You've probably heard the phrase circuit training plenty of times. Maybe you have a trainer that puts you through circuits or a friend that tells you circuits are the best thing ever! But have you ever wondered why?
Circuit training is a trainers favorite because circuits are effective. Circuit training has the ability (depending on what you, the client, put into it) to burn twice as many calries as traditional weight training and keep the burn going (what we call EPOC) for 8-20 hours after the workout, depending on intensity and duration. Circuits are the super workout, favored by many. But, really what are they?
The bare form of a circuit is simply performing one exercise after another with little to no rest in between sets. From that point you can get a little creative with circuits. Two of my absolute favorites are superset circuits and total body toner circuits. Let's look at the breakdown of these and a couple of examples:
SUPER SET CIRCUITS:
A super set is doing an exercise for a body part and then immediately performing another exercise for the same body part. Examples work better! CHEST: perform 12-15 dumbbell chest presses, then immediately perform 12-15 push ups. One body part + two exercises = superset. You can circuit through 1-2 body parts or get the whole body, depending on time. Another great muscle to superset is glutes. Follow a glute bridge/hip lift with a weighted heel squat to lift your backside in no time! Remember, little to no rest in between sets.
Total Body Toner Circuits:
I am extremely busy and really do not have 2 hours a day to spend working out. So, I love total body toners because they are effecient. Basically, your performing 2 moves at the same time. One move for the lower body and one for the upper body. Example: Squat with an overhead press, followed by a dead lift with an upright row. Perform 12-15 of each and keep moving one to the other. By combining upper and lower body parts together you burn more calories, increase your heart rate, and (BONUS!) engage more core muscles. WIN WIN!!!
The best part about circuits is that they work into just about any schedule. My theory is that if you are working out efficiently, you don't need a ton of time. Hit your workout hard and get it in every day!
Check the videos for circuits I designed, and do myself to get your body smoking hot in whatever time you have.
In health and fitness,
Michelle C
Have you been to the bookstore lately? Or the library? Or even typed in a search via the internet for "diet", "weight loss", or "fitness"? How about the advertisements that pop up all over your email? We are bombarded every day with peoples view of health. Weight loss is a particularly, ahem, weighty issue for most. As well it should be. As of the CDC's latest report, over 66% of the adult population in the United states is either overweight or obese! And even though sales in fitness and weight loss related media (from PT to magazines to equipment) went up, so did the waist lines. Why?
Personal and professionally I believe there is way too much information to pilfer through. I've been on the pilfering side :) So what to do? Well, information is a powerful tool. It gives you the power to make informed decisions. I mean, you wash your hands a little more during flu season now right? Information=Power. But here's the thing.....the last time I looked around, we all look different. We have all been created to be different. There really is no one opinion (or especially quick fix) that will work on everybody. That's like when your friend loss 60 pounds on Atkins and you gained 3? Yeah, I know the reminder hurts. Fad diets don't cut it in the long run, period. "Diets" as sold to the masses, don't work for the masses. I tried being a vegan: no beuno for me and everybody around me! And I tried for 2 years! For others, veganism works wonderful for them and they look and feel healthy.
So what's the point of even trying? I'm going to suggest something a little on the weird side for most. Get to know YOUR body! From the inside out. Love it as it is, strive to make a better version of it. When I work out I always think of the Million Dollar Man. "We can rebuild him, make him stronger, faster..." just what works for me :) So take a look at the outside with appreciate for what it CAN accomplish today. To get to know the inside, keep a food journal. Write down what you eat and how you feel within 30 minutes of that meal. This can help identify certain food allergies or simple intolerances that can be tweaked. If you're eating what's right for your body, you should have a little energy within that 30 minutes. See? Information.
Those are the basics to get you started. One BIG help can be certified help. Check the certs though, that's key. I offer nutrition counseling in home or long distance via the web so feel free to contact me.
Remember to gather knowledge, get help where you need it, and keep it simple!
