My Top 7 Circuit Training Workouts

If you want to run a fast 400m time, you better have good tolerance to Lactic Acid. Or Lactate. Or Acidosis. Or a net gain in H⁺ hydrogen ions.

With the COVID-19 lockdown that started mid-March 2020, we no longer have access to gyms and weight training. But that doesn’t stop you from doing a killer hardcore circuit training workout at home with no equipment!

I mentioned several years ago that a weight training program should be changed every 2 years.  The same applies for circuit training, but to a lesser degree.

I believe circuit training has its place in a Track & Field program (or any sport for that matter), from the youth level up to the Elite level.  The volumes and recovery will change, and where & when it fits in the annual plan will vary.

Ultimately, it’s the best replacement workout when you can’t get to a track for a running workout.

If you want to skip the science and benefits, scroll down below for the actual workouts.

We do Circuits for a variety of reasons:

• mental toughness (duh!)
• weather permitting, when you have no choice but to do an indoor workout
• allows “injured” athletes to workout, as long as the exercises don’t affect the injury!
• ability for lactate tolerance
• better recovery between rounds by removing lactic ace
• weight loss by EPOC (exercise post-oxygen consumption)
• possibly boost both testosterone and growth hormone levels naturally (more research is need to prove this)
• equivalent to using extensive tempo throughout the year, without trashing the legs, or the CNS (central nervous system) as seen in speed workouts
• great for strength endurance, though circuit training routines are not necessarily “power” driven even though we do squat jumps or med ball throws.  To me, “power” is defined as high speeds of movement and high power outputs, and a fatiguing body will not have the same amounts in multiple continuous reps.  You must maintain high levels of fine motor control throughout.

Best Device for Circuit Training

Of course, any clock with a second hand and a coach with a whistle or bell to signal the time will work.

I personally use the GymBoss, because they are inexpensive enough to give one to each team member for under $20 USD.  The original one works great, but I was getting tired of always re-programming the time and rest intervals for different workouts.  Luckily, they came out with the new miniMax Gymboss which allows you to store up to 20 multiple workouts.  So now I can store my favourite workouts without changing them every workout.

Circuit Training Workouts

We do a staple of 4 circuits, but vary them according to facilities, runner’s injury, and time of the season.  All the routines alternate body parts, usually a (1) Leg exercise, a (2) Ab/Core exercise and (3) Upper body exercise.  The varieties are endless, but here are some sample exercises:

• Legs: squats, and/or squat jumps
• Ab/core: crunches or situps, anything with a medicine ball
• Upper body: pushups, and any exercise with light barbells or dumbbells, even a “light” kettlebell if you can keep technique to perfection.

So here they are, in increasing order of difficulty:

1. Tabata Protocol Four Minute Workout

Duration: 12 Minutes
Work:Rest ratio (60:40)

Tabata Protocol: 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for 8 reps, ending 4 minutes.  Do 3 sets.  So four minutes is really a misnomer,  It’s actually 12 minutes.

Workout 1 (simple)

1. 20 sec squats
2. 20 sec ab crunches
3. 20 sec pushups
4. 20 sec squats or lunges
5. 20 sec ab crunches (modified)
6. 20 sec pushups or chinups
7. 20 sec squats or burpees
8. 20 sec ab crunches or other core
9. (optional) 20 sec upper body exercise (to make this 4.5 minutes)

Workout 2: To Prepare for the MARSOC circuit (#5 below)

1. Pushups (about 14 reps?)
2. Squats (about 12 reps?)
3. Crunches
4. Pushups
5. Mountain climbers (left foot up, right foot up, counts as 1 rep)
6. Flutter kicks
7. Pushups
8. Squat jumps
9. (optional) Back Extensions (“Superman’s”, to make this 4.5 minutes)

Option 1: 1 Set
Option 2: 2 Sets
Option 3: 3 Sets

2. 18 X 90 sec with Fixed Reps

Duration: 31.5 Minutes
Work:Rest ratio (50:50)

Basically, the faster you do them, the more time in your recovery (as in Workout #4)

This is about 45 seconds of fixed repetitions every 90 seconds, alternating the 3 main body parts, 3×90 sec X 6 sets, ending at 31.5 minutes.  The reason for this workout is some people prefer to count, rather than wait for a bell or beeper.  And it rewards them with more recovery the faster you go.  Of course, you can modify this to be a fixed 45 seconds on, 45 seconds rest too.

SET NUMBER	ABS	LEGS	UPPER BODY
1	60 crunches	50 squats	40 push ups
2	60 cross crunches	40 lunges	15 chin ups*
3	60 med ball twist	25 squat jumps	40 dips on bench
4	60 crunches	50 squats	40 push ups
5	60 cross crunches	40 lunges	15 chin ups*
6	60 med ball twist	25 squat jumps	40 dips on bench
7	60 crunches	50 squats	40 push ups

Every station is 90 seconds. A bell or buzzer should go off every 90 seconds so if you complete one station in 40 sec, you get 50 sec rest before the next station begins. The faster you go, the more recovery you get.

3. 15 X 60sec On, 60sec Off (by Time)

Duration: 30 Minutes
Work:Rest ratio (50:50)

As stated, this is a 1 minute (fixed time) on, one minute off, 3X1 min X 5 sets, ending at 30 min.  The “3” is alternating body parts as the other exercises: legs, abs/core and upper body.

This is a bit more intense, because who can do a full minute of one continuous exercise?

Also, I’m not a big fan of this because I like to keep my high intensity reps at 40 seconds, so Option 3 below is my sweet spot.

For this particular workout, I shorten the 1 min rest over the season by 5 seconds every few workouts.  This is easy to do with the GymBoss.

Option 1: 15 sec on, 15 sec off (timer on repeat mode)
Option 2: 30 sec on, 30 sec off (timer on repeat mode)
Option 3: 45 sec on, 45 sec off (timer on repeat mode)

4. My McGill Ultimate Killer Circuit Workout

Duration: 30 Minutes
Work:Rest ratio (50:50)

This one hurts.  So good.

We did this every Saturday during the fall GPP season when I was at McGill University with Coach Dennis Barrett.

The circuit training routine is about 2.5 minutes of non-stop alternating repetitions every 5 min, doing 6 sets total, ending at 30 minutes.  Like Workout #2, the faster you go, the more recovery you get :)

Option 1: 4 Sets (20 min)
Option 2: 5 Sets (25 min)
Option 3: 6 Sets (30 min)

Workout A:

There is no rest between the exercises. If you can do the entire set, non-stop, under 2.5 minutes, then increase the reps to 25:

• Step Ups (20 each leg)
• Push Ups (20)
• Chin-to-knees modified sit-up (20)
• Superset: Military Press, Upright Row, Bicep Curl (10 reps each, 30 total)
• Crunches (20)
• Chin-ups (10)
• Straddle jump with medicine ball (20)

Workout B:

Legs	Upper Body	Core/Abs
20 Steps Ups each leg	15 Push ups	40 crunches
20 Squats	8 bicep curl/8 upright row	20 V-ups
20 Straddle jumps	10 chin-ups	30 side-to-side w/med ball

5. The US Marine MARSOC Short Card

Duration: ~12-14 Minutes
Work:Rest ratio (100:0)

This is the Marine Special Operations Command full body weight calisthenics workout (short card). There is no rest between exercises, other than positioning yourself for the next exercise:

• 30 Push-ups
• 30 Squats
• 30 Crunches
• 10 Burpees
• 10 Windmills
• 30 Push-ups
• 30 Mountain climbers
• 30 Flutter kicks
• 10 Burpees
• 10 Cherry pickers (4-count)
• 30 Push-ups
• 30 Star jumpers (or jumping jacks)
• 30 Back Extensions (“Superman’s”)
• 10 Burpees
• 10 Chain breakers
• 30 Push-ups
• 30 Lunges
• 30 Hello dollies
• 10 Burpees
• 10 Trunk twists

An excellent time is 12-14 minutes, but go at your own pace. If you think this is impossible, check out Iron Wolf:

Option 1: Start with 20-20-20-10-10 reps for the 1st five exercises
Option 2: Build up to 25-25-25-10-10
Option 3: Do the complete Marine Marsoc short card, without rest

6. Iron Wolf Long Card

Duration: ~35-40 Minutes
Work:Rest ratio (100:0)

Similar to above, but…

7. Military Grinder 1000 rep workout

Duration: ~5-50 Minutes
Work:Rest ratio (100:0)

Again, this is a classic from Iron Wolf:

10 rounds of:

• 20 jumping jacks
• 20 pushups
• 20 squat lunge combo (3 count)
• 20 burpees
• 20 flutter kicks (4-count )
  (Each round takes about 4.5 to 5 minutes)

Option 1: Start with 1 Round
Option 10: Build up to 10 rounds

Conclusion?

If you can’t get in better shape or conditioning after doing these for 6 weeks twice a week, then something is wrong.

Circuit Training is a great replacement workout when you can’t get to a track for a running workout.