Circuit Training Exercises

This page guides a selection of circuit training exercises for the upper body, core and trunk, lower body and total body.

Upper Body Exercises

Press-up

Begin in the standard press-up position on the floor. Your upper body should be supported with your hands on the floor - shoulder-width apart. Your arms are fully extended, and your legs and feet are supported by your toes, which are hip-width apart. Lower the body until the elbows reach 90° and then extend the arms to return to the start position.

Alternate dumbbell punching

Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, arms bent, and dumbbells held near your chin. Punch out one hand at a time and return to starting position.

Prone Trunk Extensions

Begin by lying face down on the floor with your legs straight and your arms forward (they would be "overhead" if you were standing up). Slowly raise your chest, shoulders, and arms toward the ceiling as high as you can, keeping your toes in contact with the floor at all times. Then, slowly lower your chest, shoulders, and arms down to the floor, but do not rest on the floor - maintain some muscle tension throughout your back for the entire exercise.

Bench press

Lie on a bench with a dumbbell in each handheld on your chest. Press each dumbbell upwards and return it to the chest.

Bent over rowing

Stand with legs apart and slightly flexed, body bent at the waist. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, hanging down towards the ground. Lift dumbbells towards your shoulders and allow them to return to arms extended.

Biceps curls

Stand with a dumbbell in each hand and arms extended. With palms uppermost, curl the dumbbells to the shoulder.

Dumbbell bent arm pullovers

Lie on your back on a bench. Dumbbell held with two hands with arms extended. Lower the dumbbell to behind your head, and then extend the arms.

Dumbbell lateral raise

Stand or sit with a dumbbell in each hand hanging at the side of your body. Lift arms out to the side until hands are at shoulder height.

Seated Dips

Sit with your hands on the edge of the bench and your legs extended in front of you. Allow your body to descend to the floor and then press up.

Shoulder press

Stand or sit with a dumbbell in each handheld at shoulder height. PPress the dumbbell vertically to full extension and lower to starting position.

Dumbbell triceps press

Stand or sit with a dumbbell in one hand and hold it above the shoulder with the arm flexed. Slowly straighten the arm to vertical (use the other arm to stop lateral movements).

Straight arm pullovers

Lie on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand and arms fully extended behind the head. Slowly bring your arms to the vertical and lower them onto your thighs. Keep your arms locked straight throughout the movement.

Fly's

Lie on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended vertically. Gently lower your arms to the outstretched (crucifix) position and return to start.

Upright rowing

Stand with a dumbbell in each hand and arms extended on the thighs. Slowly raise dumbbells to the chest, keeping elbows high.

Core or Trunk Exercises

Low-back stabilisers

For this exercise, you will need a bench, padded table, or 'Roman-Chair' bench. Lie face down with your body extended and your hips at the edge of the bench's supporting surface. Your arms should be extended straight down toward the floor in front of you. It helps if your feet are wedged between the end of the bench and a wall for added stability. Smoothly raise both arms over your head while maintaining your trunk in full extension (your body should be horizontal to the floor and held straight as an arrow), and then return both arms to the starting position. Repeat this action repeatedly for the prescribed time.

Abdominal sit-backs

For this exercise, use a step, bench, or chair with no vertical support for your back. Sit with your legs bent and your arms extended in front of you. Then recline your trunk backward at the hips by about 45 degrees. To do the sit-backs, raise both arms simultaneously overhead while maintaining tight abdominal muscles and a square chest. Then return your arms to the extended position in front of you without moving your trunk or legs. Repeat this back-and-forth arm action smoothly and continuously without pausing at any point during the movement.

Back hyperextensions

Lie on your front with your hands by your shoulders. Raise your trunk off the ground, hold position, and then lower your chest.

Reverse abdominal curl

Lie on your back with your legs pointing to the ceiling. Push your legs higher and then lower. Hips will come off the floor.

Sit-ups

Lie on the floor with your knees bent. Perform sit-ups with hands on the sides of the head or folded across the chest.

V sit-ups

Lie on the floor with arms extended out in front of you on the floor. Lift trunk and legs simultaneously to form a V shape with the body. Return to lying position.

Abdominal crunch

Lie on your back, hands on your thighs, knees bent, and feet flat on the ground. Slide your hands up to the kneecaps to lift your shoulders off the floor and then lower them back to the floor.

Alternate leg V sit-ups

Lie on your back with your legs extended and arms across your chest. Lift legs alternately while at the same time raising trunk off the ground.

Plank

Lie on your front and support your body weight on your forearms and toes.

Lower Body Exercises

High Bench Step Up with Jumps

Begin from a standing position on a bench approximately knee-high, with your body weight on your left foot, and your weight shifted toward the left heel. The right foot should be free and held slightly behind the body. Lower your body until the heel of the right foot touches the ground, but support all your weight on your left foot. Return to (and through) the starting position by driving down with the left heel and straightening your l

eft leg as quickly as possible so that you jump vertically and leave the bench's surface. Lower your body before landing from the jump until your right foot touches the ground.

High knee sprints

Running on the spot with a high knee lift. Speed of movements and height of knees dictates the degree of effort used.

Jumping jacks

Stand upright with your arms at your side. Spring to legs astride while flinging your arms out to the abducted position. Jump back to starting position.

Jump over

Use several benches locked into position as a box to provide some height. Stand to one side of a bench, with your hands on the bench. Use a two-footed jump to clear the bench and land on the other side.

Kickbacks

Kneel on your hands and knees. Lift one leg off the ground, then hyperextend, and return to start.

Leg Lift

Use alternate legs in a high-forward kicking action.

Try to keep the leg straight when kicking.

Compass Jumps

Imagine standing in the centre of a compass - North is to your front. You hop with both legs forward to the North position and then hop back to the centre, hop to the right and then back to the centre, hop backwards and back to the centre and finally hop to the left and back to the centre. Repeat this action rhythmically and continuously without stopping for the allotted time.

Astride jumps

Stand with legs astride a bench. Jump up onto the bench and immediately jump back to the astride position.

Doggy kicks

Start on your hands and knees on a mat. Abduct and return alternate legs, keeping knee bent.

6-Way Lunges

Stand with your feet parallel and hip-width apart. Your arms should be bent at the elbows with your hands in front of your shoulders. Step forward with your right foot into a long-lunge position and lean your upper body forward approximately 45 degrees at the waist. Drop your hands on either side of your right knee as your right foot makes contact with the ground. Quickly extend your right knee and return your body to the original, full-standing position. Repeat with your left leg.

Step directly to your right with your right foot into a lateral-lunge position from the full standing position. Your upper body should face the right and lean forward over your right leg at approximately a 45-degree angle. Your left foot should remain to point straight ahead. Again, drop your hands on either side of your right knee as your right foot makes contact with the ground. Quickly extend your right knee and return your body to the original, full-standing position. Repeat with your left leg moving to the left.

Then, from the original standing position, step diagonally and to the rear with your right leg into a backwards-lateral lunge position. Your upper body should face to the right rear (about "4-o'clock") position and lean forward over your right leg at about 45 degrees. Your left foot should remain to point straight ahead. Again, drop your hands on either side of your right knee as your right foot makes contact with the ground. Quickly extend your right knee and return your body to its original position. Repeat with your left leg, moving it to the left-rear ("8-o'clock") position.

Repeat the entire series of movements (forward right leg, forward left leg, right-side right leg, left-side left leg, back-and-right right leg, back-and-left left leg) the prescribed number of times. The 6-way lunge stretches and strengthens the hamstring muscles in all three key planes of motion (sagittal, frontal, and transverse). Strong and flexible hamstrings stabilize the knee during running and help provide the propulsive force required for powerful strides.

Starting position

Lung forward & backwards

Lung to the right

Lung to the left

One Leg Squats with hops

Stand with your left foot forward and your right foot back, with your feet about one shin-length apart (your feet should be hip-width apart from side to side). Place the toes of your right foot on a step or block, which is about six to eight inches high. Most of your body weight should be directed through the heel of your left, forward foot. Bend your left leg and lower your body until the left knee reaches an angle of about 90 degrees between the thigh and lower part of the leg. Hop upward with your left foot while maintaining contact with the step or block with your right foot. Upon landing, immediately descend into another squat and again hop upward while maintaining contact with the step or block with your right foot. Keep an upright posture with your upper body, and hold your hands at your sides throughout the squatting and hopping movement.

Scissor step-ups

Use a step or bench that is approximately mid-shin to knee height. Put your left foot on the step, your right foot on the floor and your arms at your sides. Then push down with your left leg and drive your body upward rapidly, switching support (hopping) from left foot to right foot as your body reaches its maximal vertical height. With your right foot supporting your body, lower the left foot to the floor rapidly but under control. Repeat this action continuously, back and forth from foot to foot, without pausing at the top or bottom positions.

Squats to presses

You may need to experiment a bit, using a weight that makes the exercise challenging but achievable. Use two dumbbells, each weighing approximately 10% of your body weight (e.g. if you weigh 150 pounds, each dumbbell should be 15 pounds). Individuals with less strength training experience may start with dumbbells that weigh 5% of body weight, while stronger athletes can use dumbbells checking in at 20% of body weight. If dumbbells are unavailable, a barbell of comparable total weight can be utilised. To do the exercise, stand upright with your feet spaced about hip to shoulder-width apart and your hands supporting the dumbbells in front of your shoulders. Squat down until your thighs form an angle of 90 degrees with your shins (a half-squat) while maintaining a reasonably upright posture with your torso and keeping your hands in front of your shoulders. Then rise quickly from the squat position while simultaneously pressing (pushing) the dumbbells overhead. Both arms and legs should reach full extension simultaneously (You will end up standing tall with legs straight and arms straight overhead). Then lower the dumbbells in a controlled fashion to the starting position. Repeat this three-count movement smoothly and continuously.

One-leg squats

You will need a bench or step six to eight inches in height. Stand with your left foot flat on the floor, your right foot behind you, and elevated on the step. The distance between your feet should be approximately the length of your shin, and most of your weight should rest on the heel of your left foot. To do the exercise, bend your left knee and lower your body until the left knee makes an angle of 90 degrees between the thigh and lower leg. Return to the starting position by straightening your left leg while maintaining an upright posture with your trunk. Repeat this action with the left leg for the specified time, and then switch to the right leg.

Squat thrusts

Stand with your arms held at your sides, and then squat down, placing both hands in front of you on the floor. Extend both legs backwards (hop backwards), ending in a press-up position and then return legs forward (hop forward), ending in a low-squat position with hands on the floor. Repeat this action rhythmically and continuously without stopping for the allotted time.

Bum jumps

Stand with your feet astride a bench, squat until your backside touches the bench, and then jump up onto the bench.

Lunges

Take a long pace forward from a standing position and allow the trunk to descend by bending both knees. The knee of the forward leg should be vertically above the ankle. Keep back straight at all times. Return to starting position and repeat with the other leg leading.

Lying abductors

Lie on your side on the floor. Bend the lower leg at the knee. Alternatively, raise and lower the top leg for half the duration of the set, then change sides.

Lying adductors

Lie on your side on the floor. Keep the upper leg bent at the knee and place the foot of this leg on the floor in front of the lower leg. Alternatively, raise and lower the bottom leg for half the duration of the set, then change sides.

Obliques

Lie on your back. Sit up and twist your trunk to bring the right elbow to the left knee, return to the start position, and sit up and rotate your trunk to bring the left elbow to the right knee - repeat for the set duration.

Shuttle runs

Run between two markers approx. 20m apart.

Single leg squats

Stand on one leg. Hold the other leg out in front of the body and gently lower the body down as the standing leg flexes.

Calf raises

Stand and raise your body onto your toes and then lower.

Spotty dog

Stand with one leg forward and the other back. Hold opposite arms forwards and back. Jump to change leg/arm positions.

Squat jumps

From a standing position, rapidly bend the knees to 45 degrees and spring into the air. Land and immediately repeat.

Squats

From a standing position, perform repeated squats by bending the knees to 45 degrees and then straightening the legs.

Toe Taps

Stand with one leg on the floor and the other on the edge of a bench. Jump and exchange leg positions.

Star jumps

From a standing start, jump into the air and abduct and adduct both legs and arms before landing back in a standing position.

Static squats

Hold a semi-squat position (knees at approx. 45 degrees).

Step up with leg raise

Alternate leg step-ups onto and off a bench or box, but with the addition of full flexion of the knee of the trailing leg following the step up.

Step Ups

Step up and off a bench or a box.

Straddle jump

Step up onto and off a bench or box from the side using alternate legs.

Total Body Exercises

Burpees

Stand with your arms held at your sides, then squat down, placing both hands in front of you on the floor. Extend both legs backwards (hop backwards), ending in a press-up position and then return legs forward (hop forward), ending in a low-squat position with hands on the floor. Finally, jump into the air and return to a standing position. Repeat this action rhythmically and continuously without stopping for the allotted time.

Treadmills

Assume the press-up position with the arms extended and bring one leg towards the chest, placing the ball of the foot on the ground. From this start position, the exercise commences by swapping the positions of the feet. Repeat this action rhythmically and continuously without stopping for the allotted time.

Cossacks

Support your body weight on your hands and feet with your back to the ground. Kick out using alternate legs.

Crossovers

Standing, keeping the back straight, lift one leg and bring down the opposite elbow to touch the knee.

Lizards

Lie on your front on the floor with arms extended out in front of you on the ground. Raise one leg and opposite arm off the floor and return.

Iron Cross

Lie on your back with your arms extended to the side and your legs straight. Bring the left foot across the right leg to the right hand keeping the left leg straight. Repeat with the right leg to the left hand.

Scorpion

Lie on your front with your arms extended to the side and your legs straight. Bring the right foot across the back of the left leg to the left hand, keeping the right leg straight. Repeat with the left leg to the right hand.

Page Reference

If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:

MACKENZIE, B. (1997) Circuit Training Exercises [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/exercise.htm [Accessed