No Gym Membership? No Problem.

Effective Circuit Training in Your Home

By Courtney Fox
Fitness Coordinator, UVA Intramural-Recreational Sports

Plenty of exercises can be done at home with little or no equipment.

I’ll show you how to create at-home circuits to keep your workouts interesting – and cost effective. Circuits can be strength or cardio based, or a mix of both.

 For a good cardiovascular workout, you just need to jog in place, do jumping jacks or run up and down the stairs. To add in strength training, soup cans –and your own body weight – is all you need.

Work all major muscle groups by formatting strength training around either lower body, total body or upper body. With a little planning, you can maintain variation throughout the week and avoid working the same muscles two days in a row.

Many total body exercises can be done primarily with only your own body weight and the floor. These exercises have many modifications and variations that you can find online (see sources below).

 Pick a form of the exercise that allows you to do 8 to 12 repetitions in a row. 

1. For your legs, squats and lunges will work both the fronts and backs of the legs. 

2. Calf raises and toe lifts will help strengthen your lower legs. 

3. Push ups are great for your upper body because they work your arms, chest, and shoulders. 

4. Target the backs of your arms with triceps push ups. 

5. Soup cans or water bottles can be useful as makeshift weights. Bicep curls will strengthen the front of your arm, but also try lateral raises (lifting your hands out to the sides) and frontal raises. 

6. Core exercises are especially easy to do at home. Crunches, back extension and plank, when done with proper form, can be extremely beneficial. Make sure you activate your abdominals during these exercises by pulling your belly button towards your spine – this will also help to protect your low back. 

Here’s how to mix-and-match exercises at home:

Make it fun

Make exercise a part of your routine by doing circuits 2 to 3 days a week. Gradually increase the intensity of your workout by adding repetitions or weight, and working out for a longer period of time. Challenge yourself to the point that you could not do the full workout again, but you still have enough energy for the rest of your day. Most importantly, have fun! 

Don’t forget to cool down and stretch

End your workout with a walk around your house or in place to bring your heart rate down. Then make sure to do some gentle stretches to relax your muscles and improve flexibility.