Best Home Workout Program – No Gym Required

One of the better home workout programs now featured on the award-winning Jefit Elite app is their new Total Body Circuit program. The one-day, intermediate-level session for Elite members, was developed by the Jefit team. What makes this workout so good is the efficiency of the routine and program design for this individual session. The program design includes 8 exercises performed for three set each using a circuit-training format. Once the first segment of the workout is complete, the Jefit app continues to progress the user through a third and fourth circuit. This is the point in the workout where the exercise intensity really starts to pick up.

During phase two, a user follows the same 8 exercise sequence but now moves through 4 challenging supersets. For example, the first superset of this part of the workout begins with a Kettlebell Goblet Squat immediately followed by an Inverted Row. The user is asked to move through this twice before advancing to the next superset. When all is said and done, the 8 exercises are performed 3x each for a total of 24 sets. Depending on the fitness level of the individual, the session could take on average, 30 to 50-minutes to complete. The goal of the program is to burn maximal calories, improve overall fitness and aerobic capacity.

Elevated Push-ups (Jefit Bench Push-ups) are the 3rd exercise featured in the Total Body Circuit program

Looking for the Best Home Workout Program? Try Total Body Circuit by Jefit

Total Body Circuit Exercise Program

1A. Kettlebell Goblet Squat 1×10

2A. Inverted Row 1×10

3B. Elevated Push-ups 1×10

4B. Bicycle Abs 1×15

5C. Kettlebell One-Arm Push Press 1×10

6C. Barbell Curl 1×10

7D. Weighted Dips 1×10

8D. Superman – for time

After completing the first circuit of 8 exercises (1×10) you then need to cycle back through for a second & third set but this time they should be performed as supersets. Therefore, the original 8 exercises become 4 paired exercises now done as supersets with no rest between exercises: AA, BB, CC, DD. Perform this program initially twice a week before progressing to three times a week for 4-weeks.

Exercise Equipment Needed

The great thing about this program is that it requires minimal equipment to do it. You will need a kettlebell, dumbbell, Olympic bar, bench or stability ball for the dips (you can even use a chair if need be).

Try downloading this program for your next workout. If you happen to have a heart rate monitor, please wear it and keep track of heart rate. Record what your heart rate is at the end of the first, second and third circuit. Then determine how long it takes for your heart rate to drop below 100 beats per minute post exercise. Record peak heart rate immediately after the workout and then one-minute post workout and record the delta. This is an important number that can tell you a great deal about your cardiovascular health. Stay Strong!

Additional Reading

Heart Rate Recovery 10 Seconds After Cessation of Exercise Predicts Death, Journal of the American Heart Association , 2018.

Workout Review: Strength & Cardio Circuit

We all know that exercise is like medicine for the body. There are times though when you just want to move through your workout in minimal time. This where a good strength and cardio circuit comes into play. This is why circuit training is so efficient, it combines the perfect blend of strength and cardio in minimal time. The end result is usually the same, a great full-body workout and a body covered in sweat!

The cool thing about circuit programs are: they’re fast, fun and very effective at getting results. You never get bored because there are so many design options for a circuit routine. The featured strength & cardio circuit can now be found on the Jefit app.

What is Circuit Training?

Circuit training is training method that alternates between several exercises (usually 4 to 12) that target different muscle groups. A plan can even use different movement patterns (like push, pull, press, carry, etc.). The design of the program enables someone to move from exercise to exercise with minimal or no rest depending on their fitness level. Some of the many benefits of regular circuit training include improvements in body composition, muscular strength/endurance and aerobic capacity.

What is Interval Training?

Interval training, on the other hand, alternates between periods of moderate-to-high-intensity work with brief periods of active or passive rest. The main difference between circuit training and interval training is not what you’re doing but rather the intensity of the work being done. You have probably heard about HIIT (high-intensity interval training) before or seen it in some of the workout titles on the Jefit app.

Equipment Need: Jump Rope, Weight Plate and Dumbbells

Circuit Design: UB/LB/Core/Cardio Sequence

The circuit session begins with four exercises group together following a brief warm-up. The session design alternates between an upper body exercise, a lower body exercise, and a core exercise before transitioning to cardio for 1-2 minutes. The program features 20 exercises (including four for warm-up) that comprise four rounds of “mini” circuits with four exercises in each group.

Here is what each of the four circuits (after the warm-up) look like in this latest Jefit circuit workout:

I have personally been doing circuits for many years now and, like a lot of people, working through one never seems to gets old. In any event, circuits are fun and get great results, so why not give one a try for your next workout?

ADDITIONAL READING:

HIGH-INTENSITY CIRCUIT TRAINING USING BODY WEIGHT: Maximum Results With Minimal Investment, ACSM Health & Fitness Journal, 2013.

Whole-Body Aerobic Resistance Training Circuit Improves Aerobic Fitness and Muscle Strength in Sedentary Young Females, J. of Strength & Conditioning, 2015.