Circuit style training involves completing a number of different exercises with minimal rest in between. This type of training is appealing for many reasons including it engages your entire body, it is a quick workout, and it does not require any equipment. This training can be performed alone, with a group of friends, or at a class at your local gym! Circuit training has been found to have several benefits, making it one of the most popular ways to train. Let’s discover all of the benefits that circuit training encompasses!
- Improves Cardiovascular Health: Circuit training includes completing a series of exercises with limited rest in between, which results in an elevated heart rate. In a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, standard strength training bench press was compared to a circuit style bench press. Although performance remained the same under the two conditions, the heart rate was higher throughout all the sets performed for the circuit style training. During circuit training, the heart works harder, training it to pump blood more efficiently. A result of regular exercise is a lower resting heart rate, resulting from the heart being trained to pump more blood to the body, so it beats slower.
- Builds muscle: The unique trait about circuit training is it is a mixture of both cardio and strength training. With the strength training aspect, it is a good way to build up muscle as well as to tone the body. Since performing multiple strength exercises with minimal breaks, the muscles are working for a long period therefore building strength, which becomes noticeable in muscle size.
- Improves muscular endurance: In the same way that circuit training strengthens muscles, it also improves muscular endurance. The exercises performed usually are on the higher end of repetitions, which builds up slow twitch muscle fibers. Slow twitch muscle fibers allow for longer contraction and therefore your muscles are able to work for a longer period of time before they fatigue.
- Time commitment: The best part about circuit training is the amount of time it takes! Since there are minimal breaks, circuit workouts are usually around 30 minutes. This is appealing to the majority of people because they often feel they don’t have time to do an hour and a half workout. With circuit training, it is quick, but you’re not sacrificing anything in terms of effectiveness as well!
- Burns more calories: Since circuit training consists of multiple exercises in a short period of time, it burns more calories than traditional workouts. In a study performed by Harvard Medical School, weight lifting burns about 112 calories over 30 minutes, aerobic workouts burn about 205 calories, while circuit training burns 298 calories. This significant difference in calories is just another reason to try out circuit training!
- Engages the entire body: Instead of having an hour workout each day that focuses on a particular body region, circuit training engages the entire body. Every muscle group is worked during circuit training, which is part of the reason why it burns more calories and is effective in weight loss. This is a huge advantage to circuit style workouts because within only 30 minutes you have worked all muscle regions.
- Weight loss: A study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science, focused on the effects of a 12-week circuit training program. After the program, body weight, BMI, body fat percentage, insulin, and insulin resistance all decreased. Circuit style training proves to be an effective way to lose weight and reach your fitness goals.
- Don’t need equipment: Don’t have any equipment? No problem! A circuit workout can be just as effective with only your bodyweight. That means you don’t even have to go to a gym or pay for a class, you can do a circuit style workout in your own house any time of day! You can make up your own or look up videos on the internet. Check out companies that offer workouts on their app here.
- Limits boredom: Does running on the treadmill make you uninterested or bored during a workout? Good news about circuit training are the possibilities and combinations of exercises are limitless. You’re less likely to be bored because the workouts will be different, but also during the workout since you are constantly transitioning to different exercises.
- Increases energy/mood: During circuit style training, your body is being pushed for the full 30 minutes or so you are working out. As a result of the exercise, the body releases endorphins that act on receptors in the brain. Endorphins cause feelings of pleasure and reduce any pain or stress. This is the reason why people feel so good and positive after their workout and even during it!
