This easy-to-follow, beginners circuit workout is an efficient conditioning program for developing your strength, endurance and enhancing fat loss.

Circuit workout instructions

To complete a circuit, each exercise must be performed sequentially that is assigned to the program. When one circuit is complete, the athlete begins the first exercise again to initiate another circuit and repeats the process.

• Repeat the circuit 3-5 times (depending on ability)
• Rest for 2-3 minutes between circuits
• No rest between exercises
• Perform as many reps as possible (AMRAP) for prescribed time. 

Warm-up

Increase hear rate and bloodflow through your preferred warm-up method, followed by some dynamic stretches. 

Suggested warm-ups: Jogging, skipping rops, shuttle-runs, arm rotations, leg raises. 

Circuit training exercises

It is a particularly effective training tool for martial artists, rugby players and anyone involved in contact sports as it builds strength, power and speed skills. 

This beginner sandbag workout is designed to introduce you to training with sandbags and allow you to develop techniques before progressing onto a heavier bag and more advanced exercises. As a general rule, you will probably find that you will not be able to lift as much weight in a sandbag as you can with other traditional free weights.

Who is the beginner sandbag workout for? 

This workout is targeted at people new to sandbag training or with novice level fitness skills. It is useful for those who want to:

• Learn the fundamentals of sandbag training
• Enhance their weight training by introducing sandbag movements
• Build strength and muscular definition
• Develop lean muscle mass
• Burn fat / lose weight
• Develop sports specific strength and conditioning

Beginner bodyweight workout instructions

Workout notes:

1. Warm-up thoroughly before starting with some light cardiovascular activity such as jogging or skipping.
2. Use a sandbag weight that you can handle comfortably with good form. 

The exercises

The exercises in this workout have been selected to help develop overall strength and conditioning using compound movements. These compound movements utilise multiple joints and muscles and will build functional strength - perfect for everyday life, sports and avoiding injury.

Sandbag Clean

Start with the sandbag on the ground. 

Take a firm grip and lift the sandbag up towards chest height. This should be achieved through a powerful extension through the hip. Catch, the sandbag, return to the start position and repeat. 

Sandbag Overhead Press

Start with the sandbag at chest height. 

Without any assistance from the legs, press the bag above your head. Your back should stay relatively straight during this movement and you should brace your abdominal muscles.

Aim to reach full extension through the shoulder and elbow so that the sandbag is completely above the head at the end of the movement. Return the sandbag to chest height and repeat. 

Sandbag Back Squat

Start with the sandbag across your shoulders. 

Sit back into the squat, keeping your chest high. Weight should stay predominantly in the heels and the feet should remain flat. Return to the starting position by pushing back upwards with your hips. 

Sandbag Lunge

Start with the sandbag across your shoulders or (for added challenge) held overhead in straight arms. 

Take a big step forwards and drop your body downwards by bending both knees. Your torso should remain upright throughout the movement. 

Step backwards and come to a fully standing position before repeating on the opposite leg. 

Sandbag High Pull

Start with the sandbag on the ground. 

Take a firm grip and then lift the sandbag powerfully upwards to chest height. The elbows should be high throughout this movement, with most of the power coming from the hips.

Return the bag to the ground and repeat. 

Progressing from the beginner sandbag workout

As you become competent with the basic sandbag movements you can look to integrate them into an overall training regime, perhaps by effectively combining sandbag exercises with barbell or bodyweight exercises. 

Intermediate sandbag workout coming soon!

When wearing a weighted vest you're effectively adding more resistance to your training in a way that it's safely distributed over your upper body, allowing you to workout freely and unrestricted. This makes the weight vest the perfect piece of fitness equipment for bodyweight training when you want to elevate it to the next level and continue progressing.

Who is this weighted vest workout for? 

This workout is not for out-and-out beginners - it's essential that you can do an exercise correctly with proper form before introducing additional resistance. When you're ready to start adding resistance a weighted vest is a good choice, particularly for those that like minimal training equipment, prefer bodyweight training, or don't like traditional weight training.

When using a weighted vest for the first time you should start with a small amount of additional weight and increase weight blocks gradually as you get stronger.

This workout is useful for those that want to -

• Train anywhere with minimal equipment (weighed vest only) 
• Add intensity to bodyweight workouts and break through a plateau 
• Accelerate fat loss and build strength, power and speed

Weight vest workout instructions

• Warm-up thoroughly before starting with some light cardio. 
• Perform each exercise sequentially for desired number of reps and repeat the circuit three times.  
• Rest 30 - 45 seconds between sets / 1 minute between exercises

The exercises in this workout have been selected so that you can workout almost anywhere and require no equipment other than a weighted vest. 

Weighted lunges

Take a long step forward and lower your body until you back knee almost touches the floor. Your front knee should not extend over your front toe. Step back so that your feet are together. 

Weighted squats

Stand upright with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Draw your stomach in, keeping shoulders back and eyes forward. Let your hips go back as you bend your knees. Keeping your weight evenly distributed over your toes and heels, squat down until your knees are at about 90 degrees.

See bodyweight squats

Weighted press-ups

Lie face down with legs straight and hands on the floor, slightly wider than shoulder width. Keeping abdominal muscles tight and back straight, push up until your arms are straight. Lower your body until your shoulders are about level with your elbows and repeat. 

See push-ups

Weighted sprints

Finish the workout with some weighted sprint interval training for a potent end to the workout - 

• 1 minute moderate of high-intensity followed by 1 minute low intensity (repeat 6-8 times)
• 3-5 minutes cool down (low intensity, gradually decreasing by the end of the cool down period).

If your workout venue is short on space you can substitute weighted sprints for skipping.

This beginner kettlebell workout is an excellent introduction to kettlebell training and will help develop the fundamental techniques for building power, strength and endurance.

Who is the beginner kettlebell workout for? 

This is a kettlebell workout targeted at people new to kettlebell training or with novice level fitness skills.

This workout is useful for those who want to -

• Learn the fundamentals of kettlebell training
• Enhance their weight training by introducing kettlebell movements
• Build strength and muscular definition
• Develop lean muscle mass
• Burn fat / lose weight

Advised prerequisites -

• Professional kettlebell instruction
• Entry level fitness skills

Kettlebell training can be dangerous if not properly executed with appropriate care. It is recommend that people new to kettlebell training have appropriate instruction from a professional to learn basic form.

Beginner kettlebell workout instructions

Workout notes:

• Warm-up thoroughly before starting with some light cardio.
• Use a kettlebell weight that you can handle comfortably with good form.

The exercises

The exercises in this workout have been selected as part of a comprehensive weight training program to cover both upper and lower body presses and pull movements, and exercises that will develop the core.

Perform each exercise sequentially for desired number of reps and repeat the circuit three times. 

Rest: 30 - 45 seconds between sets / 1 minute between exercises.

Kettlebell military press

• 3 sets x 10 reps
• Exercise instructions: Double kettlebell military press 

Double kettlebell bent-over row

• 3 sets x 12 reps
• Exercise instructions: Double kettlebell bent-over row

Double kettlebell squat

• 3 sets x 12 reps
• Exercise instructions: Double kettlebell squat

Kettlebell swing

• 3 sets x 15 reps
• Exercise instructions: One-arm kettlebell swing

Kettlebell windmill

• 3 sets x 8 reps each side
• Exercise instructions: Kettlebell windmill

Progressing from the beginner kettlebell workout

As you are become competent with the basic kettlebell movements you can look to integrate them into an overall training regime, perhaps by effectively combining kettlebell exercises with barbell or bodyweight exercises.

Intermediate kettlebell workout coming soon!

This workout is an excellent introduction to strength training and will put you on the path to bodyweight excellence... 

Who is the beginner bodyweight workout for? 

This is a bodyweight workout targeted at the beginner and serves as a fundamental starting point to anyone who is just starting out with their fitness training.

The workout is composed of exercises that require little to no equipment, making it an extremely flexible regime that can be performed almost anywhere. 

This workout is useful for those who want to -

• Build strength and muscular definition
• Develop lean muscle mass
• Create a base level of strength and fitness skills before progressing onto advanced body weight training or weight training

Beginner bodyweight workout video

Fitstream athlete Lee Wade Turner demonstrates the bodyweight exercises in this video guide: 

Beginner bodyweight workout instructions

Perform 10 reps of each exercise, one after another (*). When you've performed all exercises for 10 reps go back to the first exercise and do 9 repetitions of each, repeating the process until you reach one single repetition per exercise.

* If you struggle to hit the ten reps in one attempt - simply perform as many as you can then rest, and repeat until you've accumulated the required number.

The exercises

Chin-ups

• Ensure that you achieve full lock out with chin over the bar. 
• Alternative exercises: Pull-ups

Ab Crunches

• Ideally perform this exercise on a decline bench with legs raised for added intensity. 
• Alternative exercises: Plank (hold of 30-45 seconds, but the longer the better!)

Dips

• See Dips exercise

Hanging Knee Raises

• Whilst hanging from the pull-up bar or rings bring your knees up, parallel to the ground. 
• See hanging knee raises

Press-ups

• Take chest to floor and ensure arms are locked out at the top position. Perform on knees to make easier if required and build up to full press-ups. 
• See push-ups exercise 

Progressing from the beginner bodyweight workout

Keep a record of your workouts (see training journal article) and you'll quickly see improvements in your strength, speed and form. 

When you're comfortably performing all ten repetitions without breaking you're ready to step things up a notch, and progress to the intermediate level bodyweight workout (coming soon!). 

Alternatively, try introducing a weighted vest for added intensity to the exercises and develop explosive strength levels. They're excellent for breaking through plateaus and progressing to more advanced exercises. 

Performing the routine on gymnastics rings rather than fixed apparatus is also an effective way to recruit additional muscle-mass and build compact, defined muscles. 

Intermediate bodyweight workout coming soon!