Burn Fat, Build Muscle: 3 Short Killer Circuit Training Workouts

Burn Fat, Build Muscle: 3 Killer Circuit Training Workouts
Photo: Pond5

There’s nothing like a rainy, cold or snowy day to take the wind right out of your well-intentioned workout plans. But before you scrap your sweat session and curl up with some hot chocolate, consider the fact that you could squeeze in an entire workout without straying too far from your couch.

These three circuit workouts from Daily Burn 365 will help you fit in a workout anytime, anywhere — no equipment required. Whether you’ve got 10, 15 or 20 minutes, each series of moves is guaranteed to get your heart pumping and your legs burning. Want a more intense challenge? Combine the circuits together, or do an extra round of reps.

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Before you get started, do this dynamic warm-up to help you get your body primed to move. Then: Ready, set, sweat!

3 Short and Sweet Circuit Training Workouts

Burn Fat, Build Muscle: 3 Killer Circuit Training Workouts
Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

Quick Tips:

Reverse tabletop leg lifts: Sit on the ground with feet planted hips-width distance apart, hands behind you with fingers pointing towards your toes. Lift your butt off the floor coming into a “tabletop” position. Lift right leg off the ground, then left.

Plié squat: Stand with feet wider than hips-width distance apart, toes pointed slightly out. Lower into a squat.

Squat with alternating heel raise: At the bottom of your squat, raise your right heel, then left heel. Repeat.

Side plank clamshell: Get into a side plank, knees on the floor. With heels glued together, lift top knee, rotating leg open, then bring it back down again. Repeat on the opposite side.

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Burn Fat, Build Muscle: 3 Killer Circuit Training Workouts
Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

Quick Tips:

Ski jumps: Stand with feet shoulder width-apart. Hop to the right, bringing your left leg behind your right, then hop to the left and bring your right leg behind your left. Move arms forward and back as you jump to gain momentum.

Squat to press: While holding a squat, position arms like a goalpost, elbows bent to 90-degrees. Press arms straight up, then bend them back to 90-degrees. Hold your squat for the duration of the exercise.

Skip jacks: Skip forward, leading with your right leg, then perform two jumping jacks. Skip forward, leading with your left leg, then perform two jumping jacks. Repeat.

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Burn Fat, Build Muscle: 3 Killer Circuit Training Workouts
Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

Quick Tips: 

Knee-lift to squat: Perform a squat, then lift your right knee up towards your chest as you stand. Repeat with opposite leg.

Squat punches: Perform a squat, punching upwards to the right as you come to standing, then downwards to the right as you squat. Squat again, repeating punches on the opposite side.

Shuffle hop: Shuffle two steps to your right, then jump into the air. Repeat on opposite side.

Touchdown jacks: Start with legs together, then jump them apart, reaching down to touch the ground in between your feet. Repeat.

Surfer burpees: Place your hands on the ground and walk legs out into a plank position. Walk feet back up to hands, then hop your right leg forward into “surfer” position. Repeat, alternating sides.

Want more no-equipment exercises like these? Head to DailyBurn.com/365 to get new live workouts, daily.

Originally posted November 2015. Updated January 2017. 

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