Circuit training is a way to alternate bursts of cardiovascular (cardio) effort with strength training exercises. Cardio raises your heart rate and keeps it high (how high depends on how hard you’re working). Walking, running, and working out on an elliptical are all examples of cardio. So are jumping jacks, burpees, and other jumping exercises. Strength training, or resistance training, builds muscle. We’re used to thinking of strength training as needing weights or machines. In reality, all you need is your own body weight. Combining cardio with strength training in a series of repeated efforts (a circuit) is a very efficient way to work out. You can achieve a healthy amount of exercise in a short amount of time. Another benefit of circuit training is that you can do it anywhere. To start, you don’t need anything other than what’s on hand at home. You can also add weights or resistance bands to your circuit training.