Circuit Training is a great way to add strength training to your exercise program while saving time and working your endurance levels. I totally credit my current physique to circuit style training that I learned at Jen Hendershott’s Phat Camp. If you ever get the chance…GO! She’s awesome and the workouts are brutal.
The Circuit Routines I design for my clients vary in intensity and length. No matter what level of fitness you are, you can do this form of training. Setting up a program is quite easy. From full body workouts to body part specific, you can design circuits to fit your needs. The following link from About.com does a marvelous job of explaining of how to incorporate circuit training and how to design circuit training for your own needs.
http://exercise.about.com/cs/exerciseworkouts/a/circuittraining.htm
How do I design Phit-N-Phat circuits? When I design a program that combines a couple of body parts, like back and shoulders, or that works only one body part like arms, I usually start with a compound move, an isolation move, and then a third ab, full body, or interval move. For example:
On Back and Shoulder day I like to start with the compound move of Bentover Rows. A compound move is simply an exercise that works more than one body part at a time. Bentover Rows work your back, shoulders, arms, and abs for stabilization. This prepares the whole region for the next move…isolation work.
Isolation moves are muscle specific. They target one specific area to work. For this routine we’ll do Supermans (Back Hyperextensions) to target our lower back region.
The last move we will add is an interval training move. I love keeping things moving and hopping when in fat loss mode. So, the last interval will be a set of Mountain Climbers. This is a full body interval move that will get that heart rate going.
Now our first Circuit Set or Superset as I call them is:
3 x 10 Bentover Rows
3 x 10 Supermans
3 x 20 Mountain Climbers
For this circuit you would complete all three exercises, rest for 30 seconds, and then do two more times before moving to the next group of exercises you design.
I hope you enjoyed this lesson and that it helps you understand my own workouts a little better.
My Cardio Book also has lots of interval and circuit style routines included. You can order here!
________________
Daily Workout: 3 mile run in the a.m. and Arms in the p.m. followed by 20 min. of stairmaster
Arms: 3 sets
Superset One:
Dips
Rope Curls
Burpees
Superset Two:
Hammer Curls
Rope Pull downs
Pike Walks
Superset Three:
Sgl Arm Curls on Cable
OH Rope Extensions
Plank Walks
Daily Food Journal:
B – Kashi Puffs, Skim Milk, Grapefruit
S – Oatmeal and SF Jelly
L – Egg, Tomato and Turkey Sandwich on WW with soy crisps and Jello
S – Popcorn and fruit bowl
D – Chicken with Marinara and Shirataki Noodles with green salad
S – Fage and pudding
