You can build your own cirucuit based on your needs and equiptment available. Its really easy! There are exercises in each group that utilize body weight, dumbbells and barbells for you to choose.

If you are new to lifting, its is a good idea to schedule an appointment with a personal trainer to run you through proper technique. Form and posture are VERY important!!!

How to:

1. Pick one exercise from each of the following 9 groups.
2. Do each exercise for 30 seconds or 15-20 repetitions and move onto the next without rest. Focus on form, keep a steady cadence but don’t rush the exercises.
3. Rest 2 minutes after you have completed all 9 exercises you have chosen from each group.
4. If the exercise works each limb separately like the triceps kickback for example, do 30 seconds or 15-20 reps for each arm.
5. If using dumbbells or barbells, choose a weight that will allow you to be challenged for the time frame or rep range. If you reach the end of 30 seconds or surpass the number of allotted reps and feel the exercise was too easy, increase the weight or extend the time interval.
6. The circuit one time through should take about 7-9 minutes (including transitions). Four times through should take about 28-36 minutes.

DB: dumbbells

BB:  barbell

All exercises are linked to a video.

Group 1: Back- pick 1

1. Horizontal pull-up
2. Pull-up: Palms facing away (wide grip, narrow grip)
3. Row: DB or BB
4. Rear lateral raise: DB
5. Swiss ball Y raise
6. Swiss ball T raise
7. Seated cable row wide or narrow grip
8. Lat pulldown
9. Standing cable pushdown or EZ bar pullover

Group 2: Shoulders- pick 1

1. Shoulder press: DB or BB
2. Inverted shoulder press
3. Front raise: DB
4. Lateral raise: DB
5. Bent arm lateral raise: DB

Group 3: Quads- pick 1

1. Air Squat
2. Jump squat
3. Box jumps
4. Depth jumps
5. Jumping alternating lunges
6. Walking lunges: DB
7. Front squat: DB or BB
8. Hack squat
9. Back squat: BB, Narrow or Wide
10. Goblet squat: DB
11. Sumo squat: DB or kettlebell

Group 4: Chest- pick 1

1. Push-ups (modified, incline or decline)
2. Bench press: DB or BB
3. Cable cross over
4. Medicine ball chest pass or supine throw
5. DB fly
6. Pec dec fly

Group 5: Biceps- pick 1

1. Chin ups
2. Curl: DB or EZ bar
3. Hammer curls: DB
4. Cable curls– rope or bar

Group 6: Glutes & Hams- pick 1

1. Smith machine lunges
2. Glute bridge
3. Hip thruster– with or without DB
4. Reverse hip raise: swiss ball
5. Dead lift: DB or BB
6. Straight leg deadlift: DB or BB
7. Cable kick backs
8. Hamstring curl: DB or machine
9. Cable pull through
10. Bench step ups: DB
11. Kettlebell swings

Group 7: Triceps- pick 1

1. Bench dips
2. Close grip push-ups
3. Kickbacks: DB
4. Overhead triceps extension: DB
5. Cable triceps pushdown
6. Overhead cable triceps extension

Group 8: Core- pick 1

1. Plank
2. Mountain climber – slow
3. Swiss ball jackknife
4. Leg lifts
5. Supine bicycle crunch
6. Swiss ball rollout
7. Russian twist
8. Sit-up
9. Crunches: swiss ball or floor
10. Kneeling cable crunch
11. Reverse crunch
12. Hanging leg raise

Group 9: Cardio (intense)- pick 1

1. Running
2. Jumping rope
3. Rowing
4. Cycling
5. Up-hill jogging
6. Stair climbing
7. Mountain climbers– fast
8. Alternating jump lunges
9. Burpees
10. Frog jumps
11. Froggers
12. Tuck jumps
13. High knees
14. Shadow boxing
15. Jumping Jacks
16. Bear crawl

Rest 2 Min

Repeat

 

Printable document: Build Your Own Total Body Circuit Workout- PDF graphic