Group strength training usually involves a small group of participants -- between four and 10 people -- in a gym or outdoor setting. They perform various strength and power exercises with a variety of tools, such as suspension cables, stability balls, medicine balls, kettle bells or their own body weight. Since everyone has different goals and abilities, fitness professionals must customize and adjust the training sessions to different populations, reports Juan Carlos Santana, director of the Institute of Human Performance.
Circuit Training
In circuit training, you perform a series of exercises that train different movement patterns, according to Santana. Rather than using reps and sets, you would perform one exercise continuously for 20 to 30 seconds, and move on to the next exercise without rest between sets. A sample circuit training program would include push-ups, pull-ups, multi-planar lunges, jump roping, medicine ball rotations and kettle bell swings. When you have completed one circuit, rest for a minute, then repeat the circuit again. Each person does one exercise at one station. When the time is up, each person stops exercising and moves on to the next exercise immediately. This helps improve muscular stamina and endurance, minimize equipment cost and save time.
Interval Training
Interval training is similar to circuit training except that you perform each exercise at a higher intensity. Therefore, you need to rest for 20 to 45 seconds between each set. Because of the high-intensity nature, you would burn more calories doing interval training than regular circuit training, according to Coach Robert dos Remedios, author of "Cardio Strength Training." This method is ideal for power and strength athletes or for anyone who would like to challenge himself. In a sample interval training, you might perform one exercise for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds, move on to the next exercise, and repeat until you have completed all exercises. Rest for one minute, and repeat the pattern two more times.
Supersets
In a superset, you perform two sets of exercise that train opposing movements or muscle groups consecutively without rest between sets. This allows one muscle group to work while the opposing group rests, according to physical therapist Gray Cook, author of "Athletic Body in Balance." For example, two people perform a set of push-ups while another pair performs pull-ups. Once each pair has completed the set, they switch places.
Free Explore
Free exploration is an exercise method wherein the participants make up an exercise after the fitness professional gives them a question or instruction. They could invent a new exercise using a pull-up bar, create different upper-body movements when performing a lunge or create new ways to throw a medicine ball. This opens a door of opportunities for participants to have options and develop creativity in their workouts without sticking the standard exercise dogma.
References
- "Athletic Body in Balance"; Gray Cook; 2003
- "Essence of Program Design"; Juan Carlos Santana; 2004
- "Cardio Strength Training"; Robert dos Remedios; 2009
Member Comments