If your usual gym sessions are starting to feel a little stale, the CrossFit Total offers something different. This classic benchmark workout tests exactly where your strength is, giving you a score you can return to time and time again to track your progress.

Made up of just three barbell lifts, the CrossFit Total measures your maximum functional strength by combining your one-rep max in the back squat, strict press and deadlift. The total weight lifted across all three movements becomes your final score, providing a simple but effective benchmark of your overall strength.

After warming up, complete the following lifts, allowing around 40 minutes to work up to your heaviest successful single in each movement:

Back Squat: 3 attempts. Increase the weight after each successful lift.

Strict Press: 3 attempts. Increase the weight after each successful lift.

Deadlift: 3 attempts. Increase the weight after each successful lift.

Add together your heaviest successful back squat, strict press and deadlift to calculate your CrossFit Total.

Back Squat

• Stand with your feet a little wider than your hips. Keep your chest proud and your core locked.
• Sink your hips back and descend into a squat whilst the knees travel in line with the toes. At the bottom of the squat, the thighs should hit parallel or lower and your elbows should come in between your knees.
• Drive back up, driving through the heels and tensing your glutes at the top. Repeat.

Strict Press

• Hold the barbell in the front-rack position with your elbows slightly in front of the bar.
• Take a breath and brace your core. Press the barbell overhead, while keeping the chest open.
• Lower under control to your shoulders and repeat.

Deadlift

• Walk your shins to the bar with your feet underneath your hips.
• Send the hips behind the heels and reach your hands towards the bar. Your shoulders should be over the bar, with the bar over your midfoot.
• Keeping your back and head in line, retract the shoulder blades while holding your torso rigid to create tension between you and the bar.
• Push the floor away from you while keeping the bar close.
• Lock out the hips without sending the weight back and reverse the movement.

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Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men’s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.