Combining cardio and resistance training in a single workout can maximise fitness results in minimal time.
Mid-week, mid-winter, the last thing you want to do after work is exercise. But, with that winter insulation layer feeling as soggy as the naughty lunchtime hot chips, you know that lifting and sweating can restore self-respect. If only there was a workout that covered both cardio and resistance training needs in half the time with extra effect!
Well, there is: circuit training. This ‘magic wand’ of weight loss involves moving quickly through a sequence of exercise stations targeting different fitness qualities. Each exercise is performed for a specified number of repetitions or time before you move on to the next. Once you have completed everything in the sequence, you have completed the circuit, and quite often it is then repeated.
Circuit training differs from standard workouts as it uses a structure known as vertical progression. Here, one muscle group is exercised, then rested in preparation for the next challenge, but in the meantime you work other areas of the body, before returning to punish those first muscles again. So, each successive exercise focuses on a different body part or fitness component, and the actual rest between exercises is minimal.
Most definitions of circuit training refer to alternating resistance and cardio tasks, but they can also include flexibility, endurance, agility, sports-specific exercises, and more. The average circuit will include two to four different resistance exercises for the major body parts and a few cardio intervals. Depending on how many stations there are and how many laps need to be completed, an average circuit workout might take around 20 to 40 minutes.
History
The first official circuit routine came out of Leeds, United Kingdom in 1953 and was made up of nine to 12 exercise stations. Visualise a whistle and stopwatch-clad coach directing people to different stations for old favourites like push-ups, star jumps, skipping and medicine ball sit-ups. In the eighties and nineties gym circuit classes with hydraulic resistance machines became popular, and can still be seen in places such as Curves studio chain.
Contemporary circuit training has evolved into many forms and is one of the more common workout formats. Most boxercise and boot camp classes use them. Celebrities such as Jessica Biel are put through circuits by their trainers, with the trend being for big, multi-joint and full body movements that burn lots of energy. Systemised brands such as Turbulence Training employ short, time-efficient body weight circuits. Though classically we think of circuits performed in a class, it’s also one of the best ways to fly when solo.
Advantages of Circuit Training
Multiple entendre Both strength and cardio training effects can be achieved simultaneously (though not always as effectively as when they are done separately). If other fitness qualities such as flexibility are factored in, there are many benefits in one. Circuits can be tweaked for different effects. For example, to achieve more cardio benefit, reduce the rest interval between sets, or for big muscle groups like the legs, perform two to three exercises in a row.
More done in less time The intense nature of circuit-style training gives the metabolism a serious kick. The body responds more to intensity than duration, so don’t think by doing a 30-minute circuit as opposed to a standard hour routine that you’re cheating. Studies show that it helps women to achieve their goals and maintain them for longer than other forms of exercise. For a busy person trying to lose fat, circuit regimes are a time-efficient essential.
Variety and fun By changing formats and content, circuits provide plenty of new challenges, keeping sessions fresh and interesting. Studies have shown that they increase an individual’s long-term adherence to exercise.
Versatility and adaptability A circuit can be set up just about anywhere, with almost any equipment or none at all – machines, dumbbells, body weight, a park bench, dynabands, you name it. Hence it can be undertaken in the gym, outdoors or at home. Circuits can also be tailored to novice or experienced exercisers, and performed with any number of participants.
Always keep safety in mind. For example, step-ups onto a bench straight after a three-minute bike burst aren’t such a good idea – wobbly legs don’t balance so well!
As with any aspect of fitness, if you don’t know what you’re doing, consult a professional. A good instructor will bring a little more science into the mix for a circuit suitable to your needs and abilities. Also, check the web, where you can find plenty of illustrated circuit programs, video snippets and other information.
Keep a copy of the circuit, and make small progressions each time you do it, such as increasing resistance. If more experienced, ‘freestyling’ occasionally is a great variation, just constantly cycling through the major muscle groups in the body and throwing in some random cardio explosions to blast that fat away.
Like any routine, the foundation of successful circuit work remains with exercise that is intense enough to overload the body, attention to good quality movement mechanics and, most importantly, doing it consistently.
