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When you first hear “circuit training,” it may sound somewhat complicated. However, it’s actually a very straightforward way to improve your endurance and strength.

Circuit training workouts incorporate a variety of exercises that can be tailored to practically any fitness level. What’s more, they may help you combine two workouts into one for a more efficient session (all while keeping your boredom at bay).

Here’s everything you need to know about circuit training, plus a sample workout to try.

What is circuit training?

Circuit training is a sequence of exercises performed with minimum rest between each one.

“Each exercise targets different muscle groups, providing a comprehensive workout that combines both strength training and cardiovascular conditioning,” says Laurie Nielsen-Consiglieri, CPT, a certified personal trainer and district fitness manager at 24 Hour Fitness.

In other words, circuit training is really about how you structure your workouts, rather than any one particular type of exercise. In circuit training, you’ll do each move for a certain number of reps or amount of time, then quickly move on to the next exercise.

“Because it’s so fast-paced, you can usually get a great workout done in about 30 to 45 minutes,” says Josh York, CPT, a certified personal trainer and founder and CEO of GYMGUYZ, a personal training company.

Circuit training benefits

That time efficiency is one reason many people love circuit workouts, which can still help you get the combined benefits of both strength training and aerobic exercise in less time.

“You can get a solid workout in a fraction of the time it would take you to perform a complete weight-lifting routine or cardio workout separately,” says Jake Dickson, CPT, a certified personal trainer at Barbend.

Circuit training can easily be customized to fit various fitness levels and goals—and can be done with or without equipment.

This type of workout also has several health benefits, says Nielsen-Consiglieri, such as:

• Improving cardiovascular health
• Increasing strength and muscle tone
• Enhancing metabolism
• Boosting endurance and stamina
• Providing a full-body workout

In fact, those who did circuit-based training saw more improvements in strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and body composition (decreased fat mass) compared to control groups in a 2021 review in the journal Biology.

Circuit training workouts incorporate a variety of exercises that can be tailored to practically any fitness level. What’s more, they may help you combine two workouts into one for a more efficient session.

Circuit training drawbacks

Because circuit training involves high-intensity movements with minimal rest, it can sometimes lead to muscle strains or sprains. It’s important to listen to your body throughout the workout.

“The biggest drawback of circuit training is that it may not allow for sufficient recovery time between exercises,” says Stacy Orsborn, CPT, a certified personal trainer and co-founder and president of fitness at VICTRESS MVMT, a fitness training facility in Lincoln, Nebraska.

As a result, circuit training may lead to fatigue, which can compromise form and increase the risk of injury—particularly for beginners, women in certain stages of life like perimenopause or postmenopause, or those with already high levels of stress in their daily lives, Orsborn says.

Circuit training is also not a quick fix for many specific fitness goals.

“While it’s great for general fitness, it might not be the best choice if you have specific goals, such as achieving a certain level of strength or training for a marathon,” Nielsen-Consiglieri says.

Finally, circuit training can eventually result in you plateauing if you don’t introduce enough variety into your workouts.

“Doing the same circuit repeatedly can lead to your body adapting, which might slow your progress,” York says. “T