Circuit training effectively combines cardiovascular exercise with strength training, offering a comprehensive workout that can help with weight loss, muscle toning, and overall fitness. This form of training requires you to complete various moderately intense exercises with few breaks to rest. Below, I’ve curated the best circuit training workouts to target different muscle groups and keep your heart rate elevated, maximizing calorie burn and promoting weight loss.
These routines offer a comprehensive approach to weight loss by targeting various muscle groups and incorporating the multitude of benefits of strength and cardio exercises. For optimal results, perform these circuits three to four times a week. Remember to warm up before starting any workout and cool down afterward to prevent injury and aid recovery.
Now, let’s dive deep into the best circuit training workouts for weight loss.
Workout #1: Full-body Circuit
This full-body circuit workout targets all major muscle groups, ensuring a balanced workout that burns calories and builds strength. By moving quickly from one exercise to the next, you keep your heart rate elevated, promoting fat loss.
1. Jumping Jacks
Stand with your feet together and arms at your sides. Jump up, spreading your legs shoulder-width apart while raising your arms overhead. Jump again to return to the starting position. Repeat for one minute.
2. Pushups
Start in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Push back up to the starting position. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions.
3. Bodyweight Squats
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body as if sitting back into a chair, keeping your knees behind your toes. Return to the starting position. Perform 15 to 20 repetitions.
4. Mountain Climbers
Start in a plank position. Bring your right knee toward your chest. Quickly switch legs, bringing your left knee toward your chest. Continue alternating for one minute.
5. Bicycle Crunches
Lie on your back with your hands behind your head, legs lifted, knees bent at 90 degrees. Bring your right elbow toward your left knee while straightening your right leg. Switch sides, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee. Continue alternating for one minute.
Workout #2: Upper-body Blast
This circuit focuses on strengthening and toning the upper body, including the chest, back, shoulders, and arms. By combining these exercises with minimal rest, you keep the intensity high, which helps burn calories and build muscle.
1. Pushups
Start in a plank position. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Push back up to the starting position. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions.
2. Dumbbell Rows
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Bend at the waist, keeping your back straight. Pull the dumbbells toward your hips, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Lower the weights back down. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions per arm.
3. Shoulder Press
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. Press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended. Lower the weights back to shoulder height. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions.
4. Tricep Dips
Sit on the edge of a bench with your hands next to your hips. Slide your hips off the bench, supporting your weight with your hands. Lower your body until your arms form a 90-degree angle. Push back up to the starting position. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions.
5. Bicep Curls
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body. Lower the weights back down. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions.
Workout #3: Lower-body Sculpt
This lower-body circuit training workout is designed to tone and strengthen the legs and glutes. These exercises target the quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes, helping you build a strong foundation while burning calories.
1. Bodyweight Squats
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body as if sitting back in a chair, keeping your knees behind your toes. Return to the starting position. Perform 15 to 20 repetitions.
2. Lunges
Stand with your feet together. Step forward with your right leg and lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Push back up to the starting position. Switch legs and repeat. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions per leg.
3. Glute Bridges
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes. Lower your hips back to the starting position. Perform 15 to 20 repetitions.
4. Calf Raises
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Rise up onto your toes, squeezing your calf muscles. Lower back down to the starting position. Perform 15 to 20 repetitions.
5. Step-ups
Stand in front of a bench or step. Step onto the bench with your right foot, then bring your left foot up to meet it. Step back down with your right foot, followed by your left. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions per leg.
Workout #4: Core Crusher
This circuit training routine targets the core muscles, including the abdominals, obliques, and lower back. A strong core is essential for overall fitness, and these exercises help to build stability and burn calories.
1. Plank
Start in a forearm plank position, keeping your body straight from your head to your heels. Hold this position for one minute.
2. Russian Twists
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet lifted. Hold a weight or medicine ball with both hands. Twist your torso to the right, then to the left. Perform 20 twists (10 per side).
3. Leg Raises
Lie on your back with your legs straight. Lift your legs toward the ceiling, keeping them straight. Lower your legs back down without letting them touch the floor. Perform 15 to 20 repetitions.
4. Bicycle Crunches
Lie on your back with your hands behind your head, legs lifted, and knees bent at 90 degrees. Bring your right elbow toward your left knee while straightening your right leg. Switch sides, bringing your left elbow toward your right knee. Continue alternating for one minute.
5. Superman
Lie face down on the floor with arms extended overhead. Lift your arms, chest, and legs off the floor simultaneously. Hold for a few seconds, then lower back down. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions.
Workout #5: HIIT Circuit
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) circuits combine short bursts of intense exercise with brief rest periods. This workout is excellent for burning a high number of calories in a short amount of time and improving cardiovascular fitness.
1. Burpees
Start in a standing position. Drop into a squat position with your hands on the floor. Kick your feet back into a plank position. Perform a pushup, then jump your feet back to the squat position. Explosively jump into the air. Perform 10 to 12 repetitions.
2. Jump Squats
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower into a squat position. Explode upward, jumping as high as possible. Land softly and immediately lower into the next squat. Perform 15 to 20 repetitions.
3. High Knees
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Run in place, bringing your knees up to hip level. Perform high knees for one minute.
4. Pushups
Start in a plank position. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Push back up to the starting position. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions.
5. Plank Jacks
Start in a plank position. Jump your feet out wide, then back together. Perform for one minute.
Workout #6: Cardio and Strength Combo
This circuit training workout combines cardiovascular and strength exercises for a balanced, high-intensity workout. This combination helps to burn fat while building muscle, making it an efficient way to achieve your weight-loss goals.
1. Jump Rope
Jump rope for one minute, maintaining a steady pace.
2. Dumbbell Thrusters
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells at shoulder height. Lower into a squat position. As you stand, press the dumbbells overhead. Lower the weights back to shoulder height as you squat down. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions.
3. Burpees
Start in a standing position. Drop into a squat position with your hands on the floor. Kick your feet back into a plank position. Perform a pushup, then jump your feet back to the squat position. Explosively jump into the air. Perform 10 to 12 repetitions.
4. Kettlebell Swings
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell with both hands. Hinge at the hips and swing the kettlebell between your legs. Thrust your hips forward to swing the kettlebell up to shoulder height. Let the kettlebell swing back down and repeat. Perform 15 to 20 repetitions.
5. Mountain Climbers
Start in a plank position. Bring your right knee toward your chest. Quickly switch legs, bringing your left knee toward your chest. Continue alternating for one minute.
