Circuit training is a continuous weight training exercise that maximizes the amount of work you do in a short time period, according to FitDay. Most fitness facilities have a group of machines that are used for circuits, but you can also develop your own routine. Circuit training is a weight bearing and cardiovascular exercise, both of which are recommended for a healthy lifestyle. As you age, your bones and muscles can grow weaker -- and circuit training can improve muscle tone and increase bone density.
Muscle Strength
If you are 55 or over, your metabolism slows down, you fatigue more easily and you can become less active. Inactivity can lead to weight gain and loss of muscle. Building up your lean muscle mass can increase your energy and endurance and help you shed unwanted pounds. Circuit training involves a variety of muscle strengthening exercises performed in 40 to 60 second intervals. This rapid approach to weight lifting encourages your muscles to respond to the work-load, increasing strength and endurance.
Bone Density
Your bone mass deteriorates as you age. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, AAOS, osteoporosis affects 24 million Americans and is responsible for more than 11 million fractures a year. Weight-bearing exercise is recommended to help slow the progress of osteoporosis and build strong bones. The AAOS recommends that everyone, particularly women, participate in lifelong weight-bearing exercise to build and maintain healthy bones. Although this type of exercise can increase bone mass at age 55, beginning when you are younger can cut your risk of osteoporosis later in life.
Cardiovascular Benefits
Your heart is a muscle, and it works in concert with the lungs to provide blood and oxygen to your cells, tissues and organs. A circuit is done rapidly -- typically you perform an exercise for 40 to 60 seconds and rest for 20 to 30 seconds. Because you are forcing your body to work hard in a short amount of time, your lungs and heart must keep pace. Your breathing rate will increase, causing your heart to pump more blood, thereby improving your cardiovascular fitness.
Variety
Circuit training is a dynamic exercise -- you are constantly performing different movements, and you are done typically within half an hour. Different machines can be used every time. You can also try a circuit using resistance band or stability ball exercises. Talk to a personal trainer about beginning a circuit program. She can determine what exercises and resistance levels would be right for you.
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