Circuit training burns fat, improves muscle strength and gives you an aerobic workout, all at the same time. Military training employs the concept of moving rapidly between exercises to improve endurance. If you would like to train like a Marine or Navy SEAL, circuit training can rapidly increase your fitness.
Exercises
You can undertake military circuit training in the gym or outdoors. Strength-training equipment such as the bench press, squat rack and dumbbells helps maximize the resistance of each exercise. Alternatively, you can design your circuit-training routine around bodyweight exercises such as pull-ups, pushups and lunges. Former Navy SEAL and fitness writer Stew Smith recommends both approaches.
Routine
For maximum results, work as many exercises as you can in a 20-minute circuit. Military personnel must be physically fit to meet the rigors of their jobs, and circuit training follows high standards. Each routine you perform should comprise exercises that work all your major muscle groups. Smith recommends performing each exercise for the maximum number of repetitions that you can achieve in one or two minutes. This makes for an intense workout compared to traditional circuit-training routines, which may only have you performing an exercise for 30 seconds.
Resistance
The amount of resistance you use on each exercise should be light enough that you will not become exhausted halfway through a set but heavy enough that you are challenged. Exercises such as the bench press and squats should only be loaded with around half of your bodyweight. If you are performing bodyweight-only exercises and are not challenged, you can increase the difficulty of an exercise by increasing the angle of your body during a lift or by strapping weights to your body.
Rest Time
Minimizing the rest time between exercises is one of the most critical components of a circuit-training routine. Cardiovascular fitness is of utmost importance in the military, and if you are resting more than 30 seconds between exercises, you are minimizing the benefits of training this way. If you repeat your circuit more than once, which Smith recommends if the training is too easy for you, you may rest a few minutes to catch your breath, but you should not allow your heart rate to drop to its resting rate.
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