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CIRCUIT TRAINING
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have a designated area with Life Fitness Circuit Series Equipment.
Overview
Circuit training is a system of exercise that was developed by R.E.
Morgan and G.T. Anderson in 1953 at the University of Leeds in
England. Morgan and Anderson originally used 12 exercises or stations
in their circuits, but modern circuit training uses any number of stations
depending on the purpose, design and fitness level of the workout's
participants. Circuit training combines muscular endurance exercises
with brief bouts of cardiovascular exercises to provide a whole body
workout that is designed to improve all aspects of muscular and aerobic
fitness. Circuits can be controlled in a number of ways including
repetitions or time and is a popular form of exercise used by the military,
sportsmen and general fitness enthusiasts alike. The participant can
moderate their own workout.
Timed Circuit Training
A timed circuit involves performing each exercise in the workout for a
predetermined time. The time length depends on a number of factors
including the average fitness level of the participants, the intensity of the
exercises being performed and the number of stations within the circuit.
Each exercise is performed in a set sequence for 30 to 90 seconds.
Some styles of circuit are non-stop and no rest taken until the final
exercise is completed. Other circuits may allow a short rest between
exercises -- a period referred to as the transition time. A preprogrammed
timer is used to alert you when it is time to move to the next station.
Timed Circuit-Training Advantages
Timed circuit training offers a number of advantages over
repetition-controlled circuits. A repetition-controlled circuit involves
performing a set number of repetitions of each exercise -- say 20, for
example. This method means that all participants must perform the
same amount of work regardless of their individual fitness level. A timed
designated time frame and can add their own rests as necessary. This
means that both the very fit and the less fit participants can work out
together in the same circuit.
Order of Exercises
While there is no fixed order for circuit-training exercises, to encourage
a high volume of work and minimize the buildup of fatiguing waste
products within your muscles, most circuits use an upper body, core,
lower body sequence of exercises. This means that even if you work to
your maximum ability on each station, no single muscle is overloaded
excessively. If, for example, you performed three leg exercises in a row,
you may find that your performance declines significantly, whereas
targeting muscle groups in rotation avoids overloading any single
muscle group. Performing exercises in an upper body, core, lower body
sequence also promotes a phenomenon called peripheral heart action,
which describes how your heart must work harder than usual to divert
blood to your exercising muscles from non-essential organs. PHA is the
reason that circuit training helps to develop cardiovascular fitness
despite not including much aerobic exercise.
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