In this article, I’m going to guide you through an amazing circuit training workout I recently put together . We are going to do this workout in a circuit fashion once again – 6 exercises. But this time, we are going to be working a little bit longer and recovering for a little less time. We are also going to finish 3 circuits instead of 2. The best part is that the intervals are going to be a little more challenging too ! So let’s get started.

1.    Step Push-Offs. You are going to need a work bench or a box, or some elevated surface to step up on for this exercise. Take your left foot up onto the bench and place a weight in your right hand, at the shoulder. Push off your left leg and drive your right arm with the weight into the air, placing your right foot on the bench as you complete the movement. Now, as you listen to the program on you headphones, I will be guiding you through the exercises. I will also tell you when to switch legs, when to rest, and how to perform the movements properly. You will be doing roughly 22 seconds on each side for a total of 45 seconds. When both sides are done you will have 30 seconds of rest before moving into the next exercise.

2.    Planking on the Stability Ball. This is exactly like planking on the floor but it is a little more challenging. Place your forearms on the ball and feet on the floor. Make sure you keep your core tight and your body nice and straight . Do this for 45 seconds and then rest for 30 before moving onto yet another core movement.

3.    Back Extensions. Place your abdomen on the stability ball, anchor your feet against a wall behind you, and place your arms by the side of your head. Wrap your torso around the stability ball like a reverse sit-up and come back up so that your body is straight once again. Do this for 45 seconds and then we’re moving on after 30 seconds of rest.

4.    Push-ups. You want to see how many you can do in 45 seconds . Keep your body straight. If you can’t finish from the feet, finish from the knees. Whatever you do, do not give up! Give yourself 30 seconds of rest after you have finished.

5.    Squat presses. This is an excellent full-body movement . Grab a pair of dumbbells, one in each hand . Get yourself into a squat position. You can also do this against a wall with a stability ball between your back and the wall. The more advanced movement is free-standing. Hold the weights beside your head, go down into a squat. As you push up, push the weights above your head. As you squat down once more, bring the weights back down beside your head. Do as many reps as you do in a controlled fashion for 45 seconds. You are going to feel your heart pounding! There is a lot of muscle involved in this full body movement so you are going to burn a lot of calories. You’re allowed to take 30 seconds of rest before moving into the last exercise of the circuit .

6.    Side Plank. Grab your mat and place yourself on your side . Push yourself up into a side plank using your forearm and feet for support. Make sure your core is strong. Do 45 seconds on one side and switch over and do 45 seconds on the other. You are now finished circuit 1! Take a minute or two to grab some water and jog on the spot for active recovery. Active recovery means you are able to recover your breathing while keeping the muscles warm. Repeat the entire circuit twice more.

We’re going to do some calorie burning interval training on the cardio machines to finish things off . So jump on the treadmill, the bike, the rower, whatever it is that you want. This time we are going to go all out for 10 minutes: 10 seconds fast with 30 seconds recovery. You are looking at about 45-50 minutes