We get it, life often gets busy and your gym plans often get over looked for other important things. If the options were to spend time with friends and family, or hit the gym, we know which would usually win!
Sometimes finding an hour-or-so to spare for your workout seems impossible. Don’t worry, we’ve got the answer: circuit training!
What exactly
is circuit training we hear you ask… circuit training is a combination of exercises performed back-to-back with a short rest period between them. You can bust out a workout in no time at all and you’ll still get all the benefits of your usual gym workout! Even better, you can often do these exercises anytime, anywhere and with little to no equipment needed!
Circuit training will give you a full body workout that will burn up those calories, melt off the fat and tone up your muscles! What’s not to love?! The best thing about this type of training is that you can tailor it to suit your fitness levels and modify it as your strength and fitness increases overtime. This allows you to keep your workouts challenging and interesting as you progress!
Keen to get started? Here are a few circuit training ideas that are perfect no matter how fit you’re feeling!
Circuit one
The aim here is to do as many reps as you can in 30 seconds then rest for 30 seconds before performing the next exercise.
Push ups – beginners – perform this move from your knees to make it easier.
Squats – want to make it more challenging? Add a jump into the mix to really get that heart rate up!
Sit-ups - get those abs burning! Make it harder by hugging a weight to your chest.
Lunges - another chance to add a jump in if you want to amp up the effort.
Plank – hold for one minute (or longer if you want to make it harder) then rest for 5 minutes before repeating the whole circuit 2-3 more times.
(Psst…are you a complete newbie to the world of fitness? Not sure what a squat or plank is? Don’t worry! This helpful
beginners guide to gym chat will help you out!)
Circuit 2
You can either perform this after circuit one for a longer workout or save it for another day to mix up your routine.
Perform as many reps as you can for 30 seconds (or longer to make it more challenging) then rest for 30 seconds in between each exercise.
Sprint on the spot – get those knees up and really go for it!
Burpees – this full body workout is hard for good reason, you’ll work every major muscle group in your body! Here’s how to do it:
- stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
- bend down and place your hands on the floor outside your feet
- in a fast motion, hop your feet behind your body, land on your toes and do a push-up
- as soon as you come up, snap your feet forward and leap into the air as high as possible and reach your arms straight above you
- after you land, go right into another burpee and repeat!
Want an easier option? Try jumping jacks for an effective alternative.
Supermans – great for working your back, shoulders and glutes!
- lie face down on the floor with your arms extended in front of you in a superman pose (hence the name)
- lift your arms and legs off the floor as high as possible and pause for a second lower and repeat
Bicycle crunches – great for working those obliques, along with both your upper and lower abs! (say goodbye to that muffin top!)
- lie on the floor as though you were going to perform a regular sit up
- in a twisting motion bring your left elbow and right knee toward each other as you extend your left leg out straight
- hold for a second then reverse the motion to repeat on the opposite side – keep alternating for the remaining time
Too hard? No problem, just perform a regular sit-up.
Wall sit – stand with your back flat against a wall and squat down until your knees are at 90-degree angles. Hold for 1 minute (or longer for more of a challenge) then rest for a total of 5 minutes before repeating twice more.
There are many different varieties of circuit training exercises that you’ll be able to experiment with and choose the ones that work best for you. You’ll be able to add weights, add time or combine the two for a real challenge as your fitness progresses and you want to push yourself and make the workouts harder.
As circuit training is quick – often less than 30 minutes, make sure you give it your 100% every time to make the most of it and see the benefits quicker!
Wondering what the result all of that effort means?
Here’s your next workout in calories!
Circuit training can come in super handy, so whether you’re pushed for time, prefer to workout early or even during your lunch break, it’s good to know that you can free up as little as 30 minutes to complete a workout that’s easy yet effective.
Looking for more workout ideas that you can do on the go? Maybe you’re about to go on holiday and there’s no gym in your hotel? Take a look at these
5 exercises to keep you fit while you’re away!
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