7 Circuit Training Exercises

How To Do A Push Up

1. Start in a standard high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, weight evenly distributed amongst all 10 fingers. Pull your kneecaps up towards your belly, feet hip-width apart. Option to place your hands on weights if you have wrist pain.
2. Hold this plank position, maintaining a straight line with your body.
3. Slowly lower your chest down towards the ground as your elbows fall back towards your hips (keep elbows tight to the body).
4. Once at the bottom of your push up, exhale as you push back up into a high plank position.

Modification: Substitute incline push-ups by placing your hands on a chair or bench. You can also drop to your knees for modified push ups.

How To Do A Dumbbell Squat

1. Start standing feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides. Option to hold a single dumbbell at your chest (vertically so the dumbbell is touching your collarbone and sternum).
2. Lower down into a squat position, lowering your hips down parallel with your knees. Drive your knees out toward your outer three toes.
3. Drive through your heels to stand tall, returning to a standing position.

How To Do A Pull Up

1. Start standing underneath your pull up bar, feet hip-width apart, neck and shoulders relaxed.
2. Reach up and grip the pull-up bar with your palms facing away from your body (overhand grip), hands slightly wider than shoulder-width distance apart.
3. Allow your body to hang freely with your arms fully extended.
4. Initiate the pull up by squeezing your shoulder blades together and pulling your chest towards the bar. Keep your elbows pointed downward throughout the movement.
5. Continue to pull your body, pulling your chest up until your chin is above the bar, or as high as you can comfortably go. Keep your core engaged and your body straight throughout the movement.
6. Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position, extending your arms fully.

Modification: Option to perform assisted pull ups with a long loop resistance band. Or, perform bent-over rows (demonstrated on the left in the above image).

How To Do A Dumbbell Chest Press

1. Lay flat on your back (on the ground, on a bench, incline bench, or on a stability ball) with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold one dumbbell in each hand (palms facing knees), elbows bent at a 90-degree angle.
2. Exhale as you push both dumbbells overhead at the same time. Dumbbells are stacked over shoulders at the top of the press. Make sure your wrists are strong and in line with your shoulders.
3. Lower the dumbbells back towards your chest with control.

How To Do A Split Lunge

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in your left hand in front of your left thigh.
2. Step your left leg back into a reverse lunge, keeping your right leg in place.
3. Slowly lower your hips until both knees reach a 90-degree angle, right thigh parallel to the floor. Shoulders remain stacked over hips throughout the entire exercise, torso upright.
4. Press into your front right heel to slowly lift, straightening both legs.

How To Do A Burpee

1. Start standing feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides.
2. Bend your knees and drop your hips as you lower into a squat position, then place your hands on the floor directly in front of your feet.
3. Shift your weight into your hands as you jump your feet back to softly land on the balls of your feet in a high plank position. Your body should form a straight line from your head to heels.
4. Elbows fall back towards your body as you lower your chest towards the ground, bringing your chest to meet the floor. Press back up and return to high plank.
5. Jump your feet up landing outside your hands in a loaded squat position. Then drive through your legs to explode up, reaching arms overhead as you stand tall. Returning to the starting position.

Modification: Substitute towel slams for burpees. Or perform walking burpees, stepping your feet in and out of plank position rather than jumping.

How To Do A Lunge Jump

1. Start standing feet hip-distance apart, slight bend in your knees and core engaged.
2. Jump your right foot back into a reverse lunge, aiming for 90-degree angles in each knee.
3. Then perform a “lunge jump” by exploding up from the split lunge position, bringing both feet together as you stand tall.
4. This is one rep. Repeat, alternating the foot that jumps back into a reverse lunge position.

Modification: Option to make this low impact by performing alternating knee slams or reverse lunges.