Circuit training has become such a popular exercise option that many health clubs have added a dedicated "circuit training room" to their offerings. Some of these rooms use signal lights to help exercisers know when to move from one station to the next.
Circuit Training Basics
A circuit training workout involves moving rapidly between different exercise stations in order to get a full-body workout in a brief period of time. For most, the workout involves high repetitions at low to moderate weight, with a short rest period between stations. A typical circuit training room will include several exercise machines, each specialized to a single exercise or muscle group. They are often arranged in a way that encourages working through exercises in a logical order.
Timing Circuit Training
According to Oregon-based fitness coach Ben Cohn, most circuit training workouts are timed. This means that you stay on one station for a set time period, rather than working through a set number of repetitions. Because exercise takes focus, most people need some kind of outside indicator to help them time their way through their sets. A portable kitchen timer, alarm clock, boxing round timer or workout partner are all traditional tools used for this job. Timing lights are another option, one more common in health clubs than in smaller venues.
Features
Many health clubs use actual stop lights, or smaller facsimiles, as their circuit timing lights. Participants work on green, stop on red and transition on amber. Others will use LED lights, or a strobe to indicate time periods. Another common feature is a blinking light during the last 10 seconds of a period, providing warning as time elapses. For best results, a circuit room's equipment will be set up so that all participants can see a light from any workout station. This may require multiple lights.
Disadvantages
Cost, complexity and visibility are three disadvantages of using signal lights for a circuit workout. Signal lights are expensive as compared to other options, and Cohn reports that they add little value beyond a "high-tech" feel. The lights also add a component to the system -- and new components mean there's one more thing that can break down or otherwise go wrong. Visibility is a problem for participants who focus hard on their workouts, or who close their eyes during exertion. Body position and habit can mean missing a purely visual cue when a sound-based cue would have gotten through.
References
- Ben Cohn; Fitness Coach; Hillsboro, OR
- "Body for Life"; Bill Philips; 2006
- "Capoeira Conditioning"; Gerard Taylor, 2005
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