What is Circuit Training? The Basics & Benefits

Are you bored with your workout routine? 

Do you feel that you’re doing the same exercises over and over and want to mix up your routine?

If you haven’t tried circuit training before, now might be the time to try it out. You can complete a circuit in 15 minutes or less depending on the number of exercises involved. Then, do as many rounds as you want within the timeframe you have.

You can create your own circuit training routine or see if there is a group setting in a gym near you. If you’d rather work out at home, you can do that with either bodyweight exercises or using equipment.

Circuit training can be flexible and if you struggle with boredom, you can switch up the routine as often as you like. Golden Era bodybuilders may have used this method without realizing when creating their full-body workouts.

Today, we will discuss circuit training:

• What it is
• Different methods and places you can circuit train
• The advantages and disadvantages of circuit training

What is Circuit Training?

When completing circuit training, you’ll cycle through five to ten different exercises for anywhere from 30 seconds to three minutes. It’s typically a mix of aerobic and strength training exercises, but can be one or the other.

Each exercise is considered a station, and you complete one and then rest before you move to the next. You can expect to spend between 20 to 30 minutes completing several circuits but can spend up to 45 minutes. The amount of circuits is up to you or determined by the amount of time spent.

Some confuse circuit with HIIT, or high-intensity interval training. When comparing circuit training vs HIIT, what’s the difference?

As we’ve discussed before, HIIT is a mixture of high-intensity exercises followed by lower intensity exercises. You typically max out at 30 minutes completing HIIT exercises and they tend more towards aerobic exercises.

If you’re interested in HIIT but have little gym experience, you may want to start with circuit training first. There are different types of circuit training you can do and there can be a great deal of flexibility available.

Different Methods of Circuit Training

Beginners and more advanced gym-goers can both use this method as part of their workout routine. Even if you don’t have a gym membership, you can still take part in circuit training.

Let’s look at the different ways you can get your workout in using circuit training.

At Home

If you prefer to work out at home rather than go to the gym, circuit training may be something worth trying. You can perform an entire circuit training sequence with no equipment if needed.

If you don’t want to put together your own workout, check YouTube for already designed workouts. Or you can use a DVD or streaming service that allows you to follow along. 

You may need minimal equipment for this method of circuit training:

• Dumbbells
• Kettlebells
• Resistance bands

Want to try it out and put together a personalized circuit training workout? Check out our six-step guide to creating a circuit workout that fits best to help you meet your goals.

At the Gym

Do you already have a gym membership or prefer to work out in this setting rather than at home? Depending on the gym you go to, there may already be a dedicated circuit training area already set up.

This will probably be in a corner of the gym sectioned off from the rest of the gym floor. There’s a big clock that automatically times you at each station and times your rest period. You move in a predictable pattern from one station to the next for at least three rounds.

If you’re alone in the circuit training area, you can mix it up and do your own routine. And if there isn’t a specified area, you can use the free weights and/or machines to create your own circuit. CrossFit gyms use a form of circuit training to complete WODs (workout of the day).

Just make sure it’s not busy and you aren’t getting in anyone’s way. If each piece of equipment isn’t close together, you may use up your entire rest period moving between stations.

You’ll also need a timer to set for each round of exercise and rest periods to do this on your own. 

Fitness Trails

Depending on where you live, this option may be available in your area. If you’d rather workout in the great outdoors, a fit-trail could be just what you need. 

They usually set this up in a park or nature area. There are 10 or 20 stations connected by trails. You can walk or jog between stations and can complete each station as many times as you want.

The course will have a map available to show:

• Where each station is
• What the exercise is for each station
• How many there are total
• How long the trail is between each station

This might be a good way to get the whole family involved or exercise as a group. Also called a parcourse, this method of circuit training has gained in popularity in certain states.

Check here to see if you can find one near you.

Advantages of Circuit Training

If you’re interested in trying out circuit training, here are some benefits you can expect.

Any Fitness Level is Welcome

Unlike HIIT and other exercises, you can complete circuit training at any fitness level. This is a great way to work out consistently as a beginner to move towards a more advanced routine.

You can also use this type of exercise routine to improve your muscular endurance. If you don’t need as much cardio, focus more on strength exercises. If you’d rather complete your circuits as a form of cardio, fill your routine with cardio exercises.

Want the best of both worlds? Then create a routine that has cardio and strength exercises included. The flexibility of using this method is one thing that attracts people to it.

Circuit training may not be the best method to use for bodybuilders and weightlifters looking for serious gains. However, if you have different goals, this method might be a nice way to shake up your routine.

Here’s another reason it’s great for anyone of all fitness levels.

Equipment Optional

If you prefer to do bodyweight exercises or just don’t have equipment available, circuit training is a great option. You can put together an effective circuit training workout with no equipment needed.

Check out this list of effective no-equipment workouts:

As you can see, you don’t need equipment to get an awesome workout in. And here’s another advantage to circuit training. 

Combat Boredom

If you struggle with boredom at the gym, circuit training might help you work through it. There are many exercises that can be incorporated into your circuit workout routine. 

You also have control of:

• How long you do each exercise and round
• How many rounds you do
• How many reps and sets are included
• How many exercises are included in each round

You can combine aerobic and strength training together or focus on just one. You can also create a full-body circuit workout or focus on just upper-body or lower-body. 

The possibilities are endless when creating a tailored circuit workout routine.

Now, what if you have limited time to get your routine in between other tasks?

Time Constraints

Another great thing about circuit training is you can use your time wisely. If you only have 15 minutes to workout, you can create a short circuit routine to fit that timeframe. 

Maybe later this week you have 30 or 45 minutes to train. You can put together a circuit routine that’s longer to really give you the best full-body workout.

Much like the ability to change up the exercise routine to combat boredom, you can do the same here. No matter if you only have a small block of time available, you can get an effective circuit training workout in.

However, the less time you have, the more intense your workouts should be to get the same results. As you’ll see soon, high-intensity training in shorter time periods can still be effective.  

Workout Together or Alone

If you’re a loner, then you can easily create a circuit workout routine that meets your needs. Talk with a trainer first or do a group class to really get the hang of it. But, working out alone is possible when doing circuit training stations.

Of course, make sure your routine is made up of only exercises you know how to do it with perfect form. If you don’t, have a spotter or head to the gym to learn proper techniques first. Then, you can branch out on your own and mix it up as much as you want.

If you’d rather workout in a group setting, head to a fit trail if there’s one in your area. Or you can head to the gym and do a circuit training class with other members.

Another reason to consider the group setting is that you might get ideas for creating your own workout routine. Once you’re ready to make your own, you can get a group of friends together and build a great routine.

Are there health benefits to circuit training? Let’s take a look.

Improve your Health

Completing circuit training can have positive effects on your health, even if you’re overweight. Take this study of 58 overweight men right around 60 years old. The researchers divided them between three groups:

• Low-intensity circuit training
• High-intensity circuit training
• Traditional endurance training

They all worked out the same amount of time: three times per week for 50 minutes for 12 weeks. At the end, the high-intensity circuit training group showed positive effects on their:

• Fat mass
• Blood pressure
• Total cholesterol
• LDL (bad) cholesterol
• Lipoproteins
• Triglycerides

All three groups showed lower body weight compared to their starting weights.

For those who prefer shorter workout durations, this study shows promising results as well. Eight obese sedentary males worked out for 30-minutes three times a week for four weeks. They also completed high-intensity circuit training workouts.

In the end, they saw the following decreases:

• Resting HR (16%)
• Systolic BP (5.5%)
• Fat tissue (3.6%)
• Lean muscle tissue (2%)
• Cholesterol (13%)
• Triglycerides (37%)
• Insulin (18%)

This Health & Fitness Journal study also advises that the high-intensity exercise with short rest periods can:

• Improve cardiopulmonary health by increasing VO2 max
• Decrease insulin resistance and improve or eliminate type 2 diabetes
• Melt away subcutaneous fat
• Increase levels of growth hormone

While circuit training can be an effective and healthy type of exercise, there are still some things to consider.

Disadvantages of Circuit Training

Circuit training is something to consider for people of any fitness level but it’s not for everyone.

Risk of Injury

While the risk of injury is less compared to HIIT, there is still a real possibility it can happen. Especially when you’re doing high-intensity circuit training (HICT) rather than low-intensity exercises.

Make sure you know the proper form and technique for each exercise before you do it. Push yourself to muscle fatigue to help with gains but don’t push yourself so hard that you risk injury.

If you feel dizzy or lightheaded while working out, sit down and take a break. Get some water and sip it until you start to feel better. 

If you’re a beginner, start out with lower intensity exercises first before you go high-intensity. It’s just not worth the risk of injury to derail you from your fitness goals.

Only Healthy People Should Try This

As with any type of new exercise, you should always check with your doctor before beginning. This is especially true if you want to do HICT instead of LICT.

There are some other health concerns that may mean circuit training isn’t the right format for you:

• Obese (unless under the guidance of a clinician)
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Heart disease
• Certain physical injuries

Some of these health concerns will limit the exercises or the intensity, but still allow you to do circuit training. 

But remember, your health is most important so if your doctor says it’s not right for you, consider something else.

Plan Accordingly

If your circuit training is heavy on resistance exercises, you want to plan your week out accordingly. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you have at least two rest days between resistance training muscle groups.

That means if you did a full-body routine, wait at least two days before you work your major muscle groups. However, if you just focused on upper-body then you can do your lower-body the next day.

Take your goals and limitations into account when planning your circuit training routine. You can be flexible so use it to your advantage.

Exercise Order

While it’s true that a beginner can use circuit training as an effective exercise method, there are things to think about. If you have certain muscle weaknesses, the order you perform your exercises is important.

You should train the weakest muscles first for optimal results and proper fatiguing. You can also protect yourself from potential injury if you have muscle weaknesses.

Some beginners wouldn’t know this until it’s too late. The best way to prevent injury and get the most benefit from circuit training? Start out with a trainer first or use a group setting before you go out on your own.

This may mean that at home workouts should be left to more experienced people. Anything that is high-intensity should be for intermediate and above fitness levels only. This is for your own safety and wellbeing.

Final Thoughts

Circuit training is a method of exercise that combines aerobic and resistance training to improve muscle performance. The flexibility for time, reps and sets, and exercises used can make this an attractive option for some.

Beginners should work out in a group setting first or with a trainer for best results and to avoid injury. Gyms aren’t the only place for a group setting if there is a parcourse or fit-trail near you.

Regardless of where you choose to workout, Vintage Bolt™ can give you the energy you need to maximize performance. Build both muscle strength and size using this pre-workout with no caffeine so you can rest and recover later.

If you struggle with boredom or have time constraints, high-intensity circuit training might be for you. Always check with your doctor if there are any health concerns before trying a new workout method.

Do you use circuit training? Do you enjoy doing your rounds alone or in a group setting? We’d love to hear about your experience in the comments section below.