How to Create Your Own Indoor Circuit Workout

Biceps curls can be incorporated into a circuit-training workout.

You can create your own indoor circuit workout to increase your strength, mobility and stamina. Circuit training will give you a full-body workout, and you can do it in the comfort of your own home. Circuit training consists of repeating one exercise several times before taking a short rest and moving on to another exercise. Include up to 10 exercises per circuit. As your fitness increases, repeat the entire circuit several times, resting for one to two minutes between circuits. Complete your circuit-training regimen at least three times a week to see noticeable results within three to four weeks.

Things You'll Need

• Sofa
• Water bottles

Instructions

1. Practice a variety of simple exercises that can be used during circuit training such as press-ups, biceps curls, seated dips, crunches, sit-ups, step-ups, back extensions, squats, lunges and skipping. Include any gym equipment you have, such as a treadmill or exercise bike. Decide which of these exercises you want to include in your circuit training workout.

2. Separate your list of exercises into four categories. These include upper body, or any exercise that works the arms, chest, upper back or shoulders; core exercises that work the abdominals; lower-body exercises that work the legs, thighs and buttocks. The final category is full-body exercises, and this includes all cardiovascular-based exercises such as using a treadmill or exercise bike. If you do not have any of your own cardio equipment, jog in place or around the room in which you are exercising.

3. Do a circuit of one full-body exercise, one upper body, one lower body and a core exercise. Include an exercise from each category to achieve a full-body workout. In time, add more exercises and more sets, continuing to jump from one category to another between exercises. Next to each exercise, write down how many repetitions you plan to do, or how long the particular exercise should last in the case of cardiovascular activities. To begin, aim to complete five repetitions or 30 seconds of each exercise, and increase as your fitness improves.

4. Make the most of exercising in your home by using household items. Use your sofa as a gym bench to practice seated dips by placing both hands palm down on the edge of the seat with your legs out in front. Lower your body toward the floor before lifting back up to the starting position and repeat. Use small bottles of water in place of dumbbells to practice biceps curls. To do this, stand holding the bottles with your arms at your sides, palms facing forward. Lift your arms upward, keeping your upper arms against your sides. Lower back to the starting position, and repeat.

Tips & Warnings

• Always warm up for five minutes before you begin circuit training.

References

• Free Dieting: Circuit Training - Sample Workout
• Brian Mac: Circuit Training