7 Strength Exercises You Should Master If You Want to Get Good at CrossFit

Sure! Here’s a detailed guide on the seven essential strength training exercises that every beginner should master. Think of these exercises as fundamental techniques for your strength training. Once we establish good technique and experience in each movement, we’ll have an excellent foundation for almost all functional exercises found in circuit training, CrossFit, Hyrox, and similar programs.

Complex movements like the snatch or the power clean require proper technique, which is built on a stable base. So, take some time and care with these exercises, as they will pay off when these techniques become part of your natural movement patterns.

1. Deadlift

The deadlift is undoubtedly one of the most important movements you can learn—not just because it’s a gym classic, but because it’s a foundational exercise we often use in daily life.

The deadlift is much more than just lifting a heavy barbell off the floor; it’s the foundation for moving an object from the ground to hip height. When we learn to do this with a barbell, we can transfer the movement to safely lifting dumbbells, kettlebells, grocery bags, beds, and more—the list can be endless.

All lifts that require the weight to start from the ground, like power cleans and snatches, always begin with a deadlift. If we don’t master the deadlift, we can’t perform power cleans or snatches correctly.

To master the deadlift with a barbell:

• Starting Position: Feet hip-width apart, shins close to the bar, straight back, chest up, and head in a neutral position.
• Execution: Press through the heels, lift the bar with a straight back, and stand upright. Lower the bar under control.
• Key Points: Keep your core engaged throughout the movement. If your back rounds, it’s a sign that you’ve exceeded your core’s capacity. While this isn’t necessarily dangerous, higher weights increase spinal strain. Stick to weights that allow you to maintain a straight back.

Mastering the deadlift sets the stage for success in all lifts starting from the ground.

2. Back Squat

The next exercise to learn is the back squat, or squats with the barbell behind the neck. This movement is crucial for building strength and stability in the lower body and core. The goal of the back squat initially should not be to lift as heavy as possible. This exercise is a cornerstone for other movements, and its purpose is to prepare you for more technically demanding exercises. Thus, technique and tension are key.

Here’s how to perform a back squat:

• Bar Position: Place the bar at collarbone height, ideally from a rack. Squeeze your shoulder blades together to create a shelf for the bar. Position the bar on the upper part of your shoulder blades and shoulders with hands just outside shoulder width.
• Feet Position: Slightly wider than hip-width, toes pointing slightly outward, with knees following in the same direction.
• Tension: Inhale and engage your core. Hold your breath until you reach the bottom, and exhale through your mouth as you rise.
• Execution: Bend your knees until your hips are just below your knees. Maintain tension in the bottom position. Press through the entire foot to rise back up.

A stable back squat prepares you for movements like front squats, overhead squats, and power cleans. Mastering this exercise will make you more proficient in all types of movements that require bending the knees beyond 90 degrees.

The front squat is a challenging variant of the squat. In this variation, the barbell is positioned on the chest rather than the neck. This exercise requires more flexibility, particularly in the shoulders and upper back, and forces you to maintain a more upright posture. This upright position means we train the quadriceps more and demand additional work from the core. This exercise lays the foundation for even more complex movements.

To perform a front squat:

• Bar Position: Bend your arms and point your elbows forward. Pull your shoulder blades forward to keep your elbows even further ahead. In this position, you’ve created an optimal shelf for the barbell. Place the bar on your forward-placed shoulders and upper chest. Keep your elbows raised throughout the lift.
• Feet Position: Similar to the back squat, slightly wider than hip-width with toes angled outward and knees following the same direction.
• Execution: Keep the bar on your shoulders by raising your elbows and upper back. Squat down until your hips are below your knees. Press through the ground to stand back up.

The front squat strengthens positions used in exercises like power cleans, goblet squats, and thrusters. If you struggle to keep your chest up or if your elbows drop, this might indicate a lack of mobility in the upper back and a weak core. This exercise is critical for developing good posture and balance in your lifts.

4. Overhead Squat

Now we move on to more challenging exercises—the overhead squat. Mastering this puts you on the path to excel in snatches. It’s one of the most challenging squats and requires both flexibility and mobility as well as a good dose of focus.

Here’s how to master the overhead squat:

• Bar Position: Hold the bar overhead with a wide grip, arms fully extended.
• Feet Position: Similar to other squats, slightly outside of hip-width.
• Execution: Squat down while maintaining balance of the bar over your center of gravity. Stand back up by pressing through the entire foot.

The overhead squat builds enormous stability in the core and shoulders. It will be challenging for everyone, but if you can master it, you’ll notice significant improvements in your front squats, snatches, and all other overhead lifts.

5. Shoulder Press

The shoulder press is a foundational exercise for all overhead pressing movements. It’s a straightforward, strict upper body exercise that strengthens the shoulders, triceps, and core.

To perform a shoulder press:

• Starting Position: The barbell in the front rack position, with the same grip as a front squat. Stand hip-width apart.
• Execution: Press the bar overhead. As the bar rises, push it slightly forward to keep it centered over your core.
• Key Points: Engage your core and avoid an excessive arch in your back. Tense your glutes during the press and lock out your elbows at the top position.

This exercise is crucial before progressing to dynamic variants like the push press or split jerk.

6. Push Press

Here, we add some leg power to the shoulder press. The push press builds on the shoulder press by incorporating a slight squat to generate power from the legs and push the weight overhead.

Focus on the following in your push press:

• Starting Position: Same as the shoulder press.
• Execution: Bend your knees slightly until you reach an angle of about 135° in your knee joint. Keep your back straight, as you would in a front squat. Lower into the squat position. Then, explosively press the bar up as if you were jumping with it. Come onto your toes and extend your legs fully. As you rise, press the bar up until it’s directly overhead with fully extended arms.

The push press aids in movements like the jerk and teaches you to generate power from your legs while using your shoulders to stabilize the weight above you.

7. Power Clean

Finally, we have the power clean—a movement that combines explosive hip power with a smooth transition into the front rack position. It’s a crucial skill for weightlifting and is applied in many other movements.

To perform a power clean:

• Starting Position: Similar to the deadlift but with a lower hip position and knees in front of the bar (more squat than hip hinge).
• Execution: Drive through your legs against the ground, bring the bar up to your thighs, explosively open your hips to lift the bar, and land it in the front rack position before standing up.

The power clean revolves around speed and technique. If you master this exercise, you’ll see how it prepares you for other advanced lifts.

In Conclusion…

These are the seven key movements that form the foundation of your entire barbell training. Whether your goal is to get stronger, lift heavier, or simply move more efficiently, you’ll notice a significant difference once you master these movements.

Give them time, seek a capable coach, and/or train with others who can motivate you. You’ll thank yourself for mastering these exercises.

The strength of these exercises may come and go, but as long as the technique is there, you can always return to them and safely get back into shape.