circuit max vs cadio and weights??

[scorpiogrl]

I was just reading and article in Muscle and fitness hers that states, pear shaped woman should do high intensity interval training 3 days a week and to also incorporate a circuit style routine using higher reps mutltiple sets moving from one exercise to another. my question is both cardio and weights and circuit max seem to be circuit style workouts and I wanted to know if anyone could tell me the difference between the two any info would be very helpful. Thanks for your help. Suzanne

 

[clareMc]

Hi Suzanne:

I read that article also and found it quite thought provoking.

Cardio and Weights and Circuit Max are both circuit workouts, but C&W is much easier in the general opinion on these forums. Circuit Max will do more for your total body endurance and for whipping your lower half into shape. There are 6 cardio cycles, 5 mins each, 2 * hi/lo, 2 * kickbox, and 2 * step. By the end of the workout it becomes extremely challenging to keep going, it wipes most people out!

The weights used on Circuit Max are lighter than those used on C & W, so it may not count, for many people on these forums, as an upper body workout day. C&W uses heavier weights and counts better for an upper body workout. The cardio on this video is all step. The choreography is new and fun, but much less of a cardio challenge, so it'as great for a day when you just don't think you're up for a total Cathe challenge.

I think, in the light of the M&F Hers arcticle, both these workouts are useful to you in different ways, let me explain.

Use Circuit Max to challenge your lower body and use C&W more for a general cardio and an upper body workout in efficient time. The M&F Hers article stressed cardio and endurance work for the lower body for pear shaped women, and heavy weights for the upper body to build the upper body more and even out the balance between the upper and lower body. The article is refreshing in a way because it stresses that the two halves of a woman's body may require very different type of training. Hence I would use Cathe's 2 workouts to accommodate the different needs of your body, especially if you pay attention to the following:

1) go as heavy as you can with the weights on C&W

2) consider modifying Circuit MAx to make it work your lower body more.

Here's how:

I got this tip from Aquajock here on the forums. Rather than do the 2 mins' weights work on Circuit MAx as upper body training, pick up your 25 pound barbell (or whatever weight works for you for endurance)and use those 2 mins to do squats for one cycle, plie squats for the next, static lunges on the next cycle, lunges onto the step, lunges off the step backwards, and squats with a 2 down, 2 to hold, 2 back up count, or whatever assortment of lower body exercises float your boat!

THis is how I have modified this workout and I only ever do it this way. It works great for the lower body.

Have fun

Clare

 

[wendyloo]

Hi Suzanne,
Yes, these are both circuit workouts--but they might not be the type of circuit M&F Hers was talking about. A circuit workout can involve cardio and weights (such as these two videos do), or can involve only weights. These videos alternated a cardio section with a weights section, whereas a straight weight circuit would just alternate different weight sections. Maybe check the article to see what they were referring to...
Anyway, if these are the type of circuit training you want, there are some notable differences between these workouts. Circuit Max, in my opinion, is MUCH tougher. It uses 3 types of cardio: hi-lo (extremely high impact, and difficult to modify lower due to the athletic choreography); step; and kickbox. Alternated between these cardio sections are compound weight sections: do lunges while doing bicep curls at the same time. The cardio sections are quite intense, and it is difficult to go very heavy with your weights because of that.

In Cardio and Weights, the cardio sections are just step. The choreography is just a bit more dancy rather than athletic, which makes it easier to modify to different impact levels. Each cardio section is followed by a compound weight section: such as--use moderate or light weigths to do overhead presses while you are squatting. Following each of these compound weight sections is a short heavier weight section which focuses on the same upper body muscle you just worked (i.e if you did overhead presses and squats, you will now do more shoulder work with heavier weights). After this, you go back to cardio. There are 4 cardio sections in this tape, vs. 6 (?) in Circuit Max. In Cardio & Weights you just don't get as winded, maybe due also in part to the longer weight sections, which give you a chance to recover before going back into cardio...

Cathe's new Body Blast series will contain a pure weights circuit, if that's what you end up wanting. If not, these are both great cardio/strength circuit workouts--just pick the one that suits your idea of fun!
Hope that helped a little,

 

[scorpiogrl]

Thank you Wendy and Clare,
Both of you gave very informative answers and I now have a better idea of what I am going to buy. Thanks again.
Suzanne