Circuit training incorporates both strength training and cardiovascular exercise into a single workout by alternating between the two types of exercise and keeping your heart rate elevated throughout. A complete circuit training workout takes as little as 20 minutes, although more intense training goes longer. Circuit training can be adapted from your current workout and made appropriate for beginning exercisers through experts, but always consult your doctor before beginning any new routine.
Running
A running workout can easily be adapted for circuit training whether you run outdoors or on a treadmill. Outdoors you can break your run up with regular interruptions of strength training exercises such as pushups, pullups, squats, lunges, bridges and sit-ups. Indoor runs can be broken up in much the same way, but the added equipment available in your gym will increase the number of options you have for your strength training exercises. Remember to check your heart rate regularly to ensure that you are maintaining your cardiovascular goals, and adjust your routine accordingly.
Boot Camp
Boot camps are another option for circuit training and have the added benefit of group camaraderie and accountability. These are often done with little to no equipment and may be indoors or out. Strength training exercises often borrowed from military boot camp training -- such as pushups, dive bombers and a variety of squats and lunges -- are broken up with individual or team-based cardio drills such as shuttle runs or relay racing.
Selectorized Equipment
People who prefer the stability of selectorized strength equipment circuits will have no trouble incorporating them into a circuit training routine. Intersperse the sets you perform on machines such as the lat pulldown, leg press and chest press with short bursts of cardiovascular activity. These bursts can include anything that you have access to, from jumping jacks to jump ropes or from stationary bicycles to climbing stairs.
Free Weights
Every free-weight routine can be different than the last, which is great for preventing boredom. As with all of the other circuit training workouts, a complete free-weight circuit workout should include a full body strength workout that is interrupted with bursts of cardiovascular exercise sufficient to keep your heart within your target range. That means that if your goal is to keep your heart rate between 125 and 145 beats per minute, then you should do an interval of cardio -- generally 20 to 120 seconds long -- until your heart rate reaches that range and then do strength training exercises until it begins to fall. You will continue to alternate strength and cardio throughout your routine to maintain your heart rate goal. A gentle warm-up and cooldown to gradually raise and lower your heart rate at the beginning and end of the workout are equally important. This can be achieved with a five-minute walk before and after the circuit training routine.
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