For a straightforward full-body circuit workout that you can do at your residence or at the fitness center, give this routine a try: Four movements, four methods, numerous advantages.
This Comprehensive Circuit Workout Is Incredibly Quick (And Effective)
Vanessa Rogers
A superior comprehensive circuit workout doesn’t need to incorporate a multitude of diverse exercises. In fact, many of the most valuable training sessions are also the purest (just like these 10 finest total-body exercises). It makes sense if you contemplate it: Rather than learning new movements or collecting equipment, you can concentrate on the specifics that matter most, such as appropriate form and intensity.
This comprehensive circuit workout was created with that notion in mind: The four-round circuit employs solely four distinctive movements (squats, lunges, pushups, and rows) that become progressively more demanding with each round. You can perform this workout at your residence or at the fitness center to kick your backside into high gear. (Then attempt this 30-minute, no-equipment circuit tomorrow to vary things up!)
How it operates: Execute 1 set of every exercise consecutively, with little to no pause between movements. If necessary, rest 30 to 60 seconds between circuits.
You’ll require: A set of 5- to 25-pound dumbbells (Select a weight hefty enough to make it challenging to complete the final repetition with proper form).
Circuit 1: Fundamental Squat
Vanessa Rogers
A. Stand with feet hips-width apart, gripping dumbbells by sides.
B. Descend into a squat position, pushing hips backward, maintaining knees behind toes, and reach dumbbells to the floor.
C. Return to the initial position and repeat.
Circuit 1: Reverse Lunge
Vanessa Rogers
A. Stand with feet together, gripping dumbbells by sides.
B. Step one leg back, lowering into a lunge by bending both knees about 90 degrees, maintaining good posture and abs tight.
C. Go back to the starting position and immediately repeat with the opposite leg. That’s one repetition.
Do 15 repetitions.
Circuit 1: Kneeling Push-Up
Vanessa Rogers
A. Begin in a modified plank position with hands slightly wider than shoulders, knees bent, and ankles crossed.
B. Lower yourself into a push-up, keeping your abdominal muscles tight to prevent your hips from sagging.
C. Return to the starting position and repeat. (
Do 15 repetitions.
Circuit 1: Wide Rows
Vanessa Rogers
A. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells with palms facing your thighs.
B. Lean forward from your hips at a 45-degree angle, maintaining a natural straight spine and tight abdominal muscles.
C. Bend your elbows, pulling your arms back in line with your shoulders, squeezing your shoulder blades back and together.
D. Lower your arms and repeat, maintaining the forward lean throughout.
Do 15 repetitions.
Circuit 2: Lateral Squat
Vanessa Rogers
A. Stand with your feet together, holding dumbbells by your sides.
B. Take a wide step to the right and lower into a squat position as your arms reach toward the floor, pressing the weights together.
C. Return to the starting position and immediately repeat on the left side. That’s one repetition.
Do 15 repetitions.
Circuit 2: Forward Lunge
Vanessa Rogers
A. Stand with your feet together, holding dumbbells by your sides.
B. Step one leg forward and lower into a lunge, bending both knees about 90 degrees, maintaining good posture and tight abdominal muscles.
C. Return to the starting position and immediately repeat on the opposite side. That’s one repetition.
Do 15 repetitions on each side.
Circuit 2: Reaching Push-Up
Vanessa Rogers
A. From a full plank position, lower yourself into a push-up, keeping your abdominal muscles tight to prevent your hips from sagging.
B. Press back up into a full plank position and immediately extend one arm up by your ear, with the palm facing inward.
C. Lower your arm to return to the starting position. That’s one repetition.
D
Repeat, alternating arms with every repetition.
>Stand with feet slightly wider than hips-width apart, holding the end of one dumbbell with both hands in front of chest with elbows bent.
B. Lower into a deep squat position, tracking knees over toes.
C. Return to starting position and repeat.
Do 15 reps.
Circuit 4: Side Lunge
Vanessa Rogers
A. Stand with feet together, gripping dumbbells by sides.
B. Take a wide step to the right, lowering into a side lunge by bending only right leg and pushing hips back, reaching dumbbells on either side of right foot.
C. Return to starting position and immediately repeat on opposite side. That’s one rep.
Do 15 reps.
Circuit 5: Lateral Stepping Push-Up
Vanessa Rogers
A. Start in full plank position with feet together and hands slightly narrower than shoulders-width apart, abs drawn in tight.
B. Step left foot and left hand out to the left side (about hips- and shoulders-width apart) and lower into a push-up.
C. Press back up and return left foot and hand to starting position.
D. Repeat, this time stepping right foot and hand out to the right side. That’s one rep.
Do 15 reps.
Circuit 6: Oblique Row
Vanessa Rogers
A. Start in a split stance with right leg forward, holding a dumbbell in left hand only.
B. Hinge forward from hips about 45 degrees, keeping spine naturally straight and abs tight.
C. Bend elbow toward ceiling, pulling arm in tight by side, squeezing shoulder blade back and together.
D. Slowly lower arm and repeat.
Do 15 reps.
Descend into a lunge and pivot forward from hips approximately 45 degrees, maintaining a naturally straight backbone and tight core muscles, extending both arms towards the right foot.
E. Switch sides and repeat with right hand holding onto a dumbbell.
Do 15 reps per side.
Circuit 4: Alternating Reverse Lunge
Vanessa Rogers
A. Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells by sides.
B. Take a step back with the right foot and lower into a lunge position, bending both knees to 90 degrees.
C. Push off the right foot and return to starting position, then immediately repeat the movement with the left foot stepping back. That’s one rep.
Do 15 reps.
Circuit 4: Inverted Row
Vanessa Rogers
A. Set up a bar at hip-height and position yourself underneath it, lying on your back.
B. Grab the bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
C. Brace abs and squeeze shoulder blades together as you lift your chest up towards the bar.
D. Lower yourself back down to starting position.
Do 16 reps.
- Perform the same action on the opposing side. That counts as one repetition. (Remember to cool down after completing this comprehensive circuit training session!)
Complete fifteen repetitions.
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