By Janet Lee for Shape.com


Proponents of CrossFit say it will push your limits, getting you fitter and firmer than ever before -- if you survive!


Not convinced? To give you a taste of the action, we asked Lauren Plumey, owner of Shoreline CrossFit in Branford, CT, to create a home-based, CrossFit-inspired workout exclusively for SHAPE. "This workout may be short, but you'll definitely feel the burn -- especially in your shoulders, legs, and butt," she says. Recruit some friends to do it with you, or feel free to whoop and holler on your own.


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How it works: Twice a week, perform 16 reps of each move as fast as you possibly can. Do the bear crawl between each exercise. Time each workout and try to do it faster every week.


You'll need: A pair of 5- to 10-pound dumbbells (increase to 15-pounders when you feel comfortable), and a box, bench or step.



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  • Single-Arm Snatch


    <strong>Works:</strong> legs, butt, back, shoulders and arms Stand with feet wider than shoulders and toes turned
 out slightly, and place a dumbbell on the ground between feet. Squat low, and grab the dumbbell with right hand, palm facing behind you. Quickly straighten legs and rise up onto balls of feet as you bend right elbow out to side, drawing weight toward your shoulder [A]. Bend knees as you flip the weight so palm faces away from you and extend right arm straight overhead [B]. Stand up, then squat and lower dumbbell toward the ground [C] to return to starting position. Switch arms halfway through set.




  • Bear Crawl


    <strong>Works:</strong> entire body Kneel on the ground on all fours, then lift knees. Keeping knees bent, move left foot and hand forward [shown], then step forward with the right foot and hand to complete 1 step. Do 30 steps.




  • Dumbbell Swing


    <strong>Works</strong>: legs, butt, arms, core and back Stand with feet wider than shoulders and toes turned out slightly, and hold the center of a dumbbell with both hands in front of hips. Squat as you bring weight between legs [A]. Quickly rise up as you raise arms overhead [B]. Return to starting position.




  • Overhead Lunge


    <strong>Works:</strong> legs, butt, core and arms Hold a dumbbell in left hand and extend arm overhead, palm facing right. Lunge forward with right leg so knees are bent 90 degrees [shown]. Keeping arm raised, step back to starting position. Lunge forward with left leg on next rep. Continue, alternating legs; switch arms halfway through set.




  • Sumo High Pull


    <strong>Works:</strong> legs, butt, back, shoulders and biceps Stand with feet wide, toes turned out, and hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of hips, palms facing behind you. Squat and lower weights between legs [A]. Rise up as you draw weights to shoulders, elbows high [B]. Return to starting position.




  • Box Jump


    <strong>Works:</strong> legs and butt Stand facing a box, step, or bench (choose a height and width that you can safely clear). Squat and then quickly rise up and jump over the object [shown] to complete 1 rep. Turn around and repeat in the opposite direction.




  • L Stand


    <strong>Works:</strong> arms, chest, core and back Kneel on the ground 2 or 3 feet in front of a wall and place hands on the ground in front of you, slightly wider than shoulders. Place feet on the wall, straighten legs, and walk feet up so your body forms an L shape, torso perpendicular to your legs [shown]. Hold for 15 seconds. (To make it harder, do pushups in this position.)