Circuit Training

Circuit training: it's worth considering whether you are ready to put this intense form of exercise into your health and fitness program.

The best way to do circuit training is for 2, 3 or 4 people, of a similar fitness level, with similar objectives to circuit train together. Intensity is highest and results are the best if there is a good mix of competition and co-operation. As a Personal Trainer I try to inject intensity into a client workout so that it just as hard as when several people are training together.

Circuit training aims to work out the whole body and this includes heart, lungs and brain just as much as legs, core and upper body.

Circuit training hurts ! As a young man training for rugby, circuit training was a staple of my team's conditioning program, and I threw up many times. You do not need to go that far !

In this 3 1/2 minutes video, which is an extract from a 20 minute workout, you can empathize with the client who by the end has nothing left. I need to emphasize that he is a very strong fit man who can push himself beyond anything you'd expect. Do not copy this routine until you are very fit and then it will take you to the next level.

This workout uses the following exercises:

• kicking a heavy bag


• punching a heavy bag


• running
  Switch back and fore between kicking, punching and running 3 to 5 times
  


• Sit ups holding a dumbbell in each hand


• Swings - these are like push ups but each hand regularly swing up to shoulder level holding a dumbbell


• Jumping Jacks - knees up close to chest and then feet back as far as possible
Switch back and fore between Sit ups, Swings and Jumping Jacks twice


• Turkish Get Ups - lie on your back holding a heavy dumbbell in one hand and get to your feet without touching the dumbbell down to the ground
  Turkish Get Ups are so tough that you should only do one set on each side.
  
• ABS - lie on back, pick up exercise ball with feet (holding ball at the ankle)


• Push ups with hands on top of exercise ball - push ups on exercise ball is much tougher than with hands on the floor.
  If you have the strength left about 20 minutes in this circuit training workout, switch between Abs and Push ups twice.

This link is about Circuit Training for Body Builders.

This DVD will give you more ideas about designing a personal circuit training workout.

This site offers lots of ideas on circuit training.