Get Fit Fast with Circuit Training Workouts

By Marnie Kunz

Circuit training workouts are an efficient way to get in a workout without spending a lot of time. Whether you want to lose weight, improve your strength, or boost your cardiovascular fitness, circuit training can help. Circuit training is a series of exercises with short rest periods between exercises. Due to the short rest periods, circuit workouts burn more calories per minute than many other forms of exercise. If you want to get in a great workout and improve your fitness level fast, circuit training is perfect. In this article, I’ll go over how to do circuit workouts, as well as offer some sample workouts that you can try at home.

What Are Circuit Training Workouts?

Before we delve into training specifics, you may be wondering what is circuit training. Circuit workouts are done at a moderate intensity and include 6 to 12 exercises in a circuit. The circuit exercises are measured in reps - such as 10 push-ups - or timed intervals - such as 30 seconds of push-ups - with short periods of rest between exercises.

Circuit training includes strength training exercises and also has a cardio element, as your heart rate will stay elevated due to the short rest periods. Circuits are great for weight loss, improving strength and fitness, and burning calories. It’s also a good way to mix up your workout program and prevent boredom, as the workouts move quickly.

Benefits of Circuit Training

There are many benefits of doing circuit training. Here are some of the biggest rewards of circuit training:

Saves time. If you are crunched for time, circuits will give you the most bang for your buck, allowing you to get in strength training and cardio at the same time and do a variety of exercises quickly.
High calorie burning. Circuit workouts burn a lot of calories (the exact amount depends on your weight and the exercises you are doing) and help with weight loss. I often give my weight loss clients circuit workouts to burn calories, boost metabolism, and improve overall fitness conditioning.
Improves fitness level. If you want to improve your fitness level, circuit training will help. You can improve your strength and stamina with circuit workouts.
Boosts endurance and Vo2 max. Circuit training improves your endurance and Vo2 max, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine. This means your body will be more efficient at using oxygen when you’re exercising and you can go longer without getting tired.
Quick, engaging workouts. One of the best benefits of circuits to me is that the workouts move quickly, literally. I have a short attention span and find that the short rest periods and changing between different exercises help me stay focused and make the workout more enjoyable. Weightlifting can sometimes be tedious but circuits make the workout go faster while hitting a lot of muscle groups.

Circuit Training vs. HIIT Workouts

Sometimes people get circuit training confused with HIIT workouts but the major difference is in intensity and rest time. HIIT - which stands for high-intensity interval training - involves intense exercise at 95 to 100 percent effort level with periods of complete rest between exercises. Circuit training is lower intensity - usually medium intensity - with shorter rest periods.

Many gyms have blurred the lines between HIIT and circuit training classes, offering more intense circuit workouts or HIIT classes with shorter rest. This has fueled confusion over the difference between HIIT and circuit training. Just remember that circuit workouts are less intense and have less rest while HIIT is a higher effort level with longer rest periods.

If you’re looking for a HIIT workout, check out my post on how to do Tabata running workouts.

How to Do Circuit Training

If you want to enjoy the benefits of circuit training, all you need to get started is a clean bill of health and some space. You can do a circuit training workout using just your bodyweight or with dumbbells. I have included a sample full-body circuit training workout using bodyweight exercises below as well as a circuit workout with dumbbells.

Full-Body Circuit Workouts

Here is a full-body circuit training workout that you can do using just your body weight. This workout will strengthen your major muscle groups while also burning calories and improving your aerobic fitness level.

You can adapt this workout to your fitness level by doing modified push-ups and modified burpees if you’re a beginner. Beginners can also lengthen the rest time to 15 seconds. For a more advanced workout, add dumbbells for the squats and lunges. You can also elevate your feet on a bench or step to make the push-ups more difficult.

Full-Body Circuit Workout

Exercises:

Push-ups for 30 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds.
Squats for 30 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds.
Tricep dips for 30 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds.
Lunges for 30 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds.
Mountain climbers for 30 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds.
Bicycle crunch for 30 seconds. Rest 10 seconds.
Burpees for 30 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds.
Rest 1 minute after completing the circuit.
Repeat to do 3 circuits total.
Total Workout Time: 17 minutes

Circuit Workout with Dumbbells

Circuit training can also include weights. If you want to get in a more intense workout or build strength more quickly, use dumbbells or a barbell for your circuit workouts.

Here is a sample full-body circuit workout that you can do with weights:

Full-Body Circuit Workout with Weights

Bench press for 10 reps. Rest for 15 seconds.
Squat with dumbbells for 10 reps. Rest for 15 seconds.
Triceps extensions for 10 reps. Rest for 15 seconds.
Lateral lunges with dumbbells for 10 reps. Rest for 15 seconds.
Bent over dumbbell rows for 10 reps. Rest for 15 seconds.
Lunges with dumbbells for 10 reps. Rest for 15 seconds.
Planks for 30 seconds. Rest for 15 seconds.
Bicep curls for 10 reps. Rest for 15 seconds.
Rest 1 minute after completing the circuit.
Repeat to do 3 circuits total.
Total Workout Time: 20-25 minutes

How Often to Do Circuit Training

You can do circuit workouts two to three times per week. Since circuit training is considered a “hard” workout day, you will need a rest day or easy recovery day following each circuit workout. (You don’t want to do circuit workouts two days in a row).

Warm-Up and Cooldown

It’s important to do some dynamic stretches to get your heart rate up before your circuit training workouts. Some good warm-up exercises include arm circles, jumping jacks, air squats, and jogging in place. For cooling down, you can do some light yoga stretches or static stretches such as a toe touch and triceps stretch.

Have you tried circuit training as part of your fitness program? Do you need a customized training program with circuit workouts? Head to our Training Center for help. 👋

Tag Runstreet on Instagram to get cheered on in your workouts. Happy sweating to you!😊

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach, dog lover, Akita mom, and writer based in Brooklyn, NY.

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