Here is an example of a circuit. I'm assuming a gym bench, some
weights and a Swiss ball (which, if you don't have one, is usually
about $10 in TJ Maxx!). Ideally something to pull from as well - see
ideas below.
I'll take a guess that you want to start with one barbell or two
dumbells on about 15-25% of bodyweight. Mine are metric, I weight
75kg and I would be quite comfortable using a 20kg barbell for
circuits. If in doubt start light. You can't change plates in
mid-circuit, but you can always change up between circuits.
1. Pushups
2. Front squat to press (barbell or dumbells)
3. Seated leg raise
4. Body weight Inverted Rows OR one-arm row (each side)
5. high step-ups (each side) or Split Squat with barbell (each side)
6. Swiss ball hamstring curls
7. Thrusts: (a) mountain climbers, (b) squat thrusts (c) burpees
8. Speed bounce - jumps over (a) line, (b) low obstacle
Full notes on exercises with links follows below.
General advice:
First, warm up thoroughly. Warmups should be specific to the planned
activity (literally lesson one on the UKA coaching course!). This
could involve a mile on the treadmill, or 10min of your existing
core/lunge routine; and then ideally a short practice set of a few
reps of each exercise, carefully, with no time pressure.
Aim to do 15 reps of each exercise at first. Keep rest to a minimum -
ideally 5-10sec max to change stations. You can time the whole thing
to keep up momentum, but don't race too fast and lose form. 3min or
so between sets, then do a second one.
Progress to 20 or 25 reps after a while, and/or make exercises harder/faster.
Reasoning:
Circuits started in the UK in the 1950s. Probably a response to lack
of expensive weights equipment, but they work, and have been a staple
of serious clubs for a long time. In a group context they let a whole
T&F team train together, giving the sprint/jump types their cardio
workout and slightly de-wimping the distance folks. In this context
they tend to involve a lot of springy stuff, medicine ball throws,
chins, even indoor sprints, as well as endurance exercises developing
some local lactate tolerance.
Lately they have become fashionable among the personal training crowd
as the high intensity produces good fat burning for the next day or
so. Designed right, all muscle groups get worked so no one part of
your body is too sore, but your whole metabolism comes under pressure.
For home us, it's better to have fixed numbers of reps and time the
whole circuit.
For a runner, I would try to recommend a range of whole-body
exercises, some lateral movements and some light springy work, but we
do NOT want to trash the legs, as you have at least ten other ways to
do that every week.
Exercise details:
1. Pushups: chest/triceps
If you can bang out lots already, find a harder variant.
- put a scrunched cloth, sponge or soft ball under your chest. Make
sure your chest touches
- elevate your feet
- explosive hand-claps
2. Front squat to press: bilateral leg push plus shoulders
With a weight (barbell or 2 dumbells), go down into a DEEP front squat
- all the way down. Stand up, then use your momentum to press
overhead. Repeat.
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/OlympicLifts/FrontSquat.html
If you know about or want to learn Olympic lifting, you can try to do
the correct 'catch' position so you have to use power to get the bar
up high and back to where you can press it; but the weight should
probably light enough that you can just grip the bar/dumbells and lift
it from floor to ceiling if you prefer.
3. Seated leg raise: hip flexors
A variant with a ball here too..
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/HipFlexors/BWStraightLegRaise.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/HipFlexors/BWJackKnifeBall.html