Circuit training

What is circuit training?

Classic strength training is a list of exercises that are performed after the previous one is finished. For example, first you have 3-4 sets of bench press, then 3-4 sets of dumbbell flyes, etc. Between sets you rest for 1-2 minutes to recover.

Circuit training is the performance of selected exercises in a row - without rest. A list of movements is selected, the sets of which follow one another, as in supersets. Only here, instead of two exercises, you perform a whole "circle", which can consist of either two or five exercises.

There is no rest between sets of exercises. First, all exercises are performed in a circle, and then a long rest. Then – a second circle, etc.

This is what the concept of circuit training looks like. It has been actively adopted by many sports, in particular mixed martial arts and crossfit. Both disciplines require strength endurance and well-developed central nervous system coordination. A quick change of exercise and movement pattern often stupefies our central nervous system, but such training teaches it to quickly and effectively respond to changes in the external environment and the main goal.

Example of circuit training

Classic full body: chest, back, shoulders, legs – 4 main large muscle masses. 4 exercises are selected:

Incline Bench Press
Bent-over barbell row
Military press
Leg press

You do 1 set of barbell presses, and then 1 set of bent-over barbell rows, etc. After the leg press set, you rest for 3-5 minutes and go on to the second "circle." That's why this type of training is called circuit training. You work in "circles."

Types of Circuit Training

In most cases, circuit training is based on the full-body principle. Large muscle groups are selected for one training session. This saves time and generally diversifies the classic split training. For beginners, full-body is a fairly effective protocol that minimizes the risk of injury due to moderate training volume.

However, professional athletes use circuit training in a more specialized format, for example, for the shoulders and arms, or just for the legs. There are no strict rules for constructing circuit training, but the most common option is full-body.

As an example, we have chosen basic exercises. Usually, such a set of movements is inherent to an experienced athlete. Beginners are recommended to use exercise machines and machines. Firstly, transferring to another exercise machine saves time. You will not need to prepare the equipment and occupy it for a long time, which is convenient if you are training during peak hours.

Secondly, basic exercises require extreme concentration and coordination. When performing them one after another, a beginner often loses concentration and becomes unable to maintain proper technique. And without technique, the risk of injury increases.

Therefore, when choosing circuit training, we recommend looking at your training experience. If it is small, then first try training with exercise machines. Where it is enough to change the weight of the load with a simple movement, without adjusting the machine and equipment.

Why do circuit training?

The main goal of circuit training is variety. You should not consider this training method as a truly productive "secret" and effective. This is one of the ways to save your time, increase the pace of the exercise and at the same time break the monotony of classical training. Contrary to stereotypes, the intensity here is much lower, because the intensity depends on the speed of lifting weights and the weight of the projectile. Due to the short rest between sets, both the weight and the speed of lifting the projectiles are reduced.

Benefits of circuit training:

Saving time;
Dosage of load;
Interesting training format;
Low fatigue, since the exercises are performed on different muscles;
Increased strength endurance;
Development of coordination and work of the central nervous system in the context of strength training.
The downside is the potential for excessive load. Many athletes make the "circle" too big, turning a mini-session into a huge training process, which borders on the load of a CrossFit competition. You should not try to pile everything on top of each other. Circuit training is a light training format, which, despite this, will allow beginners to progress in any area, be it weight loss or muscle gain. The main thing is the balance of calories.

How to train in a circuit?

The general recommendations for choosing a large range of repetitions are not chosen without reason. Circuit training is desirable to develop strength endurance, working on 12 or more repetitions in order to use up muscle glycogen.

You won't be able to use the 5-6 rep range because your muscles are working on a free supply of ATP and creatine. By doing exercises one after another, you'll use up this pool too quickly, not allowing it to recover, causing your strength to literally plummet. That's why it's common practice to use multi-repetition training as part of a circuit session.

Style Summary

Circuit training is a great example of a training protocol for beginners and women. You should not get carried away with it and place unrealistic expectations on it. It is just a method for variety. Classic mass gain is strength training, and weight loss is either cardio or a combination of cardio and strength training.

Circuits and other types of high-intensity, high-volume training are suitable for beginners, for recovery, or for a smooth entry into strength training. No more, no less.