Circuit Training (Page 1 of 7)

Circuit training is a popular form of fitness session used by the army, sports teams, squads of athletes/swimmers as well in health clubs and fitness centers. It is generally assumed that a course of circuit training will improve both aerobic fitness and strength, thus making it a very useful conditioning method. To put this assumption to the test, this article will discuss the research that has examined the physiological effects of circuit training. As with research into the effects of traditional weights or aerobic training programs, the scientific papers on circuit training mostly date from the '70s and '80s. The reason for this is that once a general consensus has been reached regarding the effects of a particular type of training programs, there is no need to re-research the topic. Nevertheless, as circuit training is widely used these days, it is worth reminding ourselves of those research findings.

The type of circuit used in the studies involved weight-training exercises, typically 10-12 weights exercises for both the upper and lower body. Subjects performed 15 reps or 30 seconds worth of each exercise in rotation. 15-30 seconds rest between exercises was taken and three circuits were performed. This kind of workout takes around 30 minutes to complete. The loads for each weight exercise were normally 40-50% of 1 Rep Max, which is half the maximum possible load the subject could lift on each exercise. Sessions were completed three times a week for 8-12 weeks. The reason weights exercises were used as opposed to bodyweight exercises, which are common in many circuit training routines, was to enable the researchers to control the loading levels. In these studies all subjects lifted the same relative load and completed the same amount of work, so they could be compared fairly.

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