Workout Wednesday - The Leg Circuit

Do you always hear about leg day but not sure how to get involved?

Here is a great leg circuit to get those legs working and is adaptable to all levels of exercise from beginners to the experienced!

Equipment:

1x Bosu ball
1x Sandbag - 10kg or lighter if needed - if you dont have sand bags at the gym use dumbells
Alternative 2x dumbells - pick a heavy weight, one that is going to challenge you!
1x kettlebell - again a heavy weight that will challenge you, if your gym doesn't have kettlebells select one dumbell.

The exercises!

Station 1 - Front lunges - 12 reps (6 on each leg) with a dumbell in each hand or the sandbag on your shoulders behind your head positioned like a back squat.
Station 2 - Squats - 12 reps with kettlebell or 1 dumbell held in front of you close to your chest.
Station 3 - position this near a wall for balance - on the bosu ball hold the squat position for 30 seconds keeping very stready - engage your core for extra stability!
Station 4 - Thrusters - this is a squat combined with an over head press. 12 reps with 2 dumbells - squat down and when coming up press the dumbells over your head then repeat.
Station 5 - Back lunges - 12 reps (6 on each leg) with a dumbell in each hand, or the sandbag.
Station 6 - Kettlebell swing - these can be straight in front of you or overhead if you can do this. Make sure you engage the core and hips to get a good swing!

Repeat the circuit 4 rounds, when the exercises become easy make sure you increase the weights to really challenge yourself!
When the balance on the bosu ball becomes easy make sure you add weight to this as well!

Workout Wednesday - Circuit Training

Circuit training is a gem if you get bored easily during your workout, and really simple! 

I have been doing more circuit work recently and I am a fan! As someone who was finding her routine a little to familiar and not pushing myself as hard as I felt I could circuit training has really helped inspire and motivate me to work harder.

Short bursts of high intense training is also great for improving fitness and burning unwanted fat! 

So where to begin? Look at your favourite exercises that use free weights - dumbells or kettlebells and cardio that doesn't involve a machine - or it can do if you want it depends on the layout of your gym - pick 3 from each and put them together for 6 stations. 
For timings if you are looking for a hard workout spend 45 secs at each going all out with 15 seconds to move on and prepare your next exercise. 
After 6 mins take your first minute to 2 minute rest, no longer as we don't want the heart rate to slow down! 
Then begin again, I would aim for 4 rounds at 6 minutes work 1 minute rest totally in 28 mins of exercise. 

Remember to warm up before the exercise by mimicking some of the movements you are going to make and also 10 mins of cardio to warm up the muscles and get the blood flowing. Cool down and stretch is also essentials as you do not want to be sore after! 

An example of the circuit I did the other day was as follows - 4 stations 1 minute at each, with 1 minute rest for 6 rounds. 

1 min row
1 min kettlebell swings
1 min thrusters with weight
1 min ring pulls 
1 min rest

If you think that sounds easy have a go! It is tempting to go all out on the first round, but then you will burn out, maintain a pace throughout and go all out on the last 2 rounds giving everything you have, then enjoy the satisfaction when you are done!