Strength

Circuit Training to Improve Fitness Performance

What exactly are the benefits of circuit training? Firstly, if you're committed to getting in shape and improving your fitness level, circuit training offers a complete solution. It can improve your strength and your aerobic fitness as well as burning fat in one workout. And due to its constant variation it is much more interesting than most forms of training.

It constantly keeps you stimulated so if you find sticking to a fitness program difficult, circuit training could be the answer.

Secondly, circuit training is the number 1 method used to improve sport-specific strength endurance. If you're an athlete, you can only step up to the next level when your training mirrors the demands of your sport. Any other benefits?

Circuit training is also a highly efficient form of training. By alternating exercises and muscle groups each is given more time to rest before it is worked again. The result?
With circuit training you can perform more work in the same period of time because of better fatigue management.
Circuit training lends itself excellently to training outside of a gym environment. You can train in facilities available to you, even in the comfort of your own home. In short...
It is a cost effective way to keep fit. And finally...
It's a coach's dream! There is no better method for conditioning an entire team at once!

So what exactly is circuit training?

There seems to be a classic misconception that to qualify as circuit training a workout must have;

Many exercises or stations (9-12 is the number brandished around).
Little or no rest between exercises.
A high number of repetitions with a relatively small weight.
Both strength and aerobic/anaerobic stations.
Vertical progression, you perform each exercise once before moving to the next station.

Only one of these statements, the last one, defines the principle of circuit training; progressing from one exercise to the next, in sequence until you have completed all the stations in the workout. In fact, it is your own training objectives that determine the number of stations, sets, repetitions and the amount of rest in a session.

Circuit Training Programs for Health And Fitness

If your goal is to improve your general fitness level, circuit training is an obvious first choice. You can design a program to build strength, power and muscular endurance. Alternatively, you may want a routine that taxes your aerobic energy system, improving your endurance and burning fat. You could even combine the two and devise a circuit that builds strength and muscle tone, burns fat and improves your endurance at the same time.
Remember, you're not limited to a single circuit or one type of training.
Why not perform a different type of circuit that focuses on a different element of fitness on 3 separate days of the week?

When you design your circuit training program follow these simple guidelines;

1) Warm up thoroughly before any circuit training session. Jog, skip or perform any other type of low intensity, aerobic exercise for 5-10 minutes. Follow this with 10 minutes of stretching to all the major muscle groups.

2) Leave at least 48 hours between each circuit training session.

3) Arrange the exercises or stations so that they alternate between muscle groups, preferably upper body and lower body. For example don't follow press ups with dips.

4) The number of exercise is up to you but try to work each major muscle group during the session.

5) Once you have completed your circuits cool down. Follow the warm up procedure to gradually lower your heart rate.

Have a look at these sample circuits. Use them as templates to fit round the equipment and facilities that are available to you.

Classic Circuit Training

This circuit can be performed at home or in the gym. It combines both resistance and aerobic exercises. The number of reps is a guideline. Increase or decrease depending on your fitness level.

1. Chin ups x as many as possible
Most people find chins a difficult exercise. Put them at the start of your workout when you are fresh and perform as many as possible. Persevere with chins, they are definitely worth it!

Burpees, these are simply squat thrusts with a jump.

3. Supermans x 10 each side
- Lie on your front with your arms stretched above your head (like superman)
- Raise your right arm and left leg about 6 inches off the ground (or as far as you comfortably can). Hold for 2 seconds and relax.
- Repeat with the opposite arm and leg.

4. Press ups x 15

5. Jump rope x 60 seconds

6. Crunches x 15 7. Dumbell Lunges x 10 each leg

8. Lateral raises x 12

9. Treadmill x 400m
If you are performing this at home jog on the spot or up and down a flight of stairs for 2.5 minutes.

10. Barbell curl x 15

11. Bench dips x 15

12. Star jumps x 60 seconds

Strength Circuit Training

This is a great routine for developing total body strength. For each exercise perform 10-12 repetitions and choose a weight that allows you to perform just the right amount of reps. Rest for 90 seconds between each exercise and 3-5 minutes between circuits. Start by performing 2 circuits and build up to 4.

- Incline dumbbell press
- Dumbbell squats
- Single arm dumbbell row
- Crunches
- Seated overhead dumbbell press
- Dumbbell static lunges
- Barbell curl

Home Circuit Training

If you have no equipment whatsoever... if you have nothing other than 4 walls and a flight of stairs this is the circuit for you! Rather than performing a fixed number of reps do each resistance exercise for 30 seconds and each aerobic* exercise for 60 seconds. Move straight from one exercise to another without rest. Complete 3-4 circuits resting for 3 minutes between circuits.

- Star jumps*
- Press ups
- Static lunges
- Crunches
- Stair climbing*
- Chair dips
- Supermans (see above)
- Skip rope*

Circuit training really is a great way to improve your strength and overall fitness. It is also an excellent way to burn fat...

Circuit Training Programs for Athletic Performance

If you are a committed soccer player, circuit training has an integral part to play in your strength training program. Why? Because soccer demands tremendous power and strength endurance. Simply lifting weights and improving your maximal strength is a great start. It's not enough! To tap your full potential and gain a competitive advantage the ultimate goal of your strength training program must be to develop as much strength endurance and/or power as possible. As far as strength endurance is concerned, circuit training is about the best training method you can employ.

Circuit Training for Short Duration

Warm up thoroughly before the session. Complete 5-10mins of light, aerobic exercise, followed by stretching to all major muscle groups. Same applies for cooling down.
6-8 stations
30-60 seconds per station
60-90 seconds rest between stations
Fast pace
3-6 circuits
2-3 minutes rest between circuits
2-3 sessions per week
Progress by increasing the time at each station and decreasing the rest intervals.

Here's an example circuit training program for a soccer player.

Example Circuit Training Program For a Soccer Player
Exercise	Load
Leg extensions	50% 1-RM
Press ups	Bodyweight
Calf press	50% 1-RM
Leg curls	50% 1-RM
Oblique crunches	Bodyweight
Dips	Bodyweight
Bench steps	Bodyweight

Note the number of repetitions in the time period and aim to beat that each session.

Course Contributor Phil Davies