Workout of the Week: What an Intermediate Circuit with Minimal Equipment Looks Like

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Accepting the Murph Challenge workout
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Gregory Jackels, the state training officer of the Georgia Army National Guard, completes an air squat during the Memorial Day Murph Challenge May 21, 2021, at Clay National Guard Center in Marietta, Georgia. (Capt. Bryant Wine/U.S. Army National Guard photo)

Often people tell me that they do not have time to get to the gym for various reasons, but you do not need to go to a gym to get fit. You can do this workout with minimal equipment (or skip the ones below that require equipment) and still get a challenging workout.

This is a workout that you can do at home with very little equipment and be in the intermediate level of fitness. It is a basic circuit that features a full-body mix of exercises, with only dumbbells and a door pull-up bar.

If you are serious about your health and fitness, you have to find the time to train -- even for 10-15 minutes a day.

Warmup walk/jog for five minutes, then stretch.

Repeat 5-10 times.

  • Jumping jacks 10
  • Push-ups 5-10

Light weight shoulders

Push/pull/abs/legs circuit (light)

Repeat 2-3 times.

  • Push-ups one minute
  • Crunches one minute
  • Pull-ups max effort or dumbbell rows 10/arm
  • Squats 10 *(carrying dumbbells in hands)

Push/pull/abs

Repeat twice.

  • Military press 10-15
  • MJDB#2 one minute
  • Plank pose one minute
  • Sit-ups one minute or crunches one minute
  • Five minutes of cardio of choice-easy pace

Ten- to 15-minute walk or optional cardio choice for a cooldown.

Plus a 10-minute walk after every meal today (this weekend)

Good luck. Find a way to get moving, even if it is a short walk every day.

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you're looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.

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