Have you ever wanted a taste of training like an elite athlete? If so, you’re in luck.
Fresh from being named the “UK’s fittest man 2024”, CrossFit athlete Harry Lightfoot has shared a workout that TechRadar readers can tackle for themselves. There are three variations to choose from too – beginner, intermediate and advanced – so you can scale it to suit your fitness level.
The aim, Lightfoot says, is for all people to be able to adjust the workout so they finish it in a similar time. He also recommends having one of the best fitness trackers or best running watches handy, as this test involves plenty of running and you’ll want to pace yourself.
How to do CrossFit athlete Harry Lightfoot’s workout challenge
Beginner version
Five rounds for time:
- Run or use 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 roughly 3 minutes, 30 seconds when fresh.
- Dumbbell hang clean and press x10. Choose a weight up to 35lb/15kg for men, or 20lb/10kg for women.
If you’ve not tried a dumbbell hang clean and press before, you can find this tutorial below from reputable fitness equipment brand Rogue.
We recommend familiarizing yourself with the move very thoroughly before attempting to do it for time, CrossFit-style, as not doing so can incur injuries. Stick to the kettlebell swings until then!
Advanced version
Five rounds for time:
- 800m run
- Barbell clean and jerk x10. Choose a weight up to 185lb/84kg for men, or 125lb/57kg for women.
As before with the dumbbell clean and press, you can find the barbell clean and jerk tutorial below from reputable 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 change up the exercises,” says Lightfoot. “You could do a hang clean and press with some dumbbells, or if you just have a kettlebell at home then you can do kettlebell swings. You’re still getting a hinge movement, so it’s all relevant to the stimulus you want, and that’s what I most like about CrossFit.
“You can get someone turn up to a class to do this workout next to me, and the coach in a CrossFit class should be able to scale it in a way that we both finish at similar times. You’ve got to leave your ego at the door and trust what the coach is saying, because they know what they’re trying to get out of the session.”
Top tips
This workout was the first test to feature at the Europe CrossFit 2024 semi-final, where Lightfoot and his training partner, countrywoman Aimee Cringle, both qualified for their first first CrossFit Games – the sport’s annual Super Bowl-esque fitness competition, which decides 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 barbell feeling good enough to attack each rep,” Lightfoot explains.
“We did this workout twice in training to prepare for the semi-finals, and on the first run-through we were looking to hold a pace of 4min/km during the running portions.
“I was running close to my 5K pace, which sent my heart rate through the roof. The barbell portion of the workout really suffered as a result, with the 10 reps taking well over a minute, so we came up with a plan.”
Lightfoot’s coach had him run the first and last 200m of each 800-meter stint a little slower than the middle portion (5min/km rather than 4min 30sec/km), allowing him to feel fresh enough to speed through the weightlifting section faster. And it worked.
Lightfoot finished the advanced version in a blistering 21min 56sec, while Cringle pipped him 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, then try to hunt down their times.