The best full-body 30-minute circuit workout

If you’re looking for the best 30-minute workout, you’ve come to the right place. Centr Unlimited is the smash hit training program that delivers 30-minute full-body workouts at home – no equipment required. We’ll get you started with an at-home circuit workout right here.

Whether you’re looking to boost your cardio fitness, build strength and endurance, lose weight, tone your body or simply find an exercise routine that suits your lifestyle, you can’t go past circuit training workouts.

With trainers Luke Zocchi and Alexz Parvi, Centr Unlimited is all bodyweight, making it easy to put your 30-minute workout plan into action at home and get results. Before we jump into a quick 30-minute workout with your new favorite trainers, let’s break down the benefits of circuit training.

Want to try Centr Unlimited? Get started with a free trial at Centr.com today.

What is circuit training?

A classic total-body circuit workout is typically a 30-minute session made up of 8-12 exercises, each targeting a different muscle group, and each performed for a set number of reps or time period. You’ll take a short rest break between each exercise, with a longer break between each circuit (or set) before repeating the circuit another 1-2 times.

Circuit training may sound similar to HIIT (high-intensity interval training) – and you’ll often hear HIIT workouts referred to as “HIIT circuits” – but the big difference is that HIIT is done at maximum effort or intensity. In a circuit workout, you control the intensity, with a big focus on good exercise form, delivering full-body workout benefits.

Can you get results with a 30-minute circuit workout?

Contrary to what all those gym selfies in your social media feeds may suggest, you don’t have to work out for hours a day to see results. For the vast majority of people, a quality 30-minute circuit workout will be enough to achieve your goals.

In fact, doing 30 minutes of exercise at moderate intensity for 5 days each week will give you all you need to meet the recommended guidelines for weekly physical activity.

The workout: OK, now you’re warm it’s time to get stuck into the workout! Hit play, and let’s do this.

When you complete the workout, jump to your cool-down at the bottom of this article. Or continue reading for a breakdown of the exercises in this workout video, to help nail the form.

Alternating reverse lunges

From a standing position, step your right foot back, dropping the knee toward the floor to go into a lunge, then push back up to standing. Repeat the movement, this time stepping the left foot back. Keep your upper body upright and core engaged.

1-2 hook + straight + head roll

• Take an orthodox boxing stance – left foot forward, right foot back – with a slight bend in your knees.

• Bring your fists up to guard position, around chin height. Now we’re going to throw out a combination of 4 punches.

• Keeping your eyes on a target straight ahead, throw a straight punch out with your left then your right fist, followed by a left hook that swings across your body, then finish with a straight punch from your right fist.

• After the final punch, crouch down and swing your head to one side, then the other, as if weaving away from an opponent’s punches. This exercise is all about finding your rhythm and rotating through the core with each punch. If it helps, sound out each punch as you go: “punch, punch, hook, punch!”

Lateral squat jumps

• Squat with your feet shoulder-width apart, chest up and your core switched on.

• With your weight in your heels, sit your bum back and down into a squat.

• When your quads reach parallel to the ground, spring up out of the squat into a sideways jump.

• Then lower back down into a squat, and repeat, jumping to the opposite side. Swinging your arms down when you squat and up when you jump will aid your balance and explosive power.

Bear crawls

• Start on all fours, then lift your knees so they're hovering an inch off the mat.

• Now move one hand and the opposite foot forward an equal distance while staying low to the ground, followed by the next hand and opposite foot – crawling to the top of your workout mat, before reversing the movement to return to where you started.

• Keep your core tight and take it at your pace.

Jump rope

You don’t need an actual jump rope for this cardio classic. Just keep your elbows close to your body, swing your forearms as if you have a rope, and hop lightly from foot to foot at a steady pace.

Ice skater taps

• The aim is to move from side to side in a skating motion.

• With a slight bend at your hips (keeping your back straight) and knees, jump to the right, landing on your right foot and bringing your left foot behind the other leg, lightly touching down on the floor to stabilize the movement, lowering your right hand down to touch the opposite foot at the same time.

• Then launch off your front foot, squeezing through the glutes to jump to your left side. Continue alternating sides.

Half burpees

• Start in the bear crawl position, hands on the mat below your shoulders and knees hovering above the mat below your hips.

• Your core should be engaged.

• Jump your feet back until your body is in a plank position, then jump them back to the starting position.

Side-reach jacks

• Standing with your feet around shoulder-width apart, drop to put a slight bend in your knees, then bend at the hips to tilt your torso slightly forward (keeping your back straight).

• Staying light on your feet, jump one foot out to the side, then as you bring it back to center, jump the other foot out.

• With each jump to the left, reach your left arm across your body to the right, and vice versa.

Sit-up + punches

• Lay on your back with legs bent and feet on the floor, and fists together above your chest.

• Curl from your abs to sit up, and as your torso approaches your thighs, throw a punch with your right fist, then your left.

• Keeping your feet planted, use your abs to curl your back onto the floor again.

Sprawls

• From a wide stance, with your feet angled outward, squat down to place both hands on the floor – your knees should be just outside your elbows.

• Now jump your feet back, maintaining a wide v-shape, and lower your hips until they just about touch the floor.

• Then spring your feet back to starting position, and as you land, raise your hands and torso up into the squat position.

• After a short beat, drop your hands back to the floor, jump your feet back again and continue.

High knees

• Standing up tall, run on the spot, bringing knees up as high as you can manage.

• To lower the impact, find a steady rhythm and march on the spot, lifting your knees high.

Flutter kicks

• Laying on your back, arms by your side, brace through your core and bring your torso forward until you are propped on your elbows.

• Now raise both legs up and, making sure your core is engaged, alternate kicking your legs up and down.

• Keep your legs straight – no bicycle-style bending at the knees!

The cool-down: Cooling down after a workout helps to bring your heart rate back down and stretch out hard-working muscles.

This 30-minute full-body workout is just a taste of Centr Unlimited with Luke and Alexz. With low-impact modifications and Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced training levels, this 6-week program makes circuit training accessible to all. Join now to burn, tone and build your fittest body ever.

Get more home workout advice:

• Need a challenge? Try these tough workouts at home
• A yoga routine to relieve stress at home
• The best low-impact workouts you can do at home
• 4 ways to take your home workouts to the next level
• The best 7-minute workout you can do at home