circuit training, in the gym, park, your living room

Circuit training is a combination of high-intensity aerobics and resistance training designed to be easy to follow, give you a great workout, and target fat loss and muscle building. An exercise circuit is one completion of all exercises in the program the idea being that when one circuit is complete, you start at the first exercise again for another circuit. Traditionally, the time between exercises in circuit training is short, often with rapid movement to the next exercise. This program has only five exercises.
If you follow the complete program of three circuits at the nominated intensity plus warmup and cool down, you should expend at least 600calories not bad considering you get strength development and cardio at the same time in under an hour of activity. Starting out, you can choose to do only one or two circuits and then progress to three or more and adjust weights and repetitions to suit your fitness as you progress.

Time for each circuit: 15 minutes (approximately)
Equipment required: a step of 6 inches, two dumbbells.
Exercises: five – basic step aerobics, dumbbell overhead press, arm curl, weighted lunge, squat
Number of circuits in a workout: three; but start with one or two and work up if necessary
Muscle groups targeted: shoulders, arms, back, legs, butt, abdominals

1.A complete circuit takes about 15 minutes total time, involves five exercises and requires one set of dumbbells and one step platform or equivalent of at least 6 inches

2.The dumbbells should be of a weight so that the maximum number of repetitions of the upper body exercises, the overhead press and arm curl, is 10-12 repetitions, and not much more for one set. It's important that these weights are heavy enough to build strength and muscle. The lower body exercises, the weighted lunge and the squat, are done with the same dumbbells at the side allowing more flexibility.

3.This circuit exercise program can be adjusted to get the kind of workout required depending on fitness and training goals. as in your number of circuits and the weights used.

4.This circuit can be done at home, a gym or the park. You need a space sufficient to utilize a step platform or equivalent, a set of dumbbells and sufficient room for lunges and squats

5.The exercises involving leg movement such as stepups and lunges are meant to raise the cardio intensity, while the standing weights exercises allow some comparative interval rest while focusing on muscle and strength development.

6.The times set for each exercise include movement between exercises, interval rest and setup time for each. It’s a busy schedule on purpose.

Ok let's star theeExercises
1.Warmup. Start with a light warmup of about ten minutes. You can stretch, jog, or fast walk on the spot or treadmill, do some dumbbell arm curls and overhead presses at leisurely pace with a light weight and a few crunches. Really whatever you like, but warm up the entire body!

2.Stepups, fast , 40 steps. Step up onto the step bench starting with the right foot, follow with the left, then reverse it down again. This exercise should be performed as fast as possible. Make sure the step is anchored solidly before starting. (2 minutes.)

3.Dumbbell curls. Hold the dumbbells at the sides, palms facing inward (like a hammer grip). Do 12 alternate curls with each arm lifting the dumbbell to the shoulder by rotating the forearm so that the palms face upward, flexing at the elbow, then return to the side. These curls should be done somewhat slowly while emphasizing good form. (90 seconds)

4.Stepups, fast, 40 steps. Same as number 2, Stepups.(2 minutes.)

5.Dumbbell lunges, fast , 20 lunges, 10 each side. Hold dumbbells by the side, hammer grip, and lunge forward with each foot alternately, ensuring the knee does not extend beyond the toes. Keep the dumbbells by the side as you lunge. This exercise should be done as fast as reasonably possible. (90 seconds)

6.Stepups, fast, 40 steps. Same as number 2, Stepups.(2 minutes.)

7.Overhead pres, 10-12 repetitions. Move immediately to the dumbbell weights. Do 10-12 overhead dumbbell presses. Hold dumbbells horizontally at the shoulders with upright arms. Lift the dumbbells overhead with full arm extension making sure not to lock the elbows out explosively. Return to the shoulder and immediately repeat the exercise. Do this exercise slowly with good form. (90 seconds)

8.Stepups, fast , 40 steps. Same as number 2, Stepups.(2 minutes.)

9.Dumbbell squats, do 20 squats. without rest. and repeat until the 2 min is achieved. Hold dumbbells at the sides with arms long. Do these squats slowly with good form. The back should be kept straight or slightly arched inward, the neutral position, but not rounded at shoulders or spine, with head still, looking forward. (2 minutes.)

10.CIRCUIT REPEAT. Rest for two minutes between circuits only if necessary. Remember to move quickly between exercises.

Now cool yourself down.

Try to choose weights and stepup repetitions that you can stick with for the complete circuit once you begin. Do three circuits for a total of about 45 minutes with ten minutes warmup and ten cool down. I can't stress enough that you need to move quickly between exercises, you don't want to cool down. The intervals between exercises are deliberately minimal and are mainly changeover time. This is to keep that heart rate pulsing along at greater than 70 per cent of your maximum output, which is where you get good training effect and metabolism increases. The number of exercises in the circuit has deliberately been minimized so that it's is easy to learn and easy to remember without having to stop and figure out what you're doing. There are no shortcuts to fat loss and fitness when it comes to exercise, you can go "hard and short" or "slow and long" or somewhere in between. This circuit program is somewhere in between. I can promise that your butt will be hangin' out at the end of it if you max it out.

Enjoy your workout!