Circuit Training - It's for Every Body!


by Barry Lovelace - Date: 2006-12-08 - Word Count: 611 Share This!

Are you aware that weight training is loaded with many benefits? Some of them are stronger bones and muscles, a faster metabolism, nicely shaped muscles, increased strength and confidence. Have you started weight training yet? Many people think of weight training and imagine a boring routine of lifting weights. Well, believe me there is no reason to ever be bored when it comes to weight training. There are so many ways to do it. One of my favorites is circuit training. Many of my clients see fabulous results as a product of our circuit training routines. The concept behind circuit training is to do a series of exercises, usually for different body parts, one right after the other with little or no break in between.

This type of workout is fast, efficient, effective and never gets stale because you can change the exercises. To give you an example, you would pick your exercises, let's say they are bicep curls, shoulder presses, squats, triceps kick backs, lunges and crunches on the stability ball. These exercises would make up one circuit. You would perform each exercise for your desired number of repetitions, one right after the other, with no break in between. Then after all of them, you can take a 30 second or one-minute break and go through again. How many times you go through will depend on your fitness level. You can pick any exercises you want to and change it up; this keeps it fresh for your muscles and your mind.

Now lets talk about repetitions. Changing the number and pace of your repetitions is another way to keep things interesting and to keep your muscles responding. Traditionally, fewer repetitions with heavier weight will enhance muscle growth while many repetitions with lighter weight will enhance muscle endurance. I encourage people to change this from time to time, even often. Say one week you do the above mentioned circuit workout and try for 30 repetitions of each exercise, then the following week you do it and try for 6 repetitions, then the following week you try for 15 repetitions. Obviously, the weight that you use will change as well.

For your 30 repetition workout you will be using light weight, for the 6 repetition workout you will use heavy weight and for the 15 repetition workout you would use a weight somewhere in the middle. This is a great way to keep your muscles guessing and responding to your workouts. Another way to vary your routine is to change up the pace of your repetitions. This can be done many different ways. You can slow your repetitions down to a four count up and a four count down, or a six count up and a two count down, or three count up and one count down, you get the idea. This really burns the muscle.

You can also alternate this with your normal pace within a set of exercises. For example lets say that you are doing bicep curls for 20 repetitions, do the first three at a normal up and down pace, then slow it down to three counts up and one count down and do that for three, then go back to normal pace for three and back to slow pace for three and so on and so on, until your biceps are fatigued. In order for your body to change the way you want it to, you must keep challenging it in new ways. So, if any of you out there have not yet tried circuit training, please give it a try. It adds variety to your workout routine, keeps you from getting bored and presents your body with a new challenge.


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Barry Lovelace is creator of Exercise4 Every Body circuit training DVD's. co-owner of FitQuest Fitness in Allentown, Pa.. a personal trainer, speaker and all around fitness enthusiast. Barry Lovelace is creator of Exercise4 Every Body circuit training DVD's, Co-Host of Workout Wednesday's on CNN Headline news, Host of Body Smart Fit Tips, Co-owner of FitQuest Fitness in Allentown, Pa.. a personal trainer, speaker and all around fitness enthusiast. Visit Barry's website: http://www.fitquestlv.com Email Barry at: barry@wegetufit.comisit

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