Home doesn’t mean easy: circuit training for endurance athletes

Many people think that training in the gym is in any case more effective and more difficult than at home. But in fact, this is not true at all. It does not matter where you prefer to work out. The load and effectiveness depend more on the specific exercises, and the right equipment can often be found at home – or replaced with an alternative.

This circular workout from Alexei Stolyarov includes four exercises. To perform them, you will need a sports ball, but it can be replaced with dumbbells or even a water bottle.

Super-book

Number of repetitions: 20 times.
Main muscle group: rectus abdominis.
Starting position: lying on the floor, hands with the ball behind your head.

Slightly raise your legs and arms with the ball. From a lying position, bend, pulling the legs bent at the knees to the chest. Hold this position and pass the ball from one hand to the other under your knees, then return to the starting position.

This exercise differs from the standard book in that you must also manage to intercept the ball, keeping your abs tense. Control the flexion and extension of the muscles, feel them and do not straighten too quickly.

Diagonal twists

Number of repetitions: 20 times per side.
Main muscle group: oblique abdominal muscles.
Starting position: standing in a side plank, one foot resting on the ball, one arm resting on the elbow, the other bent at the elbow and placed behind the head.

Lift the leg resting on the ball – during the exercise, bend it at the knee and pull it to your chest. At the same time, reach for your knee with the elbow of the hand behind your head. Return to the starting position.

It is important not only to perform the exercise correctly, to feel the tension of the side muscles, but also to keep your balance, as if balancing on the ball.

Catch the ball

Number of repetitions: 20 times.
Main muscle group: cortical muscles.
Starting position: lying down on one arm, with a ball in the other hand.

Spread your legs wide, keep your weight on one arm. Push off the floor and in a jump change hands, throwing the ball from one to the other. Try to keep your body straight, do not tip your hips sideways when transferring weight. Control the position of the body.

Roll over with a jump

Number of repetitions: 15 repetitions.
Main muscle group: whole body.
Starting position: lying on your back with a ball in your hands.

Bend your legs at the knees and pull them up to your chest, lifting your lower back off the floor. Touch the ball to the floor behind your head. Roll forward, rising to your feet, then straighten up to your full height and jump up, lifting the ball above your head. Return to the starting position.

To see how to perform the exercises correctly, you can see in the video “Championship”.

It seems that there is nothing complicated in these exercises, but only at first glance. Try it yourself and see if you can repeat all the approaches in three rounds.