When it comes to training, a lot of people think that the way they train is the best way. A while ago I overheard a personal trainer telling her client that circuit training is the ultimate type of training for general fitness. Since I always try to be open-minded about the different ways one can exercise, I’ve decided to take a look at circuit training and whether it’s in fact the best way to exercise for overall fitness.
What is circuit training?
Circuit training involves performing a number of exercises that target different muscle groups with little rest in between. You then repeat the same exercises for the desired number of rounds. Circuit training can be strength-focused, cardio-focused or have a variety of strength, cardio and power exercises.
Circuit training falls under the category “vertical training”. This means you perform one set of each exercise before moving to the second set. On the other hand, straight sets are known as “horizontal training”. In this case, you complete all the sets before moving to the next exercise.
The exercises and intensity selected for a circuit will depend on its purpose, the fitness level of the participants and their abilities. A circuit workout for general fitness will be very different from a circuit workout of someone training for the Crossfit Games.
Is circuit training good for…
Muscle/strength building
Most circuit workouts will include strength exercises. If you are new to exercise, then doing circuit training will help you build some muscle and increase strength. However, in the long term circuit training alone could limit how much muscle and strength you can gain. For example, if you want a stronger lower body you want to focus on the exercises that will help you achieve that, e.g. squats, deadlifts.
It can be challenging to fully focus on squats if you do them immediately after ball slams and pushups. Circuit training is better for muscular endurance due to high reps and shorter rest periods rather than strength training.
Aerobic training
Circuit training will surely get your heart pumping. However, it won’t have the same effect as a steady-state cardio session especially when a circuit includes a variety of strength, power and cardio exercises. This is because different exercises will increase your heart rate to a different extent. For example, burpees are going to be more demanding than a walking lunge.
This means that your heart rate will vary a lot throughout the session. Therefore, it’s important to still perform steady-state cardio to get the most of your cardio training.
Goal setting/tracking progress
Just like with any type of training, the more you do it the better you can get (if you perform exercises correctly). Implementing progressive overload and tracking progress is pretty straightforward when you do straight sets. When it comes to circuit training, it can be a bit more challenging to put your finger on when you are making progress.
You will definitely feel like your workouts are getting easier. However, it can be challenging to track your improvements on specific exercises in terms of the weight you can lift, your technique or the number of reps.
Equipment/space
When it comes to fitness equipment, circuit training provides a lot of options. You can successfully use free weights, machines and body weight. This means you don’t necessarily need to be in the gym to do a circuit workout. Similarly, as you won’t be lifting as heavy as you would in straight sets, you won’t need to invest in heavy dumbbells and kettlebells that can be quite pricey.
On the other hand, doing circuits in the gym can be difficult. Essentially you would need to take over several pieces of equipment and a lot of space. This can be quite awkward compared to doing straight sets and using one station at a time.
Time efficiency
Circuit training allows working different body parts with short rest periods in between, which makes it a very time-efficient way to train. You can also integrate circuit training within your straight sets. For example, after completing your main compound exercises you can finish with a mini circuit of isolation movements. This is a good way to work on your strength during compound lifts and do accessory work in a reasonable amount of time.
Structuring workouts
Well-structured circuits can be a useful tool to complement your fitness routine. However, often the circuits offered to the general public are a casserole of random exercises without any basis as to why they were selected. This makes planning effective circuits more challenging than straight sets. Creating a quality circuit workout requires a good understanding of this training protocol to get the most benefits out of it.
Fun
Imagine having to ride a bike for 60 minutes at the same pace or doing box jumps, slamming medicine balls and throwing punches? The latter probably sounds like a more exciting workout option for a lot of people. It is important to remember though, that while circuit training is fun, it requires a good level of fitness.
Before you attempt circuit training, it is very important to make sure you can actually perform all those exercises with good form. Unfortunately, if you want to avoid injuries and be successful on your fitness journey you do need to put in boring work and master the basics.
The takeaway
Just like you can’t have a balanced diet only eating one type of vegetable, focusing on one style of training is far from optimal. There’s certainly space for circuit training in everyone’s programme. Whether you know how to design circuits for your specific goals, want to incorporate them in your sessions to save time or are simply looking to change things up – circuit training is a great option to have.
However, a proper strength, cardio and mobility routine should be the foundation of your fitness training. Having these in place will help you perform all the other more exciting exercise options safely.