Try a strength training circuit to fast-track your fitness.
Do you find that when you’re pushed for time you can’t make it to the gym? Circuit training might a solution to your problem.
When you think of circuit training, you might have in your mind an all-cardiovascular routine with maybe some battle ropes or tyre flips thrown in for good measure.
However, another way to approach circuit training is with a series of strength training stations.
Not only can it save you time in the gym, circuit training can also be a great way to kickstart new muscle growth and really push your athletic performance into gear.
Full body circuit
One approach would be to try a full-body workout in you short training time by utilising a high-repetition, high-intensity routine with short rest periods between sets.
“If I only had 20-30 minutes, I’d definitely do a circuit workout,” says bodybuilder and PT Nathan Falcke. “I’d set up five different stations, you could do full-body so legs, push/pull, some arms, shoulders, you could throw in some core stuff, and I’d keep the rest time to a minimal.”
You can see Nathan’s full strength circuit video below.
Body part circuit
Another approach might be to pick one body part and set up a circuit of exercises that all hit the same muscle group. For example, a circuit of chest exercises.
“If I had 20 minute to train, say, chest and that was the only chance I had to work out that day, I’d be walking into the gym and looking at four or more exercises I could do one after the other in a series and do three rounds of that,” says bodybuilder Mike Pearson.
In Mike’s chest workout example, you could include exercises such as bench press, the HS Pectoral Fly, cable flys to an incline dumbbell press.
In the video below, Mike further explains his approach to training when he only has a very short amount of time to train.
Combined strength and cardio circuit
If you go to the gym at a less popular time — and you have a bit more space — you could try a combined cardio and strength circuit for a more performance-based workout.
In the below video, Life Fitness Academy Global Master Trainer Gavin Aquilina explains how you can combine strength and aerobic/cardio exercises for a high-intensity circuit, demonstrating with the Cybex SPARC, HD Athletic Rig, the Hammer Strength Ground Based Jammer and the Escape Tiyr.
Whichever kind of circuit suits you and your training style best, it’s a system worth trying out to see if it works for you. (Why not team up with your gym buddy and try a circuit with a partner?)
“A lot of people skip training because they can’t make it to the gym because they’re pushing it for time,” says Nathan Falcke. “But you can definitely still get a really good workout in,”
That’s something everyone can agree on.
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