Imagine a typical workout in which you pyramid sets of bench presses or squats, relaxing for two or three minutes between each progressively shorter set. That’s a slow jam mixed with brief bursts of heavy metal. Now imagine a workout in which you never stop as you rush from one seemingly random exercise to the next, eight in all, each for at least 10 reps. And when you finish those eight you start all over again. And then again and again. It’s a 140-beats-per-minute trance mix, constant movement, forever up-tempo, relentless.
Circuit training is that trance mix. It’s nothing like your typical workout, and, depending on your goals, that may be a great thing. A circuit usually consists of six to 10 exercises that together cover a wide area: upper half, lower half, or full body. Exercises are usually performed for at least 10 reps, and they’re selected to maximize the aerobic effect. So compound lifts, like squats, are superior to isolation lifts, like leg extensions. And some, like burpees, may be done only to elevate the heart rate.
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Per Bernal
CARDIO COMBOS
Most bodybuilders compartmentalize cardio and weight training in order to hoist heavy metal with maximum intensity. This is a perfectly good strategy, but it’s not the only one. Circuiting allows you to combine cardio and weights while also working broad areas together. In that way, it’s a tremendous time-saver. In fact, by circuiting, you can crank out an effective cardio/weight full-body workout in less than an hour. In contrast, if you hit each body part individually and tack a cardio session onto each workout, it might take more than 10 times longer than a single circuit session.
That said, circuit training is not ideal for gaining size or strength long term. The rest periods are too short, and the primary focus is on continuous movement, not muscle stimulation. You’ll need to slow your circuits down considerably to speed up growth. (We’ll get to that.) Traditional circuiting has three primary uses for bodybuilders.
1. Fewer Workouts
Perhaps you’re traveling or otherwise just too busy to get to a gym more than once or twice weekly. Circuiting is a great way to squeeze in a whole-body workout plus cardio. You probably won’t gain muscle or lose fat circuiting infrequently, but you can maintain your current shape.
2. Take a Break
Circuits are a change of pace from the grind of maximum-weight, high-intensity barrages. A month of thrice-weekly circuits may be just what you need between power cycles. Some trainers think of them as a working rest, allowing minor injuries to heal and the mind to clear before ramping up the intensity again.
3. Bonus Workout
You can also do circuits in addition to more typical bodybuilding workouts. For example, you can divide your body parts into four or five weekly workouts and then on the fifth or sixth day do a full-body circuit session. In this way, you hit muscles twice weekly. This can also be a means of adding a new component to your training, for example emphasizing explosive lifts, like sled pushes, power cleans, and box jumps.
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POWER CIRCUITS
And now for something completely different. Power circuits discard the cardio. They’re not designed to torch fat. They’re meant to work the entire body with a combination of several compound lifts performed in a circuit. Choose at least four exercises from these six: squat, bench press, deadlift, power clean, overhead press, barbell row. (The power clean and overhead press can be combined into the clean and press.) Perform those exercises in a rotation, doing sets of eight to 12 reps for four to six circuits.
With power circuits, you can rest up to a minute between exercises, though you should still maintain a brisk pace, stopping only long enough to almost catch your breath. This is an excellent way of adding an extra workout to your weekly barrage, giving major muscles another reason to grow. Consider dividing your body parts into four sessions, taking a day off, and then doing a power circuit workout before resting on another day and starting the split again. Whether you choose power style or traditional, there’s nothing softcore about working the circuit.
CIRCUIT TRAINING BASICS
A circuit consists of several diverse exercises performed in succession.
Focus on maximizing reps and minimizing rest to significantly elevate your heart rate.
Choose exercises that together cover broad areas, such as the upper body or the full body.
Keep weights relatively light and focus on explosive reps.
CIRCUIT TRAINING TIP SHEET
Compound exercises, like decline pushups, are better than isolation lifts, like yes. Smaller body parts, like abs, may get no direct work.
Lifts that work the upper and lower body together, like the clean and press, are ideal for full-body circuits.
You can also add aerobic exercises, like burpees or box jumps.
Working with two partners will help you keep dibs on equipment.
