Have you ever wanted to enjoy training like an elite athlete? If so, you’re in luck.
Fresh from being named UK’s Fittest Man 2024, CrossFit athlete Harry Lightfoot has shared a tutorial that TechRadar readers can tackle themselves. There are also three variations to choose from – beginner, intermediate and advanced – so you can scale it up to suit your fitness level.
The goal, Lightfoot says, is for all people to be able to adjust the workout so that they complete it in a similar amount of time. He also recommends that you have one of the best fitness trackers or best running hours are helpful, as this test involves a lot of running and you’ll want to pace yourself.
How to do CrossFit athlete Harry Lightfoot’s workout challenge
Initial version
Five rounds for time:
- Run or ride an exercise bike for 3 minutes, 30 seconds.
- Kettlebell swings x10. Use a weight that feels challenging but allows you to complete all repetitions without stopping.
Intermediate version
Five rounds for time:
- Run 200m-800m. Choose a distance that takes you approximately 3 minutes, 30 seconds when you are fresh.
- The raft hangs clean and press x10. Choose a weight up to 35lb/15kg for men, or 20lb/10kg for women.
If you haven’t tried a dumbbell before, you can find this tutorial below from popular fitness equipment brand Rogue.
We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the movement very thoroughly before attempting to time it, CrossFit style, as failure to do so can cause injury. Stick to the kettlebell swings until then!
Advanced version
Five rounds for time:
- 800 m run
- Barbell clean and jerk x10. Choose a weight up to 185lb/84kg for men, or 125lb/57kg for women.
As before with the barbell clean and press, you can find the barbell clean and press tutorial below from popular fitness equipment brand Rogue. The same safety recommendations apply: we recommend having a personal trainer or fitness expert check your form before attempting the advanced version of this circuit.
The goal of this workout is to complete the five rounds as quickly as possible while maintaining good form and technique throughout.
Choose a version of the workout that will be challenging but achievable to complete in less than 25 minutes. You can also adjust the recommended weights as needed.
“Feel free to use whatever weight works for you and vary the exercises,” says Lightfoot. “You can do a clean and press with some dumbbells, or if you just have a kettlebell at home, then you can do kettlebell swings. You’re still doing a hinge movement, so it’s all about the stimulus you want, and that’s what I love most about CrossFit.
“You can have someone show up to a class to do this workout next to me, and the trainer in a CrossFit class should be able to scale it in a way that we both finish in similar times. You have to leave your ego at the door and trust what the coach says because they know what they’re trying to get out of the session.”
Top tips
The workout was the first test to feature in the 2024 CrossFit Europe Semi-Finals, where Lightfoot and his training partner, compatriot Aimee Cringle, both qualified for their first CrossFit Games – the annual Super Bowl-style fitness competition. which places “The Fittest Man and Woman on Earth”.
“This workout is all about finding that sweet spot where you’re not running too slow, but you’re still able to come back to the bar feeling good enough to attack each rep,” explains Lightfoot.
“We did this workout twice in training to prepare for the semi-final and in the first run we were looking to maintain a 4 min/km pace during the running parts.
“I was running close to my 5K pace, which sent my heart rate through the roof. The barbell portion really suffered as a result, with the 10 reps lasting more than a minute, so we came up with a plan.”
Lightfoot’s coach had him run the first and last 200 meters of each 800 meters slightly slower than the middle section (5 min/km instead of 4 min 30 sec/km), allowing him to feel fresh enough to speed up the weight lifting section. And it worked.
Lightfoot completed the advanced version in 21min 56sec, while Cringle took it to the post with a time of 21min 13sec.
Use your fitness tracker to pace this workout wisely, choose the scaling option that suits you, and then try to track their time.