No doubt, if you have not already tried or already participate in circuit raining, you’ve heard about it. It’s been a staple of not only the fitness industry but military forces and public services across the globe for many years. You might be thinking, oh. no I couldn’t do that, not if they do it in the army! Wrong, circuits is widely popular due to it’s format and ability to train all components of fitness, developing cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and motor fitness.
A circuit session can be planned for almost any goal, usually fitness based sessions will change on a regular basis focusing on different components of fitness in each session, this forms an excellent generic workout for everybody.
How does a circuit session work?
After a good warm up, mobility and stretching the circuit can be designed in many visual formats but normally always along the lines of working for a period of time with a set rest to change stations and recover before performing the next station. This interval type set up is excellent for working your bodies aerobic and anaerobic pathways. The time on each circuit might drop or raise depending on the training goal, the intensity the instructor wants you to workout at might be high or low again depending on the training goal.
You will normally perform 2 or 3 circuits in a basic session however if the circuits are short this could be more.
You can see already that circuits offers many varieties and changes in intensity, this is what makes it so appealing, great exercise variety, different training techniques and ability to push yourself to a level you feel comfortable.
Due to the nature of a circuit session, it is excellent for beginners, you can take it at your own pace as your start to learn and master the exercises, get help from the instructor and not feel as if you are holding people up.
What sort of exercises will be in a circuit?
Circuit sessions across the globe normally apply very similar exercise types due to the low equipment needed and functional benefits of the exercises. These will include upward, downward and traveling type exercises. Common exercises used in circuits include;
- Jogging
- Skipping
- Jumping Jacks ( Star Jumps)
- Squatting
- Lunging
- Shuttle Runs
- Walking
- Press Ups
- Triceps Dips
- Burpees
These exercise are often further changed with additional weights such as body bars, medicine balls, powerbags, dumbbells & kettlebells.
The instructor, will constantly monitor your exercise during the session, ensuring that you are performing each one effectively and as safe as possible, this will maximise results and reduce injury. A mistake that happens all to often in unsupervised gyms.
If you only do one session, do circuits!
I have been teaching and running circuits sessions ever since I got involved in the fitness industry, the benefits of circuit training are wide and varied and you can push yourself as hard as your like. I always say to people that if you are only going to do one session a week, do a circuits session. It’s far more beneficial than an hour wondering around the gym. A structured session will always provide greater benefits and potential, your fitness will improve, muscular tone will increase, stress will reduce and you’ll feel pretty good. All this from a one one hour session a week, it’s a no brainer really. While everyone has been attending regular circuits sessions and during the time that i’ve been running these session, i’ve seen new classes come & go, not so with circuits, nearly every gym, leisure centre and personal trainer will run some form of circuits. Therefore, there really is no excuse to get involved, find out what local circuits sessions are being run near you.
