Circuits & Rounds

Circuit training groups three or more exercises together into a round, then repeats that round a set number of times. It’s one of the most versatile workout formats — used everywhere from CrossFit boxes to personal training studios to home workouts. PT Tracker gives you full control over exercise selection, round count, and rest periods.

Why use circuits?

Circuits keep you moving between different exercises with minimal rest, which elevates your heart rate and builds muscular endurance simultaneously. By rotating between muscle groups, you can maintain a high work rate without completely exhausting any single area. Circuits are also time-efficient: you can hit a full-body session in 20–30 minutes.

How to set up a circuit in PT Tracker

Tap New Workout and select Functional / CrossFit.
Choose Circuit / Rounds as the timer type.
Add three or more exercises to your circuit. Set the reps (or duration) for each.
Set the number of rounds (e.g. 4 rounds).
Set the rest between rounds (e.g. 90 seconds). You can also add rest between exercises within a round if needed.
Tap Start. PT Tracker displays the current exercise, rep target, and round number. A rest countdown appears automatically between rounds.
Check off each exercise as you complete it. When you finish the final round, the workout is saved with your total time and per-round splits.

Example workouts

Beginner — 3 rounds, 60s rest between rounds

10 press-ups
15 bodyweight squats
20 bicycle crunches
30-second plank hold

Intermediate — 4 rounds, 90s rest between rounds

12 dumbbell thrusters (12.5 kg)
15 kettlebell swings (16 kg)
200 m run
10 burpees

Advanced — 5 rounds, 2 min rest between rounds

12 power cleans (50 kg)
15 box jumps (60 cm)
20 wall balls (9 kg)
15 toes-to-bar
250 m row

Tracking completion

PT Tracker records your circuit workouts in detail:

Per-round timing — See how long each round took and whether you slowed down across rounds.
Rest adherence — The app tracks whether you took the prescribed rest or extended it.
Exercise-level logging — Log actual weights used for each exercise. If you dropped weight in later rounds, that’s captured.
Total workout time — Your overall time including rest, useful for comparing sessions week to week.

Tips and common mistakes

Order exercises strategically. Alternate between upper body, lower body, and core movements so no single muscle group gets hammered back to back.
Don’t skip the rest. Cutting rest periods short to “get it done faster” usually backfires — your later rounds suffer and total work output drops.
Scale the rounds, not just the reps. If 5 rounds is too much, do 3 rounds at full intensity rather than 5 rounds at half effort.
Keep equipment nearby. Circuits involve multiple exercises, so lay out your kit beforehand. Time wasted hunting for a kettlebell mid-round adds up.
Use consistent weights. Pick a weight you can maintain across all rounds. If you have to drop weight by round 3, start lighter next time.

Who it’s for

Circuits suit every fitness level and goal. Beginners benefit from the structure and variety. Intermediate athletes use circuits for conditioning and hypertrophy. Advanced athletes can load them up for high-intensity functional training. They’re also ideal for home workouts where equipment is limited — bodyweight circuits need nothing but floor space.

See also: AMRAP for open-ended round counting against a time cap, or EMOM for minute-based interval structure.