Circuit Training changed my life!! Previous to training in circuits I had lifted about three days a week and ran about 6 days a week. Now I circuit train 3 times a week and that’s my cardio and my strength training all in one!! I lost about 10 pounds, but it was all fat.
Here’s the Top 5 Benefits of Circuit Training:
1. TORCH FAT! THE FASTEST WAY POSSIBLE TO GET LEAN!! According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, studies have shown that circuit training can be just as beneficial or even MORE beneficial as cardiovascular exercise to improve overall conditioning. It produces equal or greater caloric expenditure than steady state cardio, increases strength levels and produces a greater caloric after-burn.
2. INCREASE STRENGTH AND MUSCLE! Using moderately heavy weights to challenge yourself in a circuit-style workout will not only increase your heart rate, but it also pushes you to use more power from your muscles, thus making you stronger! This also increases your muscle mass and we all know more muscle = less fat!
3. SAVES YOU TIME! And time is of the essence since we have such busy lives! If you train in circuits your heart rate will be elevated through the entire workout thus making it a cardiovascular workout. But you are also doing your strength training too. You can do an entire day of circuit training for certain muscle groups like a chest/ back day, or you can do a full-body circuit style workout.
4. WORKS YOUR ENTIRE BODY! Like I said, you can design your circuits to just include two or three muscle groups, or you can design the workout to work your whole body. This of course saves you time, but it will also be a really tough workout! From head to toe, you will feel the burn! Try the workout below to see what I mean
5. MAKE IT HIIT! If you have been following me for a while you know what I mean when I say HIIT. If you don’t you need to read this blog. Throw in a set of plyometric exercises like squat jumps or burpees, or something dynamic like medball slams and voila.. now you have done your cardio, your HIIT and your strength training!
TRY THIS WORKOUT TO GET YOUR CIRCUIT TRAINED LEAN BODY!!!
Chest flyes x 12
Single arm dumbbell row x 10 each arm
Squat jumps x 15
Bicycle crunches x 30
Repeat for 3 rounds.
Lat pulldown x 12
Military Press x 8
Burpee/ push up combo x 10
sit ups x 20
Repeat for 3 rounds.
The Get In Shape Girl
For more workouts like this, Come Train with Me!!
