I have always been interested in training athletes, but it wasn't until recently that I became interested in sports conditioning and circuit training. I'm talking about those workouts that most people hate to do; the intense, up-tempo, oxygen stealing, make-you-wanna-cry circuits and/orcomplexes.
The difference between these type of workouts and your typical cardio or resistance workout, is that these circuits do a great job of taxing the body both anaerobically (without oxygen, utilizing ATP) and aerobically (utilizing oxygen). Along with training both of these energy systems, the workouts do a great job of training for metabolic efficiency and utilize what we call "Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption" or EPOC. This is basically the after effects of intense training when your body is at an elevated state of oxygen consumption and is trying to return to a normal rate. During recovery this is where the body is able to adapt to exercise, ATP is replenished, and hormone levels become balanced. This is what people refer to when they say "increasing your metabolism". We won't get too much into the science of EPOC but I just wanted to briefly touch on it.
Generally, circuit training involves a number of exercises performed with little or no rest in between. That is to say we will perform 8 exercises in a row with little or no rest. Once you have completed these exercises, you are then able to rest for about 1 minute or full recovery (depending on your conditioning). After the rest you will again perform the exercises. About 3 rounds of circuits are usually pretty good depending on the number of exercises and the intensity at which they are performed.
The way that I set up my circuits depends on what we are trying to train. If it is a day of full body exercises, then my circuits will include upper body, lower body, core, and possibly cardio exercises. I will provide a sample session at the end of this post.
If it is an upper body circuit then I will incorporate pushing and pulling exercises and alternate between the two. Along with pushing and pulling, make sure to include pushing forward and pushing upward and/or downward, and with the pulling, make sure to pull backwards, upwards, and/or from the floor as well.
You can also perform circuits for the lower body as well, making sure to hit all of the muscles of the lower body.
Here is a simple sample full body circuit that I would use at the end of an exercise session to improve conditioning, this one uses minimal equipment. You can perform each exercises for either 8-15 reps or for 15-30 seconds. The rest between each exercises could be between the time it takes you to switch to the next one and 30 seconds. As mentioned earlier, the time between each circuit should be 1 minute or full recovery. Perform for 3-5 rounds or as needed.
Squat Jumps
Push ups
Jumping Jacks
Dumbbell or Bodyweight Squats
Weighted Upper-Cuts
Barbell (or dumbbell) Row
Mountain Climbers
Plank hold
For a more complex circuit that involves more weights and equipment, follow this one. This would be great for someone interested in MMA or Boxing. If you do not know most of these exercises or understand the circuit or do not have a base level conditioning, DO NOT perform this circuit.
1 Arm Medicine Ball Push/Throw (alternate arm with each throw)
Box Single Leg Step up with a Jump (alternate legs with each jump)
Resisted Tubing Band Punches (as quickly as possible)
Resisted Tubing Band Alternate Pulls (as quickly as possible)
Sprawls (moving quickly and exaggerating hip extension on the way up)
Dumbbell Shoulder Press (alternate arms with each press)
Romanian Deadlift
Pike Roll out on Swiss Ball
Dot drill (or other agility drill)
Medicine Ball Lateral Squats (moving from side to side as if you were ducking under a string and going on both sides of it)
Barbell Row
Whether you are interested in conditioning or fat loss, there are endless amounts of combinations that you can have for various types of circuits. Remember that with circuit training you can go at your own pace while performing each exercise but obviously the harder you push, the more intense the workout will be and most likely the better results you will achieve.I have provided a general circuit and a more intense circuit. When planning you own, make sure to incorporate various movements in all directions for whichever part of the body you are working (upper, lower, core, etc).
