternating exercises.
If you want to understand the formats in depth and see examples of famous WODs, we cover it in what is a WOD in CrossFit®.
CrossFit® exercises for beginners
If you’re just starting out, you don’t need to master the muscle-up or the snatch. Focus on the technique of the base movements, the ones that come up most:
- Air squat, push-up and a light deadlift for strength.
- Rowing and skipping for cardio.
- Burpee to get your body used to the intensity.
The golden rule in CrossFit® is to scale: adapt the exercise to your level while keeping the stimulus. A pull-up scales with a resistance band or a lat pulldown; a wall ball, with less weight; a run, with less distance. Scaling well isn’t doing less, it’s training at your own level so you can progress without getting injured.
A coach teaches you the correct technique from day one, and that’s the difference between progressing and stalling. That’s why the first class is always guided.
How to start practising these exercises
The most flexible way to try a box and its classes without committing to a monthly membership is to book a drop-in: a single class you pay for per session, from €10. You train a full WOD with a coach who corrects your technique and scales the movements for you.
- Explore boxes in the CrossFit® category or filter by your city.
- Reserve your spot in an available time slot.
- Turn up, let them know you’re there on a drop-in, and train.
You’ll find all the details in the full guide to what a CrossFit® drop-in is, and if it’s your first time, check what to bring to your first class.
Frequently asked questions
How many CrossFit® exercises are there?
There’s no closed list. You work with dozens of base movements that combine in endless ways. What matters isn’t the quantity, but mastering the fundamentals well: squat, deadlift, overhead press, pull-up, burpee and row.
Can I do these exercises if I’ve never trained before?
Yes. Every one of them scales to your level. Start with the basic versions using little or no weight and build up under a coach’s guidance.
Which CrossFit® exercise is the most complete?
The thruster and the burpee are usually considered among the most complete because they involve the whole body and spike your heart rate. The Olympic lifts (clean and snatch) are the most technical and powerful.
How do CrossFit® and Hyrox® exercises differ?
Hyrox® always uses the same eight fixed stations, whereas CrossFit® changes the exercises every day. We compare them in CrossFit® vs Hyrox® vs Cross Training.