Circuit training on Apple Watch: run the circuit and log every station
Published November 3, 2026
To track circuit training on Apple Watch, build the circuit as one superset in RIRLift. The Watch walks you from station to station, shows where you are ("Superset 2 of 4 · Round 1 of 3"), logs each station's weight and reps, and starts the rest timer after the last station of the round. A circuit of lifts is saved to Apple Health as Traditional Strength Training; a circuit of only jumps, like burpees and jumping jacks, is saved as Cross Training. Below are three circuits to copy: dumbbells at home, machines at the gym, and a kettlebell with bodyweight moves.
- Goblet Squat Quads, Glutes
- Dumbbell Bent-Over Row Upper Back, Lats
- Kettlebell Swing Glutes, Hamstrings
- Push-Up Chest
- Leg Press Quads, Glutes
- Lat Pulldown Lats
Put them together: example sessions
Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.
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Session 1
Dumbbells at home: 4 stations, 3 rounds
You have a pair of dumbbells, a chair and 20 minutes, and you want a session that keeps moving.
3× a week · 36 sets a week · ~15 min
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Session 2
Gym machines: 5 stations, lunch hour
You train at a gym at lunch and want a full-body session in under half an hour, without waiting for a rack.
2× a week · 30 sets a week · ~15 min
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Session 3
One kettlebell and a park bar: 4 rounds
You have one kettlebell and a park nearby with a low bar, and 20 minutes.
2× a week · 32 sets a week · ~20 min
Session 1
Dumbbells at home: 4 stations, 3 rounds
- Workouts3× a week
- Working sets36 a week
- Per workout~15 min
- EquipmentDumbbells
You have a pair of dumbbells, a chair and 20 minutes, and you want a session that keeps moving.
Four lifts back to back with no rest, then 90 seconds after the round. Three rounds give 12 working sets with far less waiting than straight sets.
| Exercise | Sets × reps | RIR | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Goblet Squat | 3 × 10–15 | 2 | 90 s |
| A2 Dumbbell Bent-Over Row | 3 × 8–12 | 2 | 90 s |
| A3 Dumbbell Shoulder PressA chair with a solid back works as the bench. | 3 × 8–12 | 2 | 90 s |
| A4 Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | 3 × 10–12 | 2 | 90 s |
- How to run it
- Three times a week. Start it on the Watch: log the squat and it moves you to the row, then the press, then the deadlift, and the 90-second rest starts after the deadlift. Then round 2.
- How to progress
- Each station progresses on its own, judged on its weakest round. Goblet squat at 40 lb for 15, 15, 15 is the top of 10 to 15, so next time it is 45 lb for 10. Row at 35 lb for 12, 11, 10 with a target of 10: the weakest round hit it, so the weight holds and the next target is 11.
Session 2
Gym machines: 5 stations, lunch hour
- Workouts2× a week
- Working sets30 a week
- Per workout~15 min
- EquipmentLeg Press, Chest Press, Lat Pulldown, Seated Leg Curl +1
You train at a gym at lunch and want a full-body session in under half an hour, without waiting for a rack.
Five machines in a loop: legs, push, pull, hamstrings, row. Two minutes of rest after each round, three rounds, 15 working sets.
| Exercise | Sets × reps | RIR | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Leg Press | 3 × 12–15 | 2 | 2 min |
| A2 Machine Chest Press | 3 × 10–12 | 2 | 2 min |
| A3 Lat Pulldown | 3 × 10–12 | 2 | 2 min |
| A4 Seated Leg Curl | 3 × 12–15 | 2 | 2 min |
| A5 Seated Cable Row | 3 × 10–12 | 2 | 2 min |
- How to run it
- Twice a week. Set every machine's seat and pin before round 1. If your gym lacks one of the machines, the Watch offers ranked replacements before the session starts.
- How to progress
- Leg press at 270 lb for 15, 15, 15 has topped the 12 to 15 range, so the next session opens at 275 lb for 12. Pulldown at 120 lb for 12, 10, 10: the weakest round is short of the top, so the weight holds.
Session 3
One kettlebell and a park bar: 4 rounds
- Workouts2× a week
- Working sets32 a week
- Per workout~20 min
- EquipmentKettlebells, Barbells
You have one kettlebell and a park nearby with a low bar, and 20 minutes.
Swings, push-ups, lunges and rows, four rounds with a minute of rest after each. 16 working sets in about 20 minutes.
| Exercise | Sets × reps | RIR | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Kettlebell Swing | 4 × 15–20 | 2 | 1 min |
| A2 Push-Up | 4 × 10–20 | 2 | 1 min |
| A3 Reverse LungePer leg. | 4 × 8–12 | 2 | 1 min |
| A4 Inverted Row | 4 × 8–12 | 2 | 1 min |
- How to run it
- Twice a week, or as a third session in a week of gym training. Leave the phone at home; the Watch keeps the session and syncs it when you are back.
- How to progress
- Push-ups 20, 18, 16, 15 with a target of 15: the weakest round hit it, so the next target is 16. When the swing reaches 20 on every round, the next step is a heavier bell; until you have one, add a round.
Make it fit you
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One rest per round
A circuit has one rest, after the last station: it is the rest set on the first station. Change it there, or tap +15 s or -15 s on the Watch when a round leaves you short of breath.
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Same rounds at every station
Every station in a circuit runs the same number of rounds. To do more of one lift, add it after the circuit as straight sets.
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A weight per station
Each station keeps its own weight and history, so the squat can move up while the press holds.
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Add a jump finisher
Burpees or jumping jacks after the circuit keep the session a strength session in Apple Health. A circuit made only of jumps is saved as Cross Training.
Questions
What workout do I pick on Apple Watch for circuit training?
In RIRLift the session picks it: a circuit with any lift in it is saved to Apple Health as Traditional Strength Training, a circuit of only jumps as Cross Training, and one that mixes cardio machines, like a bike and a rower, as Mixed Cardio.
How do I track circuit training on Apple Watch?
Build the circuit as one superset in a RIRLift routine and start it on the Watch. Log each station's weight and reps; the Watch moves you to the next station and starts the rest after the last one.
Does the Watch time each station?
RIRLift paces a circuit by your sets: you move to the next station when you log, and the rest timer runs after each round. Planks and other holds are timed from the Watch.
Can I use the same circuit at the gym and at home?
Yes. Save it as one routine. When a gym lacks a station's equipment, the Watch offers replacements before the session starts and can remember your choice for that gym.
Related templates
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What is a superset
How supersets and circuits work, and when to use them.
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Giant sets
Three or more lifts back to back for one muscle.
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Hotel room workout: quiet strength training with a bed, a chair and a band
Quiet bodyweight circuits for a small room.
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How long to rest between sets
How long the rest after each round should be.
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Why logging on your wrist beats your phone
What changes when the phone stays in your bag.