A Comprehensive Guide To Circuit Training - Including Sample Routines!

Introduction
The basics of circuit training
Benefits of circuit training
Circuit training exercises
Free circuit training sample routines
Final thoughts
Sources

Insulin sensitivity: how sensitive the body's cells are in response to insulin. A higher insulin sensitivity allows the cells of the body to use blood glucose more effectively.
Maximum oxygen uptake (VO₂max): The maximum amount of oxygen a person can use during intense exercise.
Muscular endurance: The ability to continue contracting a muscle, or group of muscles, against resistance, over a period of time.

Introduction

Circuit training is a form of training that involves performing a predetermined set of exercises with little rest in between. This means doing a specific exercise for a certain amount of time and immediately moving to the next one. In most situations, each circuit utilizes all major muscle groups two or three times. This makes circuit training a time efficient exercise that challenges the entire body.

Circuit training can also be easily varied. For example, bodyweight circuits can easily be done at home, whereas circuits involving machines can be included into your gym training program. Continuous high-repetition and low resistance exercises have proven to improve strength, endurance, muscle mass, and heart health. However, according to studies, they seem to have the biggest beneficial impact on local muscular endurance.

This post explains the basics of circuit training, and what makes it such an effective training method for a wide range of active individuals. If you are in a hurry, you can simply scroll down to find some sample exercises and routines to help you get started.

The basics of circuit training

Circuit training is a type of interval training where a series of exercises are performed in succession, with little to no rest in between. The exercises usually alternate between muscle groups (arms, core, legs, full body), allowing some muscle groups to recover while others are active. This also helps maintain an elevated heart rate for the entire workout.

Most circuit training routines consist of 1-3 full circuits of 10 to 12 exercises. Due to the continuous nature of each exercise, the resistance is often kept very light at approximately 40-60 percent of your maximum with a higher number of repetitions (~12-15). However, some prefer to use a set time for each exercise instead of counting each repetition. One such example is working out for 45 seconds before moving on to the next one.

Since each circuit is repeated one or more times, a typical circuit training workout has a total training time of around 30–45 minutes. This makes it a very time-efficient training method that still provides plenty of health benefits.

Circuit Training

10-12 exercises per circuitBodyweight or light resistance (40-60% of max)Little to no rest between exercises2-5min rest between circuits1-3 full circuits

Benefits of circuit training

Circuit training is often considered an effective way to increase strength, cardiovascular endurance and muscular endurance. Because a single workout consists of multiple exercises, it also provides an excellent challenge for the entire body.

Circuit training places significant demands on your cardiovascular fitness, which is why it is often used to increase endurance. Much like strength, cardiovascular endurance improves very quickly among untrained individuals. Although circuit training can improve cardiovascular conditioning and strength to some degree, larger gains can be achieved with more specified training (prolonged exercises for endurance, high resistance & low repetitions for strength). However, circuit training has the biggest effect on local muscular endurance. In fact, combining high repetitions, low resistance, and short rest periods is ideal for anyone looking for these adaptations.

Aside from the aforementioned physical benefits, circuit training also provides a lot of variability and versatility to your training. In fact, it offers endless possibilities of exercise combinations, training intensities, and rest intervals to choose from. This makes circuit training an excellent way to steer clear from monotonous and boring workouts. Furthermore, circuits can also performed with minimal or no equipment, making it perfect for exercising at home. Each exercise can be adapted to suit almost anyone regardless of their fitness level, training history or possible physical limitations. It is even used for sports-specific training of elite athletes.

Circuit training exercises

Circuit training usually combines a large variety of exercises performed back-to-back, with moderate resistance and high number of repetitions. For example, you training routine can look like this:

Number of exercises: 10-12
Resistance: 40-60 percent of maximum
Repetitions: 12-15 or against time (e.g. 45s on 15s off, etc.)
Number of circuits: 1-3

Here you can find a full list of exercises that either use bodyweight or minimal equipment – all in alphabetical order. You can use them to design your own circuit training routine. Use your imagination and have fun!

Bodyweight exercises

Army crawl
Back extensions
Bear crawl
Bicycle crunch
Bicycle kicks
Bird dogs
Bounding
Box jump
Burpees
Bridge
Bridge and reach
Calf raises
Crab walk
Crocodile crawl
Crunches
Dead bug
Donkey kicks
Fire hydrants
Flutter kicks
Glute bridge
Handstand

Hand walk
Hanging knee raise
Hanging leg raise
Hanging leg raise with split
Heel touches
High knees run
Hip lift crunch
Hollow body rock
Jump squats
Jumping Jacks
L-sit
Lateral side jumps
Leaping
Lunges
Lunge jumps
Lying leg lift
Mountain climbers
Oblique crunch
Pistol squats
Planks

Pull-ups
Push-ups
Raised leg crunch
Reverse crunch
Russian twists
Side-to-side push-ups
Side planks
Single-leg squat
Skater squats
Sprints
Sumo squat
Superman
Squats
Squat holds
Swimmer
Toe touch
Tricep dips
Tuck jumps
V-ups
Walking planks
Wall squat
Windshield wiper

Kettlebell exercises

Bob and weave
Bottoms up clean
Bottoms up press
Calf raise
Clean
Clean and press
Clean and push press
Clean, squat, and press
Deadlift
Deck squat
Double lunge
Farmer carry
Goblin squat
Good morning
Gorilla row
Half kneeling press
Halo
High pull
Hip thrust
Lateral swing

Lunge
Lunge and press
Lunge with rotation
Overhead press
Overhead reverse lunge
Overhead squat
Overhead walking lunge
Pistol squat
Push press
Racked squat
Racked reverse squat
Regular row
Renegade row
Reverse lunge
Reverse Turkish get-up
Romanian deadlift
Russian twist
Seesaw row
Shoulder shrug
Side bend

Side lunge
Side lunge and clean
Side stepping swing
Single-arm deadlift
Single-handed swing
Single-leg clean
Single-leg deadlift
Sit and press
Slingshot
Snatch
Straight arm sit-up
Suitcase row
Sumo squat
Swing
Swing changing hands
Tall kneeling press
Thruster
Turkish get-up
Two-handed squat and press
Windmill

Dumbbell exercises

Alternating front raise
Bench press
Bent over flye
Bicep curl
Bottoms up clean
Bottoms up press
Bow extension
Calf raise
Clean
Clean and press
Clean and push press
Clean, squat, and press
Concentration curl
Deck squat
Deltoid raise
Double lunge
Farmer carry
Floor T-raise
Front raise
Goblin squat
Good morning
Gorilla row
Grip curl
Half kneeling press
Halo
Hammer curl
High pull
Hip thrust

Incline bench press
Lateral swing
Lunge
Lunge and press
Lunge with rotation
Lying pullover
Overhead press
Overhead reverse lunge
Overhead squat
Overhead triceps press
Overhead walking lunge
Pistol squat
Plank row
Pointing dog
Push press
Racked squat
Racked reverse squat
Regular row
Renegade row
Reverse flye
Reverse lunge
Reverse Turkish get-up
Romanian deadlift
Screwdriver
Seesaw row
Shoulder raise
Shoulder shrug
Side bend

Side lunge
Side lunge and clean
Side raise
Side-stepping swing
Single-arm deadlift
Single-arm row
Single-leg clean
Single-leg deadlift
Sit and press
Slingshot
Snatch
Step-up
Straight arm sit-up
Suitcase row
Sumo squat
Swing
Swing changing hands
Tactical lunge
Tall kneeling press
Thruster
Tricep extension
Tricep kickback
Turkish get-up
Two-handed squat and press
V-up
V-sit cross jab
Windmill
Wrist curl

Jump rope exercises

Alternate foot jumps
Backwards jumping
Basic jump
Bell jump
Boxer step
Can Can
Criss-cross
Criss-cross double unders
Double unders
Foot cross jump

Full twist
Half twist
Heel-to-heel
Heel-toe step
Hopscotch
High jumps
High knees
Jogging step
Jump rope jacks
Mummy kicks

Scissors
Side under jump
Side straddle
Side swing
Side-to-side jumps
Single leg jump
Skier
Swing jumps
Toe-to-toe jump
Wounded duck

Resistance band exercises

Ankle flexion
Archer pull
Bird dog
Bent-over row
Bicep curl
Bicycle
Chest press
Dead bug
Donkey kick
External rotation
Flye
Fire Hydrant
Forward raise
Front squat
Glute and lateral raise
Glute bridge
Hammer curl
High plank jack
Hip hinge
Jumping jack

Kneeling crunch
Lateral hockey jump
Lateral lunge
Lateral walk
Lateral plank walk
Lateral raise
Lat pulldown
Leg extension
Leg raise with split
Low plank jack
Lunge
Lying hip abduction
Lying hip adduction
Lying leg curl
Lying pullover
Overhead press
Plank tap
Press-up
Pull apart
Pulldown

Pull-up
Push-up
Rear delt fly
Reverse crunch
Russian twist
Seated abduction
Seated adduction
Seated row
Squat
Squat to overhead press
Single-arm row
Single leg raise
Splitter
Standing abductor
Standing adductor
Tricep overhead extension
Tricep extension
Triceps kickback
Upright row
Woodchopper

Circuit training offers numerous health benefits in less time than traditional programs.

Free circuit training sample routines

Are you looking for some inspiration for your next workout? take a look at our selection of pre-made sample routines. Since most people do not own a full set of workout equipment, we have put emphasis on bodyweight exercises. However, there are a few specific routines that require dumbbells, kettlebells, jump ropes, and even weight machines.

We recommend you choose exercises that you can perform as fast as possible – while maintaining proper technique.

Beginner bodyweight circuit

30s Sumo squat
30s Russian twist
30s High knees run
30s Push ups
30s Lunges
30s Hip-lift crunch
30s Jumping Jack
30s Triceps dip on chair
30s Rest between each exercise