CrossFit Stunner Kristin Holte in Two-Piece Workout Gear Does "Leg Crusher With a Twist"

Kristin Holte is a highly successful fitness competitor known for her consistent performance in the CrossFit Games, where she has competed for seven consecutive years. In 2019, she achieved the title of second fittest in the competition and won a world championship, solidifying her reputation in the fitness world. In July, Holte shared a video on Instagram highlighting some of her favorite core exercises, such as sit-ups, bicycle crunches, and hollow holds, captioning it, “Core burner.” Holte’s dedication to fitness and her role as a mother drive her to maintain her strength and health. Here are some of the fitness habits she follows to stay in top shape.

1. She Does Sit-Ups

Holte is seen doing sit-ups in her Instagram video. The Cleveland Clinic states that the exercise has a lot of benefits. “Sit ups are great for tightening your core. They strengthen and tone your rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus and oblique abdominal muscles as well as your neck muscles. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions three times per week.”

2. She Does Bicycles

Kristin Holte/Instagram

Holte is seen doing bicycle crunches in her Instagram post. ACE Fitness states that the exercise is very beneficial. “The bicycle crunch is the top exercise for strengthening your rectus abdominis — the muscles in front of your abdomen — according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), beating exercises like the captain's chair, crunches and the ab roller. Bicycle crunches also play a role in supporting your back during everyday activities like running, bending over and lifting.”

3. She Stretches

Holte shared some of her favorite stretches in this Instagram video. Stretching is very beneficial. Harvard Health states, “Stretching keeps the muscles flexible and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are unable to extend all the way. That puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage.”

4. She Runs

Holte is seen running on the treadmill in this Instagram video. Running is a great way to stay in shape. Valley Oaks states, “The positive impacts of a run extend beyond the finish line and into bedtime. Studies show that aerobic exercise such as running can significantly improve the quality of sleep, even for those suffering from insomnia. Running has also been linked to a reduction in daytime drowsiness, meaning you’ll have more energy for your day and less fatigue to fight through.”

5. She Wants To Be A Role Model

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One of Holte’s biggest goals is to be a role model for others. Specifically, she wants to be one for her son. Holte talked about this in the caption of this Instagram post. “Being a good role model is more important than ever after becoming a mother. I know he will be listening and he is already watching so I better keep it real because I want him to say this one day. ‘My mother was my role model before I even knew what that word was’.”

Anita Herbert, the fitness trainer behind the successful Summer Shred program, is pulling a Lego Batman and not skipping a leg day. She posted a video of herself feeling the burn when doing squats and more. “True story 🥲—especially when it’s the second leg day this week!👀 Who can relate?” she captioned it. Here are some other ways she stays so in shape.

1. She Does Hanging Leg Raises

“When you think of an exercise routine for your core, most people think of sit-ups or planks, which are great exercises for your ‘six-pack’ ab work,” exercise physiologist Griffin Nykor, RKin, CPT, tells the Cleveland Clinic. “Leg lifts are an important complement to that because they get at the muscles that make up the rest of your trunk — your lower back, glutes, hip flexors and your transverse abdominus (the muscle that sits under your six-pack).”

2. She Likes High-Protein Snacks

Check out this great video about her favorite high-protein snacks. A sample:

“🩵 Bone broth - 50 calories per bag and 10 g protein Just ask for hot water on the plane or at a coffee shop when you are ready to have it.

🩵 Protein bars - Look for ones that are low in sugar and high in protein.

🩵 Protein powder - I put a serving of iso whey by @onesthealth in my shaker and just add water when I’m ready to drink it. linked in my bio!

🩵 Protein chips - Perfect for snacking on while watching a movie, and the macros are a lot better than regular chips, 130 calories per bag with 17g of protein and only 4g of carbs.”

3. She Does Hip Thrusts

“I usually program a hip thrust variation 2-3 times / week, using different rep ranges,” she captioned one video. “You can perform all of these variations with a dumbbell, kettlebell or smith machine instead.”

4. She Has Perfected the Crunch

“These tips will level up your ab game 🫡 Train your ABS instead of your ❌hip flexors!” she captioned one great video. “Focus on:

✅ Curling your chest towards your hips

✅ Reducing your range of motion and really focus on using your abs, no momentum.

✅ Squeezing your abs at the top

✅ Lowering yourself down slowly

✅ Breathing correctly: inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up.”

5. Yes, She Really Does Not Skip Leg Day

“Having strong glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and calf muscles gives your body a strong foundation and can,” sais Piedmont Health:

• “Tone your lower body muscles
• Boost your metabolism as you increase muscle mass
• Give you a higher calorie burn as you train larger muscle groups
• Improve your balance
• Strengthen your bones
• Reduce joint pain”

Valentina Lequeux is a very successful fitness model. She shares a lot of her workout videos on Instagram. In May, she shared a full-body high-intensity interval training workout on her page. She is seen doing things like lunge jumps, plank twists, and push-ups. Lequeux captioned the post, “FULL BODY HIIT 💦 This routine will help with your nutrition choices this coming weekend. Go ahead and have that drink, just train hard.”

1. She Like To Workout Outside

Lequeux likes to workout outside. She captioned her Instagram post, “It’s getting warmer outside, so there’s little to no excuses to take your fitness outdoors especially with this minimal equipment routine.” UC Davis states that going outside has a lot of benefits. “Being outdoors can also have relaxing effects on our minds. Nature can provide a mental break by allowing us to temporarily escape the demands of everyday life. It can also boost your creativity and problem-solving abilities. For example, if you're having a mental block writing a paper or can't seem to solve a problem at work, step outside for a breath of fresh air. Take an easy walk around your neighborhood or office, and you just might find the answers you were looking for.”

2. She Weight Trains

As you can see in her Instagram post, Lequeux likes to weight train. She wrote in the caption, “All you need is a kettlebell, I’m using the 18 lb @bellsofsteel kettlebell.”

2. She Works Her Core

Lequeux shared her core workouts in this Instagram video. “15 minute CORE AMRAP 🔥 Set a timer with 15 minutes & perform as many series of these moves as you can (see below for rep count). Rest as little as possible at the end of each round. Make every rep count!⁣ 1. Ball slams x15 each side. 2. Weighted sit up w/med ball toss x20 reps⁣. 3. High plank w/kettlebell pass x15 each hand⁣. 4. Weighted floor rock into pistol squat x10 each leg.”

4. She Works Her Legs

Lequeux shared her lower body workouts in this Instagram video. “Full Leg Day 👌🏼 This was the only workout so did in Texas, we went to @lgndbarbell (not an ad) what a cool spot, check it if you live in Huston it’s top notch for any of my bodybuilding or powerlifting peeps.⁣ I did a warm up that isn’t shown in this vid, sorry I completely forgot to film it! But it’s so good you have to do it before the working sets:⁣ X2 rounds of:⁣ 1.Kettlebell swings: x15⁣. 2.Leg extension: x12⁣. 3.Hamstring curl: x8⁣. 4.Back extension w/oh plate press & hold: x12⁣.”

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5. She Does HIIT

As you can see from her Instagram post, Lequeux likes to do HIIT. Circle Health Group states, “HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by brief periods of rest or lower-intensity exercise. During the high-intensity intervals, your heart rate and breathing rate increase substantially. Over time, this helps to improve your aerobic capacity, also known as VO2 max, which is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise. A higher VO2 max is associated with improved stamina and endurance.”