Circuit workouts are fast-paced, and they are designed to get your heart rate elevated and keep it there. Not only do they burn calories, they also help build muscle, which is a highly metabolic tissue. If you are trying to preserve the integrity of your joints, stick with low-impact circuits that do not involve any leaping, jumping or pouncing. With all of your circuits, aim for 30-second rest breaks between exercises and do three or four total circuits.
Free Weight Circuit
Free weights include any type of added resistance that is not bound by a cable, chain, pulley or lever. Such tools as dumbbells, barbells, medicine balls and weight plates can be used in a low-impact circuit. Include exercises such as chest presses, overhead shoulder presses, bent-over rows, overhead medicine ball throws, dumbbell curls and weighted decline crunches. With all of these exercises, your body is in a stable position with no stress to your joints.
Machine Circuit
Weight machines are the complete opposite of free weights. They have seats and benches to sit or lie on while you move handles and levers back and forth to work your muscles. These offer very little in the way of impact, and you can find a machine to work all of your major muscle groups. The chest press, shoulder press, lat pulldown, triceps extension, biceps curl, leg press and seated ab crunch are all examples of weight machines you can factor into your workouts. In between each exercise, you can use the time to set up each machine for your rest breaks.
Body Weight Circuit
A body weight low-impact circuit does not require free weights or machines, but you might need a couple of tools. For example, pull-ups and dips are two good exercises to include into a body weight circuit, but you need a pull-up bar and weight bench to do them. Add other exercises into this circuit such as incline push-ups, decline push-ups, squats, lunges, V-ups and contralateral limb raises. To avoid impact with pull-ups, have a bench nearby to stand on once you finish your reps.
Cardio Circuit
Cardio exercises primarily work your cardiovascular system, and they also help burn calories. To spice up your workouts, do a low-impact circuit with nothing but cardio. Include indoor cycling, rowing, stair climbing, rowing and walking at a steep incline on a treadmill. Instead of doing reps, time yourself with each exercise and do each one back to back with no rest. It will take a few seconds to get set up on the next machine anyway. Perform each exercise for 60 seconds, then start right back at the top.
Combination
A low-impact combination circuit workout involves a variety of all types of exercises meshed together. For example, push-ups, dumbbell shoulder presses and leg extensions can all be done in the same workout. Notice how there is a combination of body weight, free weight and machine weight exercises. You can also add cardiovascular exercise into the mix. In between each weight training exercise, do 45 to 60 seconds of step aerobics, cycling, elliptical training or some other form of low-impact aerobics.
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