Don’t have hours to spend at the gym? Have those hours but just don’t want to? You may have noticed my blog is called the Joyful Gym Rat. Part of what keeps me joyful in the gym (other then the endorphins) is keeping it simple. When it comes to strength training, I have a tried-and-true formula to get the most out of a workout in the least amount of time. That said, I am not a body builder, just someone who wants to be strong, flexible, and move with ease. For me, and most of the folks I work with, a balanced full body system is key.
As a trainer, I have created many workout formats over the years, but this is the one I tend to fall back on when I am running short on time or enter the gym feeling a bit uninspired. If you are not a gym person, you could easily translate this to a bodyweight or home workout. To keep things straight forward, I’ll refrain from going into detail on specific exercises. Feel free to do your own research to figure out which exercises work best for your particular body.
Full Body Circuit Formula
Repeat each set 2x before moving on to another. If you are really short on time, 1 or 2 sets is better than nothing. I find that 4 sets repeated 2x a piece takes about 45 minutes to and hour to complete.
Set #1
Lower body double leg exercise (squats, deadlifts, hamstring curls…) 15 reps
Pushing exercise (chest press, pushup…) 10-15 reps
Pulling exercise (row, pull up…) 10-15 reps
Core stabilization exercise (plank, v-sit, side plank…) 60 sec or 30 sec per side
Set #2
Lower body single leg exercise (step up, lunge, single leg deadlift…) 10 per side
Pushing exercise (chest press, pushup…) 10-15 reps
Pulling exercise (row, pull up…) 10-15 reps
Core strength exercise (pilates roll up, Bosu bicycle crunch, etc.) 15 reps or 10 per side
Set #3
Lower body double leg exercise (squats, deadlifts, hamstring curls…) 15 reps
Pushing exercise (chest press, pushup…) 10-15 reps
Pulling exercise (row, pull up…) 10-15 reps
Core stabilization exercise (plank, v-sit, side plank…) 60 sec or 30 sec per side
Set #4
Lower body single leg exercise (step up, lunge, single leg deadlift…) 10 per side
Pushing exercise (chest press, pushup…) 10-15 reps
Pulling exercise (row, pull up…) 10-15 reps
Core strength exercise (pilates roll up, Bosu bicycle crunch, etc.) 15 reps or 10 per side
Personally, I like to do different exercises every set, whether that be switching up the type of row or flip flopping from bodyweight to dumbbell exercises. Do what works for you and don’t be afraid to get creative (if you are concerned you’ll get too creative and injure yourself please seek the help of a professional!)
T making a muscle, big and tough……