Beginner’s Guide to Circuit Training: Get Fit, Burn Fat, and Have Fun!

I’ve been a personal trainer for more than 30 years. But, before working with clients 1-on-1, I was a group exercise instructor specializing in circuit training. My circuit classes were always popular, and I regularly packed large sports halls with over 100 enthusiastic participants. Managing such large groups was often challenging but always rewarding.

Circuits were also an intrinsic part of my strength and conditioning work as an athlete and a big part of my fitness training in the Royal Marines. In short, I’m something of a circuit training expert.

While I no longer teach group classes, I still use circuit training with my personal training clients, from raw beginners to elite and advanced.

Why?

Because it’s one of the most effective and time-efficient workouts I know!

In this article, I explain why and how to do circuit training and provide some sample beginner workouts to try.

What is Circuit Training

Circuit training is an old-school workout method that has existed since the times of ancient Rome and Greece. However, it was studied at Leeds University in the UK by R.E. Morgan and G.T. Anderson in 1953 (1) and has been popular ever since.

There are several ways to do circuit training, but in its simplest form, it involves doing a sequence of exercises with little or no rest in between. Exercises are called stations in circuit training and are performed for time or repetitions. Circuits typically involve 2-5 rounds of 6-15 stations, although these numbers are not set in stone.

For example, do three rounds of the following stations, performing as many repetitions as possible in 30 seconds. Move quickly from one exercise to the next and rest for 1-2 minutes between laps.

1. Push-ups
2. Squat jumps
3. Resistance band pulldowns
4. Crunches
5. Back extensions
6. Resistance band overhead presses
7. Alternating lunges
8. Dumbbell curls
9. Plank jacks
10. Prisoner good mornings

Circuit workouts are adaptable to all levels of fitness and most training goals. In short, it’s a very flexible way to organize your exercises.

Related:

• Circuit Training vs. Cross Training
• Circuit Training vs. HIIT For Fitness and Fat Loss

The Benefits of Circuit Training

Circuit training offers a wide range of advantages and benefits, some of which are pretty unique. These include:

Time-efficient workouts – conventional strength training involves more time resting than exercising. In contrast, circuit training involves much less rest, so workouts can be shorter. Alternatively, you can get more done in the same duration. Either way, circuit training is an excellent use of your valuable time.

Burn more calories – the non-stop nature of circuit training burns a lot of kilocalories. While the exact amount of energy you’ll use doing circuits depends on the exercise intensity and duration, it’ll probably be higher than for a conventional workout. As such, circuit training is a great way to burn kilocalories, lose fat, and manage your weight (2).

See how many kilocalories you can burn circuit training with this handy calculator.

Build a high level of all-around fitness – most workouts are either aerobic or anaerobic, e.g., running vs. lifting weights. However, circuit training is aerobic AND anaerobic, providing a more balanced workout (2). Best of all, because you develop these fitness qualities simultaneously, you won’t have to work out as often.

Versatile – you can adapt circuit training for almost any fitness level and exercise goal. All aspects of a circuit workout can be modified, allowing you to create the best possible program for your needs and abilities.

These variables include:

• Exercise difficulty
• Number of stations per workout
• Duration/number of reps
• Load
• Proximity to failure
• Rest between stations
• Number of rounds
• Rest between rounds

Good for your health – circuit training offers numerous health-boosting benefits, including increased glucose and insulin sensitivity, improved cardiorespiratory health, reduced stress, lower blood pressure, and increased bone mass and tendon/muscle strength. However, these health benefits are not unique to circuits, and many other workouts offer similar effects (3).

Related: Circuit Training Benefits – What Makes This Workout Worth Doing?

Beginner’s Circuit Sample Workouts

So, you want to try circuit training for yourself but aren’t sure where to start? I hear you!

Here are five circuit workouts for beginners. Do each one as written, or modify them according to your needs and goals, e.g., by changing the exercises or adjusting the rep or time targets.

But before you begin, make sure you spend a few minutes preparing your body for what you are about to do. After all, a good workout always starts with a thorough warm-up.

Begin with 5-10 minutes of easy cardio followed by dynamic mobility and flexibility exercises for the joints and muscles you are about to use. Finish your warm-up with a slow and easy run-through of the exercises in your chosen circuit.

Warmed up and ready to go? Then let’s begin!

Workout #1: Bodyweight Time-Controlled Circuit

This workout requires no equipment and minimal space, making it ideal for home exercisers. It’s time-controlled, so just do as many reps as you comfortably can in the time allowed.

Do each of the following exercises for 30 seconds, taking no more than 10-15 seconds to transition from one station to the next. Perform 2-4 rounds and rest for 1-2 minutes between each one.

1. Air squats
2. Incline push-ups
3. Jumping jacks
4. Twisting crunches
5. Reverse lunges
6. Bench dips
7. Ali shuffles
8. Dead bugs

Workout #2: Resistance Band Rep-Controlled Circuit

Grab your bands and get ready to pump some rubber! This is another great home workout, but instead of working for a set time per station, you’ll be doing a predetermined number of reps. So, choose a resistance band that fatigues your muscles somewhere in the prescribed repetition range.

Do each of the following exercises for 15-20 reps, taking no more than 10-15 seconds to transition from one station to the next. Perform 2-4 rounds and rest for 1-2 minutes between each one.

1. Banded goblet squat
2. Resistance band chest press
3. Resistance band seated row
4. Banded leg curl
5. Resistance band shoulder press
6. Resistance band lat pulldown
7. Banded good Romanian deadlift
8. Resistance band Pallof press (left)
9. Resistance band Pallof press (right)
10. Band triceps pushdown

Workout #3: Mixed-Modality Time-Controlled Circuit

There is no reason to restrict your circuits to one type of training equipment. In fact, it’s probably more fun to use a variety of exercise tools. This workout uses several different modalities to deliver a varied all-around workout. Make any necessary substitutions if you do not have the prescribed equipment.

Do each of the following exercises for 30 seconds, taking no more than 10-15 seconds to transition from one station to the next. Perform 2-4 rounds and rest for 1-2 minutes between each one.

1. Dumbbell step-ups
2. Push-ups
3. Resistance band bent-over rows
4. Planks
5. Bulgarian split squat (left)
6. Bulgarian split squat (right)
7. Dumbbell biceps curl and shoulder press
8. Jump rope
9. Reverse crunches
10. Kettlebell swings

Workout #4: Strength Exercise Rep-Controlled Circuit

Circuit training often features bodyweight exercises, but you can get an equally effective workout from conventional strength training movements.

There are even gyms set up especially for this type of workout, usually with hydraulic or electromagnetic resistance machines. However, you can also do circuit strength training with regular strength training equipment.

Do each of the following exercises for 12-15 reps, taking no more than 10-15 seconds to transition from one station to the next. Perform 2-4 rounds and rest for 1-2 minutes between each one.

1. Leg press
2. Chest press
3. Lat pulldown
4. Leg curl
5. Leg extension
6. Shoulder press
7. Seated row
8. Cable crunch
9. Seated back extension

Workout #5: Cardio Time-Controlled Circuit

Cardio is good for everybody’s body, but many people find it boring. That’s unfortunate because regular cardio makes it easier to manage your weight and could even prolong your life. Cardio-based circuits are one of my favorite ways to make cardio more varied and interesting.

Do each of the following exercises for 2 minutes, taking no more than 10-15 seconds to transition from one station to the next. Perform 2-4 rounds and rest for 1-2 minutes between each one.

1. Treadmill (walk, jog, or run)
2. Bike
3. Rower
4. Elliptical

Closing Thoughts

Circuit training often looks beyond the reach of beginners. After all, it involves doing multiple exercises back to back. However, while circuit training can be incredibly demanding and intense, it can still work for novices.

Most circuit workouts can be modified to suit less fit individuals, and there are plenty of beginner circuits to try, like the five I’ve included in this article. Also, it’s up to you how hard you work. If you feel like you’re doing too much, just slow down and take a breather. Pacing yourself is a big part of successful circuit training.

Circuit training is such an effective workout that I strongly recommend trying it. However, I also caution against doing too much too soon, as circuit training will kick your butt if you let it!

Do you have a question about circuit training? Please drop me a line in the comments section below, and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

Related:

• Integrated Circuit Training for Fitness and Fat Loss
• Abs Circuit Workout: Training and Nutrition Tips for a Six-Pack

References:

1. University of New Mexico: New Insights into Circuit Training, Len Kravitz, Ph.D.
2. Sperlich B, Wallmann-Sperlich B, Zinner C, Von Stauffenberg V, Losert H, Holmberg HC. Functional High-Intensity Circuit Training Improves Body Composition, Peak Oxygen Uptake, Strength, and Alters Certain Dimensions of Quality of Life in Overweight Women. Front Physiol. 2017 Apr 3;8:172. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00172. PMID: 28420999; PMCID: PMC5376588.
3. Benck LR, Cuttica MJ, Colangelo LA, Sidney S, Dransfield MT, Mannino DM, Jacobs DR Jr, Lewis CE, Zhu N, Washko GR, Liu K, Carnethon MR, Kalhan R. Association between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Lung Health from Young Adulthood to Middle Age. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2017 May 1;195(9):1236-1243. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201610-2089OC. PMID: 28248551; PMCID: PMC5439017.

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