Circuit Training
Circuit Training is a popular form of fitness session used by the Military, sports teams, squads of athletes/swimmers as well in health clubs and fitness centers. An effective course of circuit training will improve both aerobic fitness and strength, making it a very useful conditioning method.
Circuit training involves moving through most or all of the exercises you intend to perform for the training session before starting the next set. Instead of performing one exercise and resting, then repeating for a predetermined set scheme, you would perform one set then move immediately to your next exercise and perform the set, and so on until you complete all of your exercises. Once you have completed one set of all the exercises, you rest for a minute or two, depending on your training focus. Rest and repeat for the total number of sets you would want to perform for each exercise.
This is another type of training that can take multiple forms depending on your goals. You can utilize this method to work intensify your bodyweight training, to re-arrange your weight training to emphasize getting lean, or to up the intensity of your weight training to break through a muscle-building plateau.
A great resource for killer bodyweight circuits is NeilaRay.com - which is an awesome and free resource if you are wanting to focus on bodyweight workouts. They provide quality workouts and information totally free and operate solely on donations. There are various exercises listed with a rep count - you would start with the first, perform the reps, then move to the next exercise without rest, until you complete them all. You would rest for 1-2 minutes and repeat 2 or more times, depending on your ability.
Research studies consistently show that lean body mass increases with a course of circuit training. A 1-3.2 kg gain in lean body mass can be expected with a consequent decrease in relative fat mass of 1-3%, total weight remaining unchanged. This is a major benefit of circuit training, especially for those who want to get in shape and tone up.
With traditional aerobic training, a decrease in relative fat mass has led to a decrease in total weight with little change in lean body mass. The resistance work involved in the circuits encourages muscle-mass development, and thus any fat loss is replaced equally by muscle gain. This makes it easier to maintain lower body fat or reduce body fat even further because the increase in lean body mass pushes up basal metabolic rate and overall calorie expenditure.
However, if you want to maximize your results, focused training on cardio and strength have proven to be more effective. Traditional strength training uses higher intensity with longer rest periods, usually 60- 90% of 1RM with 1-4 minutes rest, which results in better strength gains. This is the disadvantage of circuit training. Since you are not resting between exercises, the maximal weight you can handle decreases, reducing overall strength and muscle gains. The same holds true with cardio - since the cardio aspect isn't your primary focus, you can't push yourself as hard as you could if focusing specifically on HIIT.
Circuit training involves moving through most or all of the exercises you intend to perform for the training session before starting the next set. Instead of performing one exercise and resting, then repeating for a predetermined set scheme, you would perform one set then move immediately to your next exercise and perform the set, and so on until you complete all of your exercises. Once you have completed one set of all the exercises, you rest for a minute or two, depending on your training focus. Rest and repeat for the total number of sets you would want to perform for each exercise.
This is another type of training that can take multiple forms depending on your goals. You can utilize this method to work intensify your bodyweight training, to re-arrange your weight training to emphasize getting lean, or to up the intensity of your weight training to break through a muscle-building plateau.
A great resource for killer bodyweight circuits is NeilaRay.com - which is an awesome and free resource if you are wanting to focus on bodyweight workouts. They provide quality workouts and information totally free and operate solely on donations. There are various exercises listed with a rep count - you would start with the first, perform the reps, then move to the next exercise without rest, until you complete them all. You would rest for 1-2 minutes and repeat 2 or more times, depending on your ability.
Research studies consistently show that lean body mass increases with a course of circuit training. A 1-3.2 kg gain in lean body mass can be expected with a consequent decrease in relative fat mass of 1-3%, total weight remaining unchanged. This is a major benefit of circuit training, especially for those who want to get in shape and tone up.
With traditional aerobic training, a decrease in relative fat mass has led to a decrease in total weight with little change in lean body mass. The resistance work involved in the circuits encourages muscle-mass development, and thus any fat loss is replaced equally by muscle gain. This makes it easier to maintain lower body fat or reduce body fat even further because the increase in lean body mass pushes up basal metabolic rate and overall calorie expenditure.
However, if you want to maximize your results, focused training on cardio and strength have proven to be more effective. Traditional strength training uses higher intensity with longer rest periods, usually 60- 90% of 1RM with 1-4 minutes rest, which results in better strength gains. This is the disadvantage of circuit training. Since you are not resting between exercises, the maximal weight you can handle decreases, reducing overall strength and muscle gains. The same holds true with cardio - since the cardio aspect isn't your primary focus, you can't push yourself as hard as you could if focusing specifically on HIIT.
BEST FOR:
Overall Conditioning, Muscular Endurance
GOOD FOR:
Improving Cardiovascular Performance, Increasing Lean Muscle/Toning, Weightloss/Fat Burning
NOT FOR:
Increasing Strength, Increasing Mass (as main goal), Injury Recovery, Inexperienced Lifters, Flexibility
Overall Conditioning, Muscular Endurance
GOOD FOR:
Improving Cardiovascular Performance, Increasing Lean Muscle/Toning, Weightloss/Fat Burning
NOT FOR:
Increasing Strength, Increasing Mass (as main goal), Injury Recovery, Inexperienced Lifters, Flexibility