Ask any experienced CrossFitter and they'll tell you: master the basics and everything else follows. CrossFit is built on nine foundational movements — the building blocks that appear, in one form or another, in almost every workout. Here's what they are and why they matter.
The three squats
- Air squat. The foundation of everything. A bodyweight squat that teaches you to sit back, keep your chest up and drive through your heels.
- Front squat. The same squat pattern with a barbell racked on the front of your shoulders, building serious leg and core strength.
- Overhead squat. A squat with the barbell locked out overhead — one of the best tests of mobility, stability and control in the whole sport.
The three presses
- Shoulder press. A strict press of the barbell from shoulders to overhead using just the upper body — pure pressing strength.
- Push press. Adds a dip and drive from the legs, letting you move more weight overhead.
- Push jerk. Adds a re-bend of the knees to drop under the bar, the most powerful of the three presses.
The three pulls
- Deadlift. Lifting a loaded barbell from the floor with a flat back and strong hinge — arguably the most transferable strength movement there is.
- Sumo deadlift high pull. A wider stance deadlift that continues into an explosive pull toward the chin, bridging strength and power.
- Medicine ball clean. A full-body movement that grooves the mechanics of the Olympic clean using a forgiving medicine ball.
Why start here
These nine movements aren't random. They progress logically — from simple to complex, from light to heavy — and they teach the mechanics that everything else in CrossFit is built on. Nail them, and advanced movements like the snatch, the clean and jerk and kipping gymnastics become far easier to learn.
That's exactly why our Fundamentals program spends its time here. Getting these right early means you move well, stay safe and progress faster.
Want to learn them properly, with a coach watching every rep? Book your free fitness consultation at TandEm CrossFit in Balcatta.
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