Only one Brit has ever claimed CrossFit’s top prize and that’s Sam Briggs. In 2013 the firefighter-turned-athlete battled her way to the top spot at the CrossFit Games, an annual competition designed to find the fittest man and woman on earth.
Nicknamed “The Engine” on account of her impressive endurance, Briggs retired from professional competition in 2022, but she is evidently not putting her feet up. These days she has less time to devote to CrossFit workouts, having returned to her pre-CrossFit career as a firefighter in Ohio, but she’s still sharing her training on Instagram, including this “bodyweight burner” she used on a particularly busy day to squeeze in a quick chest and abs session.
After 30 minutes of exercise bike intervals, she alternated between press-ups and sit-ups using a fiendishly difficult rep scheme. The first round is 21 press-ups, then the second is 20 press-ups and one sit-up. One more sit-up rep is added and one press-up rep removed every round until the final round of 21 sit-ups.
As if that’s not enough, the challenge is to complete it as quickly as possible. In the comments underneath her post, Briggs revealed she worked through the 462 reps in an impressive 16min 27sec.
Watch her video below to check her form and see how long it takes you. Don’t be disheartened if it’s nowhere close. The CrossFit Games lists her one-rep max clean and jerk as 100kg, her back squat as 125kg and her deadlift as 175kg.
Briggs’s bodyweight workout will primarily hit your chest and core, but because press-ups are a compound exercise you will also feel your shoulders and triceps fatiguing. Thanks to the lack of rest, you will also work on your cardiovascular and muscular endurance – both key components to success in the sport of fitness.
If you’re new to this training method, find out all you need to know with the CrossFit entry in our How To Get Fit Fast Guide.
