Time-saving workouts are effective, but require preplanning. When you have limited available workout time after a full day of work and other responsibilities, use a circuit training routine three days a week to aid in weight loss and increase your muscle tone. Circuit training combines strength training exercises and aerobic exercises to burn calories and strengthen your muscles. This is a fast-paced workout that uses your strength training rest time to increase the flow of oxygen to your working muscles. The September 2011 issue of the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research" reports that high-resistance circuit training with short rest periods provides the same benefits as traditional weight training with longer rests in between sets.
Step 1
Walk in place for five minutes to warm your body.
Step 2
Perform six to eight pushups. Begin on your hands and knees. Straighten your arms and place your hands underneath your shoulders. Straighten your legs and rest your toes on the floor. Bend your elbows and lower your body close to the floor. Straighten your elbows and return to start position. Elevate your feet onto a couch if you are able to perform more than eight repetitions. Use single-arm pushups to further increase the challenge. Follow your upper-body strengthening exercise with a 30- to 60-second cardio burst. Run in place, run stairs or perform jumping jacks. Repeat the strength and cardio intervals two to three times.
Step 3
Perform six to eight squats. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Stand tall with your feet underneath your hips. Inhale and bend your knees and lower your hips until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Exhale and straighten your legs to start position. Perform single-leg squats if you are able to complete more than eight repetitions. Lift high knees, jump up and down, or jump rope for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat the intervals two to three times.
Step 4
Use a heavy pair of dumbbells to complete six to eight arm curls. Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand. Straighten your arms to your sides and face your palms forward. Exhale and bend your elbows to lift the dumbbell to your shoulders. Inhale and straighten your arms. Perform a cardio interval for 30 to 60 seconds such as quick heel touches behind your body, a fast run in place or running the stairs. Complete two or three sets of this interval.
Step 5
Alternate forward lunges to strengthen your legs. Hold a heavy pair of dumbbells in your hands. Stand tall with your feet underneath your hips. Step 3 feet forward with your right foot. Bend both knees to a 90-degree angle and lower into the lunge. Return your right foot to start position and repeat with your left leg. Complete six to eight lunges on each leg. Perform 30 to 60 seconds of a cardio blast. Jump up and down, lift high knees or kick alternating legs to the front of your body.
Step 6
Do abdominal training at the end of your workout. Complete two or three sets of six to eight repetitions. Use full situps, half situps and situps with a rotation at the top to improve the strength and tone of your stomach. Perform abdominal rolls for 30 to 60 seconds between sets of stomach exercises. Lie on your back and tuck your knees to your chest. Roll back and forth on your spine as you sit up and lie down.
Step 7
Walk in place for five minutes to cool down.
Step 8
Complete the workout three days a week with a day of rest between circuit training sessions.
Tips and Warnings
- Write down your exercises before you begin for fast transitions from one to the next. Alternate upper-body exercises with lower-body exercises for overall toning.
Things You'll Need
- 3- to 20-lb. dumbbells
References
- "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research"; Similarity in Adaptations to High-Resistance Circuit vs. Traditional Strength Training in Resistance-Trained Men; P. E. Alcaraz, et al.; September 2011
- Ask Dr. Len Kravitz; The Fitness Professional's Complete Guide to Circuits and Intervals; Len Kravitz, Ph.D.
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