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What is circuit training, and what are its benefits? If you’re thinking about doing this type of training, then you’ll want to know what it is, examples of it, and the benefits of doing it. The rest of this article will go into more detail about what circuit training is and its benefits.
What Is Circuit Training
If you do a number of exercises one after another, and you don’t take a rest period between them, then you are doing a circuit training workout. Generally speaking, circuit training involves doing 8-10 different exercises in a row. When you perform an exercise, then you will do it for a specific number of reps or for a specific length of time before you go to the next exercise and do the same thing.
When you have completed all of the exercises, then that means you’ve completed the circuit. Generally speaking, a second circuit is often started, which means you’ll do the same exercises again and in the same manner. In short, circuit training is performing a round or series of exercises, with a break being taken after the entire circuit has been completed.
Examples Of Circuit Training Workouts
One example of a circuit training workout is if you were to train your core today. You could choose 7-8 core exercises, which will be done consecutively. Let’s say you do 25 reps of deadlifts, crunches, oblique twists, side planks, regular planks, and hanging leg raises. You would take a short break after you do your hanging leg raises.
Another example is doing an upper-body workout. You could choose a few compound exercises and then take a break afterward. The exercises you could include are the barbell bench press, shoulder presses, rows, and barbell curls, to name a few.
Circuit Training Benefits
There are a lot of benefits of circuit training. We’ll discuss a few of them. Bear in mind that these are only a few of them.
1. Max Results In a Short Amount Of Time
You can get the best results within a short period of time. If you run short on time regularly but you want to get a great workout in, then create a circuit training program to follow. After a few weeks, you should notice a major difference.
2. Cardio And Strength
Perhaps the best thing about this type of training is it offers you the best of both worlds. In other words, you can gain quite a bit of strength with circuit training, but it also doubles as a cardio workout. Short, intense workouts are how you get awesome results, and that’s exactly why you need to be doing circuit training.
3. Challenging Your Body
You can do a full-body workout. When you decide to do circuit training, then you’ll have the chance to train your entire body. You won’t have to spend all day long doing it, too. As previously mentioned, completing these exercises is short, but they are intense.
4. Improve Endurance
If you are looking for a way to improve your endurance, then one of the best and easiest ways to do it is via circuit training. Generally speaking, if you do circuit training on a regular basis, then your endurance will receive a boost within a few short weeks. Give it a try yourself to see if your endurance will improve.
5. Excitement
Circuit training isn’t like many other workouts. They are fun to do, and most people won’t get bored of them. If you find training with gym equipment to be boring and you don’t want to do a long cardio workout, then create a circuit training regime. Once created, make sure you stick to it and follow it regularly.
Those are the key benefits of circuit training. Do you want to experience all of the potential ones? Of course, you do, and that’s why you should consider doing this type of training.
Disadvantages of Circuit Training
There are a few disadvantages of circuit training. Bear in mind that there are far more benefits than anything. Nonetheless, you’ll want to learn about a few of the disadvantages of circuit training. These cons include:
1. Not Good For Bulking
Many people don’t believe you can get massive with circuit training. It can be difficult to get big when you are focusing more on circuit training than anything else. However, this isn’t a major con.
3. Too Challenging
Being able to challenge yourself is a good thing. Not all people will think it is, and when you do circuit training, then you will definitely be challenging yourself. Some people choose to do circuit training routines that are far too intense.
Do not be discouraged by the above disadvantages. Generally speaking, there are many good things about circuit training. As you can see from the previous section, there are many benefits of doing this type of training.
What Else Should You Know About Circuit Training
The above benefits are only a few of the many. Circuit training is something you should seriously consider doing. If the above benefits weren’t enough to convince you, then here are a few other things you’ll want to know about it. They include:
1. Beginner Friendly
Circuit training is beginner friendly. If you’re brand new to working out, then don’t worry because getting the hang of circuit training is easy and it’s beginner-friendly. You can decide what type of circuit you want to do, and then you can jump right in and get started. It’s as simple as that.
2. Free
Sure, if you join a gym, then you are technically paying to exercise there. However, you don’t have to do circuit training solely at the gym. One of the best things about it is it can be free. If you don’t want to, then you don’t have to spend a lot of cash on getting started with a circuit training regime.
What you want to do is create a few circuit training workouts you can do from home. Once created, then you can start doing them. Best of all, you won’t be spending money.
3. No Equipment Necessary
You don’t need equipment with circuit training. Many workouts involve using your body weight and only your body weight. You can research various circuit training that involves using only your body weight. Doing so eliminates the need to use equipment.
4. Home Or Outside
Do you enjoy training outdoors or from the comfort of your home, or maybe you enjoy training at a gym? Wherever your favorite place to workout out is, you can rest assured you can do circuit training. The flexibility of being able to train where you want is one of the best things about circuit training.
5. Train Under Supervision
Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to train under supervision. A professional trainer will provide you with guidance and safety tips so that you can experience the utmost benefits of circuit training. You don’t have to use a professional trainer, but it’s a good idea to do so.
Those are a few other things to know about circuit training. As you can see, there are even more benefits than the ones previously discussed. This is another reason why you should consider doing circuit training.
Now you know what circuit training is, the benefits it offers, examples of it, and other useful information about circuit training. If you want to reap the benefits of circuit training and you want to work out in a different but fun way, then give circuit training a try.