Circuit Training: A Shortcut to Fitness?

I completed an upper body circuit workout tonight. I really enjoy circuit training (which I’ll refer to throughout this blog as CT) because it makes the time go by faster, it’s usually a quicker workout in general, and it keeps things interesting!

CT is a high intensity workout, which means you’re burning more body fat – and don’t I love that! You are working so many different muscles with high reps and only get a little amount of time for recovery. CT is great for people looking to get active and powerful!

CT even helps with building muscle and developing strength and endurance! It will help you get leaner and muscular.

You even have the choice to perform CT in the comfort of your own home or in the gym. You can perform it with just your bodyweight or you can choose to use dumbbells, machines, resistance bands, barbells, plyometrics, aerobics, Swiss balls, medicine balls, etc. You could even combine these, too – dumbbells & machines or dumbbells & bands, etc. There’s LOTS you can do!

What I love about CT is that it’s good for ANYONE at ANY age! Of course you just have to tailor it to your own needs and goals.

CT offers variety and it’s a good change to what your normal routine usually consists of. Remember: shocking your body helps in staying away from reaching a plateau.

CT doesn’t have to be only for upper body either. It can be for the lower body, total body, or even just specific parts of the body – abs, biceps and back, chest and triceps, shoulders, etc.

Here’s an example of a total body workout that you could try: 

Squats – 3 sets of 20

Seated Row – 3 sets of 20 (can perform these with bands – just connect the bands to something sturdy and sit on the floor and perform the row exercise)

Pushups – 3 sets of 15-20 (really concentrate on using your chest muscles and if you can’t do a regular pushup start out by doing the girl pushup)

Dumbbell Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 20

Band Curl or Dumbbell Curl – 3 sets of 20

Overhead Tricep Extension – 3 sets of 20

Plank – 3 sets of 1 minute holds

I love CT so much that recently my sister came to me asking to develop a workout for her to get her back into shape. I want my friends and family (and everyone for that matter) feeling good about themselves so I immediately jumped at the opportunity to help her out. I developed a 3-day full body workout for her to start out with, and what I wrote above is actually part of her workout.

Do you already do circuit training? What do you love about it?

What I Did For A Workout Today

I worked out at Obie's Fitness tonight, which is located in Westbrook, just down the hall from the Stockhouse Station (and pictured above). I was in a workout funk for a little bit, but finally snapped out of it yesterday. I was so drained starting Wednesday of last week and I knew I had to rest. The days I didn't lift, I'd do cardio and the days I didn't do cardio I'd just lift. I did, however, take Sunday off completely and I think that cured me. One thing I've learned while working out is to listen to my body. Whenever I feel super fatigued, I don't push myself and instead I let my body rest. Your body does need that from time to time. The rest is great fuel to jump start your next workout session and give it your all.  


I worked hard with my trainer last night doing shoulders and abs. This morning I woke up and started my day off with week two of Insanity, which is produced from the makers of P90X - Beach Body! I started Insanity last Monday and I really like it. I did miss Wednesday and yesterday's session, but plan on making them up either by doing it on a Sunday (Insanity is a 6-day workout) or just tack it on at the end of my two-month session. Insanity is pretty much all cardio with some core resistance, plyometrics, and stretching. It's a two-month program. The first month is supposedly the easier of the two months. I'm excited to get to the second month to see how insane that one is! I perform Insanity in the mornings. It's a great way to start my day and wake me up! After work is when I lift. I've already seen some difference in my lower half and my core. I feel tighter and I believe my body fat is going down again. Of course my diet is much better, too. It all goes hand in hand! 


Tonight I trained legs, heavy. I started out with a warm-up set of squats, making sure I focused on pushing through my heels so I really targeted my glutes. The area I really would like to focus on and build up is my glutes and legs. I plan to train them heavy one day and about three days later train them light. Eventually, I'll be exactly where I want to be. 


After my set of warm-up squats, I added weight on the bar and proceeded to perform 4 sets of 10 reps all with about 30-40 seconds rest. 


From there I did:


Leg Press - I performed a set of 10 reps with my feet placed lower on the platform and toes pointed out. Then I performed 5 unilateral (one-legged) leg presses on each leg. On my next set I increased to 12 reps with my feet placed higher and toes pointed out, again repeating the 5 unilateral leg presses. My third set was 15 reps of leg presses (lower and toes out) and 5 unilateral. My last set was 15 reps (higher and toes out) and 5 unilateral. 
10 reps with 5 unilateral
12 reps with 5 unilateral
15 reps with 5 unilateral
15 reps with 5 unilateral


Leg Extensions - I started out with 20 reps and low weight. I increased my weight and went for 15 reps. Increased again and went for 12 reps. My last set I increased again and went for 10 reps. 


Lying Leg Curl - Here I started with low weight and went for 15 reps. Increased my weight and went for 12 reps. Increased for 10. And increased for 8. I really pushed myself on these and the leg extensions. I felt the burn!!


Cable Kickbacks/Side Lunges/Fire Hydrant - I superset these. I did cable kickbacks with side lunges and then switched to cable kickbacks and fire hydrants. Looks like this:


Cable Kickbacks - 12 reps
Side Lunges - 10 reps with medicine ball


Cable Kickbacks - 12 reps
Fire Hydrant - 15 reps on each leg


Repeat twice more. 


Seated Calf Raise/Standing Calf Raise - I also superset these. 


Seated Calf Raise - 20 reps
Standing Calf Raise - 20 reps


Repeat twice more. 


Back Extensions - Instead of focusing on lifting with my lower back and working that, I lifted with my glutes and really squeezed them at the top. I performed 4 sets of 12. 


I also stretched for a bit toward the end. I want to become more flexible and I will with time! 


Immediately after my workout I drank my Myofusion Milk Chocolate protein shake with water and ate 25 gummy bears to help restore my glycogen levels.