Quick and Dirty Circuits
Description: Short but intense circuits to get you results in as little time as possible.
Workout Schedule
This workout schedule is designed to be repeated indefinitely. When you reach the end of week 2, start over at the beginning of week 1. Use the progression instructions listed in the Progressions section to make your workouts more challenging over time.
= Rest day
Full Body Circuit A
Important: Make sure you've read over the general workout instructions so you understand how to follow this workout.
Goal Logged Reps Unbroken? Rest
10 reps per side (for time) 0m0s
10 reps per side (for time) 0m0s
Goal Weight Logged Reps Unbroken? Logged Weight Rest
10 reps (for time) 70% of 5RM 0m0s
10 reps (for time) 70% of 5RM 0m0s
Goal Logged Reps Unbroken? Rest
10 reps (for time) 0m0s
10 reps (for time) 0m0s
Goal Logged Time Unbroken? Rest
30s (for time) 0m0s
30s (for time) 0m0s
Circuit
>
Circuit
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Full Body Circuit B
Important: Make sure you've read over the general workout instructions so you understand how to follow this workout.
Goal Logged Reps Unbroken? Rest
10 reps (for time) 0m0s
10 reps (for time) 0m0s
Goal Logged Reps Unbroken? Rest
10 reps (for time) 0m0s
10 reps (for time) 0m0s
Goal Weight Logged Reps Unbroken? Logged Weight Rest
10 reps (for time) 70% of 5RM 0m0s
10 reps (for time) 70% of 5RM 0m0s
Goal Logged Time Unbroken? Rest
30s (for time) 0m0s
30s (for time) 0m0s
Circuit
>
Circuit
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General Workout Instructions

Note:  Please check the Appendix if you encounter any terminology you don't understand.

Instructions:  Every row of an exercise represents a set and specifies the goal for the set, how much to rest after, and how much weight to use* (if applicable). To complete a workout start at the top and move down, working your way through each set.** You can print out the workout and use the blank "Logged" fields to keep track of your workouts. Also please make note of the progression assigned to some exercises, which is denoted by the P icon. This links to progression instructions that will tell you how you should be increasing the difficulty of the exercise over time.

*Calculating Weights:  For weighted exercises that don't assign a specific weight follow the instructions below to calculate what you should be using.

  1. Percent Max Weights (e.g. 80% of 5RM):   Follow the strength testing and weight calculation guide in the Appendix.
  2. Difficulty-based Weights (e.g. Moderate, Light, Heavy):   Pick a weight that matches the given level of difficulty for the goal/number of reps in the set. For example, if the set is 8-12 reps and the weight is moderate, pick a weight that's moderately challenging for 8-12 reps.
  3. Referential Weights (e.g. 90% of 3x8 from Workout A):   Find the set(s) described in the relevant workout and use the weights from there to figure out how much you should be lifting for the current set. For example, let's say the exercise is bench press and the weight prescribed is "90% of 3x8 from Workout A". You'd go to Workout A, find the 3 sets of 8 reps of bench press, take the last weight you logged there, and multiply by 0.9.

**Supersets & circuits:  For exercises grouped into a superset or circuit, loop through the exercises in order doing a single set of each. Keep looping through the exercises doing one set at a time of each until all sets are complete. E.g. if you had a superset with 4 sets/rows of pullups and pushups you'd do the 1st set of pullups then do the 1st set of pushups then the 2nd set of pullups then the 2nd set of pushups etc until all 4 sets of each exercise are finished.

Progression Instructions
P1 Progression 1

Start with the prescribed number of reps on every set/round. When you're able to complete 2 rounds unbroken (i.e. without needing to rest to finish all reps in the set), add 1 rep to every set/round. Repeat this process over time, adding 1 rep every time you're able to complete 2 unbroken rounds.

Once the number of reps reaches 20 per round and you're able to do 2 unbroken rounds, increase the amount of weight you're using (or for a bodyweight progression move up to a more difficult exercise) and drop the number of reps back down to the initially prescribed number. The new weight (or exercise) should be challenging for the prescribed reps but you should still be able to complete at least 1 or 2 rounds unbroken.

Bodyweight Progressions

Each bodyweight progression is a list of exercises in order of difficulty (easiest to hardest). Wherever a bodyweight progression shows up in your routine, pick an exercise from the progression that's challenging but not impossible for you to do for the prescribed number of reps. Once you've gotten stronger and are able to do more reps with the chosen exercise you should move up to a more difficult exercise.

Terminology

Strength Testing & Weight Calculation
Follow the steps below to figure out how much weight you should be lifting for any exercise that uses percent of max weights (e.g. 80% of 5RM). If you already know your 1 rep max (or anything up to your 12 rep max) for the exercise you can skip to Step 2.
Step 1: Find your rep max

  1. Warm up with a few light reps with a weight that's light for you. You're just doing some reps to get a feel for the motion and warm up your joints, don't tire yourself out.
  2. Now, pick a weight you think you can do at least 5 times but probably not more than 12. If you're unfamiliar with the exercise err on the side of being too light but not by too much.
  3. Do as many reps as you can with the weight you picked, but stop if your form falls apart or you go over 12. Now:
    • If you did anything between 1 and 12 reps with good form: that's your X rep max, where X is the number of reps you performed. Make note of this and proceed to Step 2.
    • If you did more than 12 reps: rest as needed until you feel fully refreshed, go back to (2), and pick a heavier weight. Repeat until the weight you pick puts you in the 1-12 rep range.
    • If you couldn't even do 1 or 2 reps with good form: rest a bit, go back to (2), and pick a lighter weight. Repeat until the weight you pick puts you in the 1-12 rep range.

Step 2: Use your rep max to calculate the weight you should be lifting

  1. Use the table below to find the multiplier you need to go from your known rep max to the prescribed rep max. For example, if you know your 8RM and the exercise is prescribed as a percent of your 5RM (e.g. 80% of 5RM), find the column labeled 8RM and then find the cell within that column in the row labeled 5RM. That's your multiplier, in this example 110% or 1.1.
  2. Now multiply your known rep max by the multiplier to get the rep max you need. Using the example from above let's assume your 8RM is 100 lbs. Multiplying by 110% gives you 110 lbs, that's your 5RM.
  3. Now multiply the prescribed percentage by the rep max you just calculated to get the weight you should be lifting. For example, if the exercise is prescribed as 80% of 5RM and your calculated 5RM is 110 lbs, multiply 110 lbs by 80% to get 88 lbs. Round this weight to a number that makes sense for the equipment you have available and that's what you should lift to start.

Known Rep Max
1RM 2RM 3RM 4RM 5RM 6RM 7RM 8RM 9RM 10RM 11RM 12RM
Needed Rep Max 1RM 100% 106% 110% 114% 116% 120% 125% 128% 132% 133% 139% 143%
2RM 94% 100% 103% 107% 109% 113% 117% 121% 124% 125% 131% 134%
3RM 91% 97% 100% 103% 106% 110% 114% 117% 120% 121% 126% 130%
4RM 88% 94% 97% 100% 102% 106% 110% 113% 116% 117% 122% 126%
5RM 86% 91% 95% 98% 100% 104% 108% 110% 113% 115% 119% 123%
6RM 83% 88% 91% 94% 97% 100% 104% 106% 109% 111% 115% 119%
7RM 80% 85% 88% 91% 93% 96% 100% 103% 105% 107% 111% 114%
8RM 78% 83% 86% 89% 91% 94% 98% 100% 103% 104% 108% 111%
9RM 76% 81% 84% 86% 88% 92% 95% 97% 100% 101% 106% 109%
10RM 75% 80% 82% 85% 87% 90% 94% 96% 99% 100% 104% 107%
11RM 72% 77% 79% 82% 84% 87% 90% 92% 95% 96% 100% 103%
12RM 70% 74% 77% 80% 81% 84% 87% 90% 92% 93% 97% 100%