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Circuit Timer
Set up your stations, choose 6, 8 or 10 and press Start. Work until the tone, then move on.
Station 1 / 8
40 s work, 20 s to move, 3 circuits with 90 s between them: 20 minutes.
45 s work, 15 s to move, 3 circuits with 2 min between them: about 27 minutes.
30 s work, 15 s to move, 2 circuits with 2 min between them: 16½ minutes.
Example 8-station circuit for this circuit training timer
| Station | Exercise | Type | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goblet squat | Lower body | Dumbbell or kettlebell |
| 2 | Push-up | Upper body push | None |
| 3 | Plank | Core | Mat |
| 4 | Jumping jacks | Cardio | None |
| 5 | Reverse lunge | Lower body | None or dumbbells |
| 6 | Bent-over row | Upper body pull | Dumbbells or band |
| 7 | Dead bug | Core | Mat |
| 8 | Step-ups or skipping | Cardio | Step or rope |
On the 8-station plan each station is 45 seconds with 15 seconds to move, done 3 times with 2 minutes between circuits: 27 minutes 15 seconds after the 10-second get-ready. Swap in exercises that suit your equipment and keep the lower, upper, core, cardio order.
How to use it
- Plan the stations before you start and write the order on paper or a whiteboard. Lay the equipment out in a loop so the next station is always a few steps away.
- Choose the plan that matches your number of stations. To change the work time, the number of circuits or the rest, use the steppers.
- Put the timer on the biggest screen in the room, go full screen and turn the volume up. Press Start; everyone has 10 seconds to reach a station.
- Work until the long tone, then move during Next station. The screen shows which station and which circuit you are on; after the last station the timer runs the rest between circuits.
How to order the stations
A circuit keeps you moving by rotating the load around the body. Alternate lower body, upper body, core and cardio so that no muscle group works twice in a row. Squats followed by lunges turn the second station into a struggle to stand up; squats followed by push-ups let your legs recover while your arms work, and your heart rate stays up the whole time.
Put the most technical or heaviest exercise first in the loop, when people are freshest, and avoid placing two floor exercises together if getting up and down eats the changeover. Check that each station can be done for the full work time. If most people stop at 25 seconds of a 45-second station, make the exercise easier or lighter.
Running a station timer for a group
With a group, start one or two people at each station and have everyone rotate in the same direction on the tone. All stations run at once, nobody queues, and a room with eight stations holds sixteen people. The short pause is travel time, not rest: 15 seconds is enough to walk a few steps and pick up a weight, and 20 seconds suits a larger room.
The longer break between circuits is the real rest. Use it for water and to change weights. Three circuits of six or eight stations, or two circuits of ten, give a complete session of 16 to 27 minutes. Circuit training keeps the heart rate high for a long stretch, so anyone with a heart condition, uncontrolled blood pressure or who is new to exercise should check with a doctor first and start with one circuit.
Common mistakes
- Deciding exercises as you go. The changeover is too short to think; an unplanned circuit loses its first lap to confusion.
- Two stations in a row for the same muscles. Reorder them so the second one is not ruined by the first.
- Stations that need long set-up. Changing plates or adjusting a machine does not fit in 15 seconds.
- Treating the move as a rest. Walk straight to the next station and be ready when the beeps finish.
- Loads too heavy for the work time. Choose a weight you can keep moving for all 30 to 45 seconds.
Questions people ask
How long should each station be in a circuit?
Usually 30 to 45 seconds of work with 15 to 20 seconds to move. The presets here use 40 seconds with 20, 45 with 15, and 30 with 15.
How many stations should a circuit have?
Six to ten is typical. Six suits a small space or a short session; ten gives more variety and works for larger groups.
How many times should you go around a circuit?
Two or three times is common. Three rounds of 8 stations at 45 seconds takes about 27 minutes on this timer, including 2 minutes of rest between circuits.
Can I use this as a general workout timer or gym timer?
Yes. Set Work, Rest, Rounds and Sets with the steppers to match any workout that alternates effort and recovery. The page keeps your settings for next time.
How long should you rest between circuits?
One and a half to two minutes is usual: long enough to drink and bring your breathing down, short enough to stay warm.
Is this exercise timer suitable for a class on a big screen?
Yes. Open it on a laptop connected to a TV or projector and use full screen. The background color changes with each phase, so people can read work or move from across the room.