Time is a valued commodity. When you have a full time job and a family, things can get hectic, leaving you with no opportunity to workout.

So rather than performing a typical weight lifting routines and 30-minute cardio sessions each day at the gym, you can save some time with a full body circuit. But what is Circuit Training?

Circuit training revolves around a concept known as active rest. By altering between upper and lower body moves, one muscle group has the chance to recover while another is working, so no time is wasted.

Focusing on multijoint movements and large muscle groups – such as legs, back and chest – requires more energy, so exercises of this type are preferable for maximizing caloric expenditure.

And by moving quickly from one exercise to the next, you will also improve aerobic capacity (though to a lesser extent). How to get started with a Circuit training workout?

Begin with a set of bent-over-barbell rows, then move to barbell squats, bench presses, deadlifts and upright rows. Do sets of bicycle crunches, dumbbell rows, lunges, chest and shoulder presses, and perhaps some leg pull-ins for your abs – then repeat the group of exercises.

Keep the weight load moderate to light, allowing for about 10-15 repetitions per set. Go through the entire circuit 3-4 times with minimal rest (no more than 30 seconds), then shower and get out of the gym.

The whole workout will probably only take 30 minutes, but you will burn a good amount of calories, and get some cardiovascular benefits out it.

If you do not have access to any fitness equipment, try sets of modified push-ups and dips for your upper body, along with static or walking lunges and step-ups for your legs. If you like, hold a weighted object in each hand for added resistance.

And since your workouts will be limited to primarily bodyweight exercises, do some jumping jacks or jog in place between sets torch some extra calories. [source: Best Body]