Like interval training, good circuit training depends on your changing activities frequently. Some unifying elements of effective circuit training workouts include targeting different muscle groups, integrating cardiovascular exercise, maintaining an elevated heart rate and reducing intensity for brief rest periods instead of stopping. You do not need a gym or a personal trainer to do good circuit training. You just need a mat, some dumbbells and athletic shoes to help maximize your performance.
Types of Exercises
Switching between flexibility, cardiovascular and strengthening exercises is a key component of circuit training. Warm up by doing some yoga stretches, such as sun salutations. After five minutes, switch to an intense strengthening exercise that targets the upper body, such as biceps curls or triceps dips. After one minute, do one minute of an intense cardiovascular activity, such as jumping rope or jumping jacks. Then, try a lower body strengthener like squats and lunges. Keep up the pace for 30 minutes, switching every minute or so.
Boot Camp Circuit Training
Trendy boot camp workouts often feature sessions of circuit training. For example, the boot camp basic training workout developed by Bob Greene for Oprah Winfrey features two days of 30-minute circuit training. On top of this, you do a second 30-minute workout two days a week. This workout combines cardiovascular machines with intense calisthenics and floor work that simultaneously strengthen and raise the heart rate. Rather than switching every minute, this circuit training routine has you doing a treadmill or other machine for five minutes, then changing to do a series of core and lower body work, such as abdominal crunches, squats and lunges, or a series of upper body work, such as biceps curls and lateral raises.
Creative Circuit Training
For some people, burning the maximum of calories or building strength is not enough. They want creative exercises that keep them interested and motivated, and work their bodies in different ways. For these people, alternative circuit training may fit the bill. One easy way to mix up a circuit routine is to keep the strengthening exercises by trying new cardio. Queue up a high-energy kick-boxing or Zumba DVD to take the place of jogging or jumping. For strength and stamina, try sport conditioning exercises used by volleyball, basketball, football or soccer coaches. Switch up your strengthening work by doing some brief, intense Pilates moves, such as the classic 100, an exercise that works your core. Integrate different equipment, such as a stability ball or a kettlebell.
Advanced Circuit Training
After awhile, even the surprising switches of circuit training can start to feel old. As you gain fitness, up the ante with more advanced circuit training. Increase the weight of your hand weights, or add light hand weights to your cardiovascular exercise, carefully pumping as you walk, jog or run. Go deeper with lunges and squat, or add a high kick from your squatting position. If you use cardiovascular machines, set them to a higher interval training level, or work out on an upward slope.
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