Looking for a way to build strength and get your heart rate up at the same time? Look no further than circuit training. If you’ve ever worked out with me, you’ve probably noticed that I embrace circuit training in my programming. So what is it and why does it work? Let’s explore those questions:
What is circuit training?
The short answer is that it’s a technique that involves doing a series of exercises, such as strength training moves, cardio or a mixture of the two, consecutively with no rests in between. The idea is that your heart rate is elevated and the calorie burn increases. The constant movement keeps your body guessing.
The perks
Beyond the scientific merits, circuit training is also fun. As you’re moving through the circuits quickly and with little pause, the time tends to pass more quickly. If you’ve ever run or walked on a treadmill, the minutes seem to crawl by. Ugh. No fun!
Another reason to add circuit training to your workout arsenal is the fact that it can help improve quality of life. That’s because the fast pace keeps you nimble, coordinated and agile, which we all need to maintain for healthy aging.
You can’t discount the metabolism-boosting aspect either. Circuit training can help you push through a plateau and change your body composition, because it’s easily modified to challenge your body in new and different ways. (Besides, you should change your routine every 3-4 weeks anyway.)
How to
Getting started with circuit training is fairly easy. Besides hiring me to create a custom program, you can follow a basic formula:
Choose about 10-12 exercises. These can be all cardio, all strength or a mix. I like having a variety to keep things interesting.
After warming up, proceed with the first exercise. You can set a time for 30-60 seconds or count reps. Either will get the job done.
Move through all of the exercises, one after the other, with little to no rest in between.
Repeat the circuit as many times as you like.
Have a question about circuit training? I’m all ears.