Incorporating Play into Your Fitness Routine
For many everyday CrossFitters, fitness is more than just reps, sets, and WODs—it's a key part of your lifestyle. But even the most dedicated athletes can fall into a rut when training starts to feel more like a chore than a challenge. That’s where play comes in.
Incorporating play into your fitness routine can reinvigorate your workouts, sharpen your skills, and remind you why you love working out. Since CrossFit is already built on variety, functionality, and intensity, weaving in elements of play is both natural and powerful.
Why Play Matters
Play isn’t just for kids. It's a fundamental part of how we learn, explore, and connect with our bodies and the world. In fitness, play promotes creativity, enhances neuromuscular coordination, and builds mental resilience. For recreational athletes who aren’t chasing podiums but want to stay healthy and motivated, adding play can transform training from a grind into a joy.
5 Practical Ways to Incorporate Play into CrossFit
1 | Add Game-Based Warmups
Ditch the treadmill or rower warm-up a few times a week and try game-based activities instead. Tag variations, partner reaction drills, or animal movement games (like bear crawls and crab walks in a follow-the-leader or race style) get the heart rate up while improving agility and coordination. Plus, they build camaraderie—something at the heart of every great CrossFit gym.
2 | Use Unconventional Equipment
Sandbags, sleds, tires, and even playgrounds can be excellent tools for spontaneous, playful workouts. Instead of a standard EMOM or AMRAP, try a challenge like flipping a tire across a field or racing a partner while dragging a sled. These types of activities promote problem-solving and strength applicable to the real world.
3 | Experiment with Movement Variations
Instead of sticking to traditional burpees or box jumps, explore variations that test balance, control, or mobility. Try single-leg burpees, lateral box jumps, or handstand obstacle courses. These modifications can make even familiar movements feel new again.
4 | Engage in Team Challenges
Team-based workouts that involve relay races, obstacle courses, or scavenger hunts can be both fun and challenging. They introduce unpredictability, encouraging quick thinking and adaptability—skills crucial for success in the gym and in your daily life.
5 | Take It Outside
Change your scenery. Head to a park, beach, or forest and plan a workout around what’s available. Run trails, climb trees, do pull-ups on bars or branches, and throw rocks or logs. The natural environment adds elements of spontaneity and challenges that indoor workouts can’t replicate.
The Mental Shift
To incorporate play, you need to shift your mindset. Instead of focusing solely on scores and PRs, allow space for curiosity, exploration, and failure. Play encourages you to try new things, laugh at the misses, and celebrate movement for its own sake.
Remember, your body doesn’t know the difference between training and playing—it just knows you're moving. By embracing play, you bring back the joy of movement, reduce burnout, and maybe even unlock new performance gains. And your brain will thank you for the fun.