Why circuit training

Routines with aerobic exercise, like jump rope or jogging in place, increase your blood circulation and get your heart rate up. And we all know the value of cardio-- weight loss, reduced risk of diseases, better sleep, and so on.

You can do it on your own or in a class setting where the exercise stations are provided for you. Be in and out in a set amount of time. If you enjoy group activities, circuit training is a great social experience. Move through the circuit with old friends or make new ones. Set it to music and really get motivated! This workout can be fast paced and fun. Plus, you can personalize it by altering the exercise stations—and the variations are limitless. Whether you use it to enhance your current fitness routine or make it your new exercise go-to, Circuit Training has some great advantages.

Get a full body work out and have fun! We have asked our employees and guest bloggers to contribute to our blog in their own voice and with their own opinions. Once all exercises have been completed, you may rest for 1—2 minutes, then repeat the exercises. Most circuits are completed 1—3 times. No two circuit training classes will necessarily look the same.

For example, circuits may be designed for professional soccer players to promote speed and agility or beginners looking to improve their cardiovascular fitness. Most circuits are either time-based or rep-based. For rep-based circuits, your goal is to complete a certain number of reps — usually up to 20 — before moving onto the next exercise.

Circuit training is a form of training that involves rotating through a set number of exercises with little rest in between. It usually includes all major muscle groups for a quick, yet highly effective, full-body workout.

With circuit training, you usually perform a high number of reps for each exercise. This involves the recruitment of slow-twitch muscle fibers to help you sustain the exercise longer 1. Not only will this help you perform better in the circuit itself, but it can help with other activities in fitness and daily life by allowing you to use your muscles longer and more effectively.

Depending on the exercises you perform during the circuit, you may be able to build stronger and larger muscles. Since circuit training puts your muscles under ongoing tension, this can stimulate neuromuscular adaptations and muscle growth to build larger and stronger muscles 1 , 2.

Circuit training is a favorite for many because it combines strength training and cardiorespiratory training. Since there is little rest between exercises, your heart rate stays elevated throughout the circuit. This helps strengthen and decrease stress on your heart, allowing it to push more blood into the body with less effort 3 , 4 , 5.

It also helps increase lung capacity , allowing you to breathe more efficiently as you exercise. Instead of splitting your workouts throughout the week to target specific muscle groups, circuit training includes a variety of exercises to give you a full-body workout. For example, as you perform an upper body exercise, such as pullups , your lower body can rest. Since there are minimal breaks during a session, you can complete your workout in a short time frame.

In fact, most circuit training sessions are only 20—30 minutes. Even with such a short time frame, several studies have shown that you can still improve both your cardiorespiratory fitness and strength with circuit training 7 , 8 , 9 , One of my favorite places for doing circuit training is at some of the parks and playground areas near where I live.

You can just as easily put together a great circuit training workout at home or in a park. Half the group exercises while the other half takes a rest and motivates the exercising members of the group. The Main Types of Circuit Training As mentioned before, circuit training can be totally customized, which means there are an unlimited number of ways to structure your circuit training workouts.

Timed Circuit : This type of circuit involves working to a set time period for both rest and exercise intervals. For example, a typical timed circuit for a group of people with average fitness might involve 30 seconds of exercise and 30 seconds of rest. Whereas a timed circuit for athletes might involve 80 seconds of exercise and 20 seconds of rest. Competition Circuit : This is similar to a timed circuit but you push yourself to see how many repetitions you can do in the set time period.

For example, you may be able to complete 12 push-ups in 30 seconds. The idea is to keep the time period the same, but try to increase the number of repetitions you can do in the set time period.

The idea is that the fittest group might do, say 20 repetitions of each exercise, the intermediate group might only do 15 repetitions, while the beginners might only do 10 repetitions of each exercise. Sport Specific or Running Circuit : This type of circuit is best done outside or in a large, open area.

Then instead of simply resting between exercises, run easy for or meters. You can even use sprints or fast meter runs as part of your choice of exercises. Circuit Training Precautions and Safety Guidelines Circuit training is a fantastic form of exercise, however, the most common problem I find is that people tend to get over excited, because of the timed nature of the exercises, and push themselves harder than they normally would.

The nature of circuit training is quite different to any other form of exercise. Be patient. DO NOT start a circuit training workout without a thorough warm-up that includes stretching. As I mentioned before, circuit training is very different from other forms of exercise. Your body must be prepared for circuit training before you start your session. You need to make stretching and flexibility training a regular part of your circuit training. The added intensity of circuits requires that your muscles and joints be flexible and supple.

Do away with stiff, tight muscles and joints; Improve your freedom of movement; Get rid of injuries, aches and pains; Improve your sporting performance; and Take your flexibility to the next level. Squat Jumps: 10 to 15 repetitions Standard Push-ups: 10 to 15 repetitions Calf Raises: 15 to 20 repetitions Bench Dips: 10 to 15 repetitions Abdominal Crunches: 15 to 20 repetitions Jump Rope: 60 seconds Squat Jumps: 10 to 15 repetitions Standard Push-ups: 10 to 15 repetitions Calf Raises: 15 to 20 repetitions Bench Dips: 10 to 15 repetitions Abdominal Crunches: 15 to 20 repetitions Jump Rope: 60 seconds.

Research and References Beachle, T. Earle, R. Loraine, D. Berger, R. Kraemer, W. Cardiovascular responses to a high-volume continuous circuit resistance training protocol. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research , 18 4 Klika, B.

Jordan, C. Kraviz, L. New Insights into Circuit Training. Mackenzie, B. Circuit Training. Pollock, M.