Do you sometimes find yourself wandering aimlessly around the gym, using whatever kit’s free at the time and not sure what your next move will be? Adding some structure to your workout is the key to getting results, and setting up your own circuit-style workout at the gym could be good news for weight loss, increased fitness and getting stronger. Who doesn’t want that?
Circuit training consists of a group of various exercises that work different parts of the body. You perform a set (an allotted number of reps or as many reps as possible within a certain time frame) of each exercise back to back without rest or with very little rest. Once the first set of each exercise is performed through, you can either take a short rest and repeat the whole thing again, or skip the rest and go straight on to the second set of each exercise.
Keeping the rest periods short is an important aspect of circuit training. Why? Because it keeps the heart rate up, which helps to boost cardio and muscular endurance. It also creates an after burn effect which is essential for efficient fat loss. This way of working out just ticks all the boxes.
Need some help putting together a circuit? Try this simple routine after a warm-up of dynamic stretches:
30 seconds each of:
Burpees
Lunges
Press-ups
Bicycle crunches
Bent-over row
Plank
1 minute’s rest
Repeat 3-5 times depending on time constraints and ability level.
