What Exercises Are in the Crazy Eights?

The “Crazy 8” bodyweight exercise circuit was developed by fitness author and certified strength and conditioning coach Craig Ballantyne. The eight-exercise circuit is designed to build strength and burn calories. You perform the first four exercises -- burpees, pushups, squats and mountain climbers -- with no rest. After a one-minute break, you do the remaining four exercises with no rest: jumping jacks, alternating forward lunges, bodyweight rows and close-grip pushups. After a one-minute rest, you perform the circuit two more times.

  1. Burpees

    • The burpee is a full-body exercise that essentially combines a squat with a plank. Stand erect with your arms at your sides, then squat and place your hands on the floor in front of your feet. Hop your feet back to put yourself in a plank position with your legs straight, then reverse your movements to return to the starting position. Perform 10 repetitions.

    Pushups

    • Pushups target your chest, shoulders and triceps. Balance yourself on the floor on your palms and toes with your feet close together, your arms extended and the rest of your body straight. Lower yourself until your chin or chest touches the floor, then ascend to the starting position. Keep your body straight throughout the exercise. Do 30 reps.

    Squats

    • Bodyweight squats target your abs, leg muscles and the muscles around your hips. Stand erect, then push your hips back and bend your knees, while keeping your feet flat on the floor. Lower yourself until your thighs are roughly parallel with the floor, then return to the starting position. Perform 30 repetitions per set.

    Mountain Climbers

    • The mountain climber is another full-body exercise that’s particularly effective for your lower body. The starting position somewhat resembles a sprinter in starting blocks, with one leg extended back and the other foot forward, below your hip. Extend both arms straight down and place your palms on the floor. Keep your hands in place as you jump your back leg to the front, below your hip, and simultaneously extend your front leg backward. Keep your legs switching position like this until you complete 15 repetitions with each foot.

    Jumping Jacks

    • Jumping jacks are cardio exercises that work your shoulders and lower-body. Stand straight with your feet close together and let your arms hang by your sides. Hop both legs apart laterally while simultaneously raising your arms sideways and up until your hands are above your head. Hop your feet back together and lower your arms to your sides to complete one repetition. Do 100 reps.

    Alternating Forward Lunges

    • The forward lunge targets your thighs, glutes and abs. Stand erect with your arms by your sides. Take a long lunging step forward with one foot, bending your front knee, and stop when your front thigh is horizontal and your back knee almost touches the floor. Push off the floor with your front foot to return to the starting position. Perform 15 lunges on each side.

    Bodyweight Rows

    • The bodyweight row, also known as the inverted row, requires a horizontal bar roughly 2 or 3 feet above the ground. The exercise targets your shoulders and upper back. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip and stretch out horizontally below. Your arms should be extended while the rest of your body should be straight with only your heels touching the floor. Pull your chest up to the bar, then lower yourself to the starting position while keeping your body straight. Do 15 repetitions.

    Close-Grip Pushups

    • Close-grip pushups work the same muscles as standard pushups but place more emphasis on your triceps. Use standard pushup form, but position your hands below your upper chest so the tips of your thumbs and index fingers come close to touching each other. Perform 20 reps per set.