Bodyweight + Dumbbell Metabolic Circuits
By Sarah Rippel
Author of “Home Program Design Mastery,” “The Ultimate Group Training System,” “Build ‘N Burn 2.0,” & “Build ‘N Burn”
I decided to take things outdoors after almost a decade of being out of the “bootcamp” game! I am running 4-week sessions & plan on this being an ongoing program. What’s really awesome is that I have a group of 10 ladies in this first session and nine of them are former clients, a few I haven’t seen since the last time I did outdoor groups! Really cool!
Here are three great bodyweight & dumbbell metabolic circuits that I have programmed for this session! I have mapped out a three-week progression to illustrate the subtle changes that can be implemented. We want to keep things progressing without having a ton of equipment!
Workout #1: 3-Week Progression
Week 1: AMRAP x 12 Minutes:
- Goblet Squat @32X1 Tempo x 5
- Benign Burpee with Wide Feet (step-back or jump-back) x 5
- Reverse Lunge @31X1 Tempo (BW or DB Front-Load) x 5/side
- DB Vertical Chop x 10
Week 2: AMRAP x 12 Minutes:
- Goblet Squat in Sprinter Stance @32X1 Tempo x 3-4/side
- Benign Burpee with Feet Hip-Width (step-back or jump-back) x 5-6
- Reverse Lunge @21X1 Tempo (BW or DB Front-Load) x 6-8/side
- DB Vertical Chop x 12
Week 3: AMRAP x 12 Minutes:
- DB Front-Load Squat in Sprinter Stance @31X1 Tempo x 4-6/side
- Benign Burpee with Feet Together (step-back or jump-back) x 6-8
- Reverse Lunge @21X1 Tempo (DB Front-Load or Suitcase) x 8-10/side
- DB Vertical Chop in Sprinter Stance x 6/side
Workout #2: 3-Week Progression
Week 1: 30/30 Interval x 3 Rounds:
- DB Front-Load Sprinter Squat (L)
- DB 1-Arm Overhead Press in ½-Kneel (L)
- DB Front-Load Sprinter Squat (R)
- DB 1-Arm Overhead Press in ½-Kneel (R)
- Step Jacks or Jumping Jacks
Week 2: 35/25 Interval x 3 Rounds:
- DB Front-Load or Shouldered Sprinter Squat (L) *Hold both DBs on shoulder
- DB 1-Arm Overhead Press in ½-Kneel (L)
- DB Front-Load or Shouldered Sprinter Squat (R)
- DB 1-Arm Overhead Press in ½-Kneel (R)
- Step Jacks or Jumping Jacks
Week 3: 40/20 Interval x 3 Rounds:
- DB Shouldered Sprinter Squat (L)
- DB 1-Arm Overhead Press in ½-Kneel (L)
- DB Shouldered Sprinter Squat (R)
- DB 1-Arm Overhead Press in ½-Kneel (R)
- Step Jacks or Jumping Jacks
Workout #3: 3-Week Progression
Week 1: AMRAP x 10 Minutes
- DB Front-Load Alternating Step-Up x 8-10/side
- DB 1-Arm Row in Bilateral Stance x 10-12/side
- Hamstring Walk-Outs x 2-4
- High Plank Hand March or Hand Switch x 6-8/side
Week 2: AMRAP x 12 Minutes
- DB Cross-Body Alternating Step-Up (Front-Load + Suitcase) x 8-10/side
- DB 1-Arm Row in Sprinter or Bilateral Stance x 12/side
- Hamstring Walk-Outs x 4-6
- High Plank Hand Switch or Shoulder Taps x 8-10/side
Week 3: AMRAP x 14 Minutes
- DB Suitcase Step-Up x 8-10/side
- DB 1-Arm Row in Sprinter Stance x 12-15/side
- Hamstring Walk-Outs x 6-8
- High Plank Shoulder Taps x 10-12/side
Stay tuned for Part 2 for tweaking strategies…
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Check out top level programming by Sarah Rippel :
Home Program Design Mastery plus Done for You programs, templates and more!
“The Ultimate Small Group Training System” The most Comprehensive Guide to Semi-Private and Small Group Training for Fit Pros.
Build N’ Burn – Done For YOU 16 Wk Metabolic Group Training Program for Fit Pros
Check out The Done-for-You 12 week Build ‘N Burn 2.0 for Fit Pros:
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Other articles by Sarah Rippel:
Using a Tempo Focus with Build ‘N Burn Workouts
30:30 Turkey “Burner” AB Circuit
New Creative Conditioning Circuits Part 1
How To Progress Conditioning Workouts: Part 3
Mechanical Drop Sets: Programming Ideas
KISS Principle for Group Training+(3x3x3 Circuit Workout)
Deceptively Devious Conditioning Circuit
SGT Workout Breakdown- Program 4 Part 1
The Conditioning Based Warm-Up: 10 Minute EMOM
SGT Workout Breakdown Program 4 – Part 2
Unconventional Cardio: Strongman Conditioning Circuits
Density Training for Metabolic Conditioning & Strength Work
Using Cluster Sets To Spice Up Strength Programming
4 Wall Ball Conditioning Workouts+4 Tips to Improve Wall Ball Technique(Videos)
Using a Tempo Focus with Build ‘N Burn Workouts
Speed Ladder + Static Core Continuous 30-Second Circuit Version 2.0
Alternating EMOMs for Small Group Training
5 comments on “Bodyweight + Dumbbell Metabolic Circuits”
Sai Zala
July 31, 2023 at 10:16 amWhat is the,@32×1 by 5 Tempo mean?
Georgette Pann
July 31, 2023 at 10:31 amLower for 3sec, pause at bottom 2sec, stand up, pause 1sec at top
Sarah Rippel
July 31, 2023 at 11:17 amHi Sai!
I should have clarified in the article itself, but Georgette is correct!
When you’re reading a tempo notation it’s “@ABCD,” where:
A = the eccentric phase of the movement (lowering)
B = time spent at the bottom position
C = time spent coming up from the bottom position
D = time spent at the top position
So yes, 3sec to descend into the bottom position of the squat. Pause for 2sec in that bottom position, then stand up explosively (hence the “X”), then take 1sec at the top before the next rep.
Diana Starr
July 31, 2023 at 12:55 pmHello,
When doing these circuits, how many times during the week do you do “WEEK ONE” Circuit, and so on.
3 times a week then the next week do the second circuit?
thanks
Sarah Rippel
July 31, 2023 at 1:34 pmHi Diana!
I would rotate the three workouts in a week if doing a 3x/week program. So workout 1 on Monday, 2 on Wed, & 3 on Fri, for example. Then move on to the week 2 progressions & then week 3. You could perform workout 1 as a MWF thing but I feel it would make things more well-rounded if the workouts were cycled! ? Have a great day!