Circuit training routines are one of my favourite
training sessions, whether for myself personally, or for clients.
I use circuit training as part of injury rehabilitation programs,
for conditioning elite level athletes, or to help my clients
lose weight. I use circuits for just about everything.
I was introduced to circuit training routines
by an exceptional sports coach by the name of Col Stewart. Col
is one of those rare coaches who can take just about any sport,
and devise a specific training program that always produces
outstanding improvements for his athletes.
Col's circuit training routines are largely
responsible for the success of many of his world champion athletes.
Including his son, Miles Stewart (World Champion Triathlete),
Mick Doohan (World 500cc Motorcycle Champion), and countless
others from sports as diverse as roller-skating, squash, and
cycling.
Many other coaches are also impressed by circuit
training and use it regularly.
Brian Mackenzie from Sports Coach says, "Circuit
training is an excellent way to simultaneously improve mobility,
strength and stamina."
Workouts for Women state "circuit training
is one of the best methods of exercising as it provides excellent
all round fitness, tone, strength, and a reduction of weight
and inches. In short, maximum results in minimum time."
And another site referred to circuit training
as "an ideal way to build versatility, overall strength
and fitness, as well as to consolidate your mastery of a wide
variety of physical skills."
So what is Circuit Training?
Circuit training consists of a consecutive series
of timed exercises performed one after the other with varying
amounts of rest between each exercise.
For example, a simple circuit training routine
might consist of push-ups, sit-ups, squats, chin-ups and lunges.
The routine might be structured as follows, and could be continually
repeated as many times as is necessary.
What makes Circuit Training so good?
The quick pace and constant changing nature
of circuit training places a unique type of stress on the body,
which differs from normal exercise activities, like weight training
and aerobics.
The demands of circuit training tend to prepare
the body in a very even, all-round manner. I have found circuit
training to be an exceptional form of exercise to aid in the
prevention of injury. Circuit training is one of the best ways
I've found to condition your entire body (and mind).
There are many other reasons why circuit training
is a fantastic form of exercise, and what most of these reasons
come down to is flexibility. In other words, circuit training
is totally customizable to your specific requirements.
Circuit training can be totally personalized.
Whether you're a beginner, or an elite athlete, you can modify
your circuit training routine to give you the best possible
results.
A circuit training routine can be modified to
give you exactly what you want. Whether you want an all-over
body workout, or you just want to work on a specific body area,
or you need to work on a particular aspect of your sport, this
can all be accommodated.
Also, you can change the focus of your circuit
training routine to emphasize strength, endurance, agility,
speed, skill development, weight loss, or any other aspect of
your fitness that is important to you.
Circuit training is time efficient. No wasted
time in between sets. It's maximum results in minimum time.
You can do circuit traning
just about anywhere. One of my favourite places for doing circuit
training is at some of the parks and playground areas near where
I live.
Circuit training is a favourite form of exercise
for the British Royal Marine Commandos because they tend to
spend a lot of time on large ships. The confined spaces means
that circuit training is sometimes the only form of exercise
available to them.
You don't need expensive equipment. You don't
even need a gym membership. You can just as easily put together
a great circuit training routine at home or in a park. By using
your imagination, you can devise all sorts of exercises using
things like chairs and tables, and even children's outdoor play
equipment like swings and monkey bars.
Another reason why I like circuit training so
much is that it's great fun to do in pairs or groups. Half the
group exercises while the other half rests 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 different ways you can structure your circuit training routine.
However, here are a few examples to give you some idea of the
different types available.
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 might involve 30 seconds of exercise
and 30 seconds of rest in between each exercise.
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.
Repetition Circuit
This type of circuit is great if you're working
with large groups of people who have different levels of fitness
and ability. 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. Choose exercises that are specific to
your particular sport, or emphasize an aspect of your sport
you'd like to improve. Then instead of simply resting between
exercises, run easy for 200 or 400 metres. You can even use
sprints or fast 400 metre runs as part of your choice of exercises.
Some Important Precautions
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. This tends
to result in sore muscles and joints, and an increased likelihood
of injury.
Below are two precautions you need to take
into consideration.
Firstly, your level of fitness. If you've
never done any sort of circuit training before, even if you
consider yourself quite fit, start off slowly. The nature of
circuit training is quite different to any other form of exercise.
It places different demand on the body and mind, and if you're
not used to it, it will take a few sessions for your body to
adapt to this new form of training. Be patient.
Secondly, you're warm-up and cool-down
are crucial. Don't ever start a circuit training routine 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.
For more information on how to warm-up and cool-down
properly, review the following articles.
