How about a fun Create Your Own Full Body Circuit Workout today?!
After putting out a call for a Reader’s Choice workout, I saw an overwhelming response for full body. However, I couldn’t help but notice that there were so many other requests as well, so I decided to put together a little something that I think should please ALL of you in one way or another.
This workout has four mini circuits: upper, lower, core, and a “blast it out” circuit. Depending on what you’re looking to work, complete the entire thing or just focus on a couple of mini circuit.
For example, perhaps one day you focus on Upper + Core and the next day you do Lower + Blast It Out. Make it work for you, your schedule, and your time. Either way, you’re still going to end up with a killer workout, using minimal equipment (all you’ll need is a set of dumbbells and a stability ball).
Have fun with it, and be sure to check out the moves below.
UPPER BODY
Standing Reverse Fly w/ Dumbbells
Stand with feet hip-width apart and your knees bent. Bend forward at the hips and let arms hang straight down from shoulders, palms facing in. Raise both arms out to sides as you squeeze shoulder blades together. Return to start. Repeat.
Stability Ball Push-Ups
Place shins on top of a stability ball, and walk your hands out on the floor. Center hands beneath your shoulders, keeping back straight, core engaged, and perform push-ups as normal.
Skullcrushers
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and lie with upper back resting on a stability ball; raise hips so body forms a tabletop position. Extend dumbbells directly overhead with arms straight and palms facing each other. Push weight into your heels to keep your hips lifted and glutes engaged. Without moving upper arms, slowly bend elbows and lower dumbbells until forearms are past a parallel position. Straighten elbows and return to start. Repeat.
Alternating Dumbbell Cross Jab
Stand with feet a bit wider than hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold a weight in each hand at chest height with elbows bent, palms facing each other. Punch your right arm out, as shown, stepping forward with right foot. As you bring it back in, punch out with your left arm and step forward with left foot. Continue punching/stepping motion.
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LOWER BODY
Squat & Lunge Combo
Stand with arms at sides and squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Push back up to the starting position. Then take a giant step forward with left foot and lower your body until left thigh is parallel to the ground. Push up onto your left leg and return to start. That’s one rep. Repeat, stepping forward with right foot.
Single-Leg, Single-Arm Reach
Stand and raise right arm in front of you. Bend from hips and lift right leg behind you until it’s parallel to floor. Contract glutes and hamstrings as you return to standing. That’s one rep. Complete reps, switch sides and repeat.
Single-Leg Hip Extension
Lie faceup with arms out to sides, right knee bent, left leg straight and raised a few inches off the floor. Lift leg until it’s in line with right thigh and push hips upward. Keep a straight line from shoulders to knees. Pause, lower to start. Do all reps, switch legs and repeat.
Dumbbell Bent Knee Deadlift
Place a pair of dumbbells on the floor in front of you. Squat, keeping chest up, and grab dumbbells with an overhand grip. Arms should be straight and lower back slightly arched. Contract glutes and stand up with dumbbells, straightening legs, pushing hips forward, and pulling torso back and up. Slowly lower dumbbells to the floor. Repeat.
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CORE
Oblique Twist with Medicine Ball
Sit with knees bent and lean back slightly while holding a medicine ball. Draw belly button in and twist from side to side, tapping your elbow or palm down to the floor. Twist from side to side, keeping the movement slow and controlled.
Pullover Curl Up
Lie faceup on mat, knees bent and feet flat, holding ends of one dumbbell with both hands, arms extended behind head. Raise arms up. Once dumbbell is over chest, curl shoulders off mat and reach dumbbell toward knees. Reverse motion back to start. You can also do this without a dumbbell.
Side Plank with Dip & Reach
Start in a side plank position on forearm, shoulder over the elbow, feet stacked. Raise top arm, drop hips to tap the ground, and raise back up to plank position. Lower top arm down and underneath, then return back up to start. Repeat.
Stability Ball Leg Raises
Start on your back on the ground with the ball between your ankles. Lift legs up to 90 degrees and then keep going, lifting the hips into the air. Bring the ball back down slow and controlled, and up again, making sure to use the abs to lift the hips off of the floor.
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You are so wonderful for posting so many workouts & especially wonderful for the example pictures. Thank you so much!
Awesome workout, I can’t wait to try this tomorrow morning!
Thank you for putting this together!
Great workout! I can’t wait to try this when I can finally stop running!
This is a great post – thanks so much! I struggle when it comes to putting workouts together so I tend to follow programs others have created (I’m doing Chalean Extreme right now) but reading stuff like this makes me think I might actually be able to work something out for myself someday ;)
Sounds like quite the workout! Thanks for posting this! :)
Looks awesome. Can’t wait to try it.
Love it! Thank you, Courtney! You’re so good to us! ;)
Thanks Courtney! Nice to have the freedom to switch things up so it can be a new workout every time depending on the order you choose!
I love this circuit because I can make it as long or short as I want, and pick parts of my body I want to work!
I love posts like these- they get me pumped for my next workout…hope this feeling lasts when my alarm goes off tomo morn ;)
I can not wait to try this!! Love the photo’s too!
thanks for the ideas! I still love (hate) burpees!
umm… both this circut and the 3-2-1 Sweaty Circut look awesome! I’m def going to pin to do in the future – maybe even tonight since my gym is closed today!
Good circuit. I’m a big fan of the total body approach; I never do a single workout that isn’t full-body. I’ll give this a shot, thanks!
Awesome! This is perfect…. Thanks! :)
This is perfect! Having those pictures really help – sometimes I can’t keep ’em all straight!
Have you noticed with clients (or maybe yourself), that so much of the effectiveness of a move depends on execution? Like w/ the oblique twists & medicine ball, so easy to go fast, but when you do it slow & controlled like suggested, much more challenging.
Thanks for the circuit–I LOVE circuit training, not only do I see results, I have a short attention span, so I like the variety.
Definitely! I always try to stress slow and controlled. Makes such a huge difference!
Thank you for this! I will be using it tomorrow morning at the gym.
This looks awesome! Quick question: what are “Plank Lacks” clicked the link and looked under the 3 2 1 sweaty circuit but couldn’t find it!
Sorry about that!
If you get into a plank position on hands and toes, then jump your feet out and in like you’re doing jumping jacks. Keep the core tight and try not to bounce your body too much :)