How to Create Your Own Dumbbell Circuit

If you have a short amount of time and a pair of dumbbells, you have the correct recipe for circuit training. Circuits are another word for exercise stations. You select your stations and organize them to flow quickly from one to the next. The time spent at each station depends on your goals, time limits and strength, since you have no rest time in between exercises. The circuit moves quickly through eight to 10 exercises that target your major muscle groups and can be done two or three times a week. Perform the dumbbell circuit two or three days a week with at least one day of rest in between sessions for muscle recovery.

Things You'll Need

  • Dumbbells
  • Chair, stability ball or weight bench (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose eight to 10 exercises for your major muscle groups including your chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs and core. For example, select exercises such as a chest press, chest fly, back row, shoulder press, arm curl, arm extension, squat, lunge, deadlift and calf raise. Write the exercises on a piece of paper to quickly transition from one to the next.

    • 2

      Begin with a five-minute warm-up of full-body movements such as marching in place, walking, stair climbing or rope jumping.

    • 3

      Perform your first exercise for 15 seconds up to three minutes; shorter amounts of time require heavier weights for strength training and longer durations require lighter weights for muscular endurance. For example, begin with a leg exercise such as the squat. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms at your sides. Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips with your toes pointing forward. Keep the weight of your body in your heels as you bend your knees and lower your hips into a squat. Prevent your knees from moving forward beyond your toes. Exhale, straighten your legs and return to the starting position.

    • 4

      Complete your second exercise for an equal amount of time, without resting after your squats. For example, choose an upper-body exercise such as the shoulder press. Stand tall and raise the dumbbells to shoulder height with your elbows bent and pointing toward the floor. Exhale and straighten your arms overhead. Inhale and return to the starting position.

    • 5

      Quickly transition to your third exercise. Select another leg exercise, for instance, such as a calf raise. Hold the dumbbells with your arms at your sides as you lift and lower your heels for the desired amount of time.

    • 6

      Continue your circuit until you complete eight to 10 exercises. Alternate muscle groups, such as your legs and then your shoulders, to quickly transition from one exercise to the next.

    • 7

      Complete the entire circuit between one and three times for a total-body workout. Begin with one circuit; as your strength improves, add one or two times through.

    • 8

      Cool down at the end of your circuit workout with three to five minutes of marching, walking or stair climbing and then stretch your main muscle groups.

    • 9

      Vary your exercises on a biweekly basis to keep your muscles challenged. For example, instead of doing the chest press, do a chest fly. Or, perform a front shoulder raise instead of a shoulder press.