Running, biking, swimming, walking, eliptical training: lets be honest they're boring to do. I mean, yes it feels good after a nice long run or biking trails can be fun but a stationary bike or treadmill running is just boring and quite frankly a waste of time. You need cardiovascular training for fitness, health and possibly fat loss but those traditional methods that we all know so well but hate to do isn't the most effective option. On top of that, the high impact that running puts on your joints over time can be stressful. The method:
Circuit Training: A circuit training routine that builds muscle and endurance in one work out is by far the best method. The energy system which is predominately used in circuit training, as i've talked about in one of my previous blogs is the Glycolytic zone. This zone is optimal for fat loss.
What is Circuit Training?
- Well, Circuit Training incorporates high intensity aerobics along with resistance training. Each circuit incorporates roughly 3-5 exercises with no rest. Following the circuit (doing a set for each exercise in the circuit) you can rest for a minute. For optimal results, a training session that incorporates multiple circuit routines within a workout is best for caloric expenditure and fat loss.
Why Circuit Training?
- As stated, this exercise method is the best for fat loss, so if that is your desired goal then this is the best training method. Circuit training incorporates resistance training which deals with EPOC or Excess Post- exercise Oxygen Consumption. So, after a workout your body needs to bring itself back to it's original homeostatic state. This is done by consuming oxygen at an elevated rate. Weight training or resistance training is thought to have a greater rate of EPOC compared to regular aerobic exercise (running, biking etc).
A circuit training routine is time relative, which means you do each set of each exercise as many times as you can within a desired time limit (roughly a minute usually).
An example of a typical circuit routine would be a minute of each exercise, followed by a minute of rest after the circuit is completed. Heres an example of an intermediate circuit routine:
1.) Squats
2.) Pushups
3.) Lunges
4.) Inverted rows
5.) Burpee's (Start standing up and then bend and put your hands of the ground and kick your legs back so that you end in a push up position, then thrust your legs forward between your arms and jump into the air.)
- This incorporates both upper and lower body high intensity work, resulting in large caloric expenditure, good cardiovascular and muscular endurance training. So get out there and try this form of training, trust me you'll feel it and it definitely works!
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Circuit training is definitely the way to go! I am not a person who likes to run for fun or go on long bikerides, and honestly, when doing a short intense workout using circuits, I have seen better results. I did more of a circuit and plyometric workout this summer with some other college athletes to condition for field hockey and I was in so much better game shape coming into preseason than I've been doing strictly aerobic work in the past. Also, it's more exciting to mix up circuit exercises than it is to run around a track.
ReplyDeleteI've recently started doing circuit training and I feel that it is very helpful and I feel that the circuit training makes me feel a lot better after working out. This is a very helpful post and has a lot of great information.
ReplyDeleteThis post is really informative and I personally hate just running or doing the bike. I need something better and I have done circuits before for volleyball and the intensity and energy from the work out is so much better. It is great when you do it as a team too because is brings everyone together after hustling hard which puts the players in a great mood in order to cooperate and use team work for games.
ReplyDeleteI did some extreme circuit training as a Police exercise once. 1 minute of each exercise with no rest in between. Once all 5 were done, we got 1 minute of rest. Then did it a second time. Got 1 minute of rest and then did it a third time. By the end I wanted to keel over and die, but it was a great workout. It involved:
ReplyDelete-Burpees
-Lifting a kettle bell from a squat to your chin
-Jumping up on an 18in platform
-(standing) Bringing a barbell to your chest, then continually lifting it overhead
-Wall balls(throwing a 20lb medicine ball as high up a wall as possible)
Yeah circuit training really is a great workout and possibly the best method to burn fat. Sean, that circuit routine that you're talking about sounds like a really good, physically demanding workout. Something like that is definately not for beginners, in fact the wall ball throws is a core plyometric type exercise that should be properly educated prior to use. As well as the 18 in platform depth jumps which is a lower body plyometric exercise which also needs to be properly shown to prevent injury, but overall that routine sounds really good.
ReplyDeleteI agree i used to swim which was an amazing workout but it can be boring. Circuit training takes less time and works out more muscles and faster. Its defiantly not easy but its not boring!
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