Circuit Training: How to Do an At-Home Circuit Training Workout

Circuit training is a form of exercise that targets the entire body in a single workout. It comprises about six to twelve exercise stations that work out different muscle groups, including the upper body, lower body, cardiovascular system, and core. For example, a circuit might include jumping jacks for aerobic exercise, bicep curls to tone the arms, lunges to strengthen the hamstrings, and sit-ups to build the abdominal muscles.

Each station is timed and usually lasts anywhere between thirty seconds to two minutes. The goal is to complete as many repetitions of the exercise as you can during this time, moving immediately to the next exercise when time is up. The muscle group you've just exercised rests as you work another part of the body. Depending on your fitness goals, you can also stay at a station until you've completed a set amount of reps.

Circuit training workouts are sometimes confused with high-intensity interval training, or HIIT. HIIT involves short bursts of different exercises at maximum intensity, while circuit training can be performed at lower intensity.

A well-designed circuit training program offers many benefits.

1. 1. It's a full-body workout. Boost your heart rate, burn calories, and build muscle with the right combination of exercises.
2. 2. It's efficient. Get in cardio exercise and resistance training at the same time instead of scheduling separate workouts.
3. 3. It targets multiple muscles. Each station focuses on a different muscle group for a full-body workout.
4. 4. It's customizable for the equipment you have. Use resistance bands, dumbbells or a jump rope, if you have them. If not, bodyweight exercises such as planks, burpees and squats also do the trick.
5. 5. It keeps you challenged. Change the type or order of the exercises each time you work out to add variety and keep you interested.
6. 6. It moves fast. Each station is completed quickly, so there's little time to get bored.
7. 7. It's scalable to your fitness level. The circuit can be as fast-paced and high-intensity as you want it to be. Beginners can adapt the exercises to suit their abilities.
8. 8. You can work out with a group. Exercise with others by starting at different stations on the circuit.
9. 9. It fits easily into your schedule. Circuit training can be completed in as little as fifteen minutes.
10. 10. It's excellent cardio exercise. With little to no rest between stations, your heart rate stays elevated even if you're doing strength training.

A personal trainer can customize a circuit workout that meets your fitness needs, or you can design your own circuit using the ideas below. For best results, a circuit should include cardio, core, strength-training, and lower-body and upper-body exercises. Adapt the exercises to suit your fitness level and include rest periods, if needed. Remember to warm up before and cool down after each training session.

• Fifteen-minute circuit: For a fifteen-minute circuit, set up five stations. Spend one minute at each station, and do the circuit three times. Exercises can include sumo squats, bench presses, jump rope, planks, and sit-ups.
• Thirty-minute circuit: For a thirty-minute circuit, set up seven stations, and spend one minute at each station. Do the circuit four times, resting about a minute between each circuit. Exercises can include: walking lunges, lateral raises, burpees, stationary cycling, upright kettlebell rows, bicycle crunches, and step-ups.
• Forty-five-minute circuit: For a forty-five-minute circuit, set up ten exercise stations with a thirty-second rest station in the middle. Spend one minute at each exercise station. Do the circuit four times with a one-minute rest between circuits. Try curtsy lunges (alternating legs), shoulder presses, flutter kicks, jumping jacks, push-ups, glute bridges, pull-ups, lateral lunges, reverse crunches, mountain climbers.

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