Circuit Workouts

[StepFanatic]

I hope this isn't a stupid question to ask; but, I'm fairly new to Cathe but I was just wondering, when you do circuit workouts such as Body Max or CTX's Power Circuit, can you do a regular weight training workout the next day? I know your suppose to leave 48 hours between weight workouts...do these circuit type workouts also count as weight work?

 

[futurefitnessdyanmo]

I wish I could answer it, but I'm sure glad you asked it! I just ordered the CTX series, so I'm wondering. I'd guess that Power Circuit would count, since its comprehensive....

 

[Carol_is_fit]

Truthfully, I do it all the time. I simply ease up a bit on the body part(s) worked the day before if they're a bit sore. I know it's not the "right" way, but it's worked for me for years and years and years. I think you just have to find what works for you (even if it's not the current fashion or the "right" way to do it), and stick with it if it makes you happy. As long as you aren't injuring yourself, of course!!

Carol

 

[MariaS]

Me too, if I'm not overly sore from something. I consider circuit workouts sort of "light weight training", so I go by how I feel. More often than not I'll do them before or after an "actual" weight workout. Of course it depends on the circuit workout, too. Circuit Max is pretty much a carciovascular workout, but BC or C & W can be more weight workouts too if you really concentrate on that part. Like the previous poster said, we just have to find what works for us.

Maria

 

[kellib]

I do it too. If I recal correctly, one of the rotations that Cathe came up with for the Intensity Series included doing circuit workouts back to back with heavy weight training (like Cardio and Weights and Pyramid Lower Body). I find it really difficult to do a tough upper body tape one day and the next day a circut workout as I'm usually still sore, but can do legs before/after circuit training. Or, sometimes with Circut Max, I turn it into a Legs/Cardio workout - bulk up weights for legs and leave out the arms.

kelli

 

[kathryn]

It depends. If you use very light weights on the circuit workout (or use light weights for either upper or lower body), you can count it as an aerobics-only workout and do heavier weights the next day (or do heavier weights for the body parts--upper or lower--you went light on). But if your goal is to gain muscle, than this would be counterproductive, as muscle growth occurs during the rest period after stimulation.

 

[clareMc]

I rarely do this, but it depends on the individual workout and how YOU work it. For example, I use Circuit max as a leg training workout. I never do thegcompound moves, I do a two minute series of lunhes, squats, plie squats, etc, instead, so by the end of Circuit Max done this way my legs are truly fried. I would not and do not weight train the legs the next day. I rest or do an upper body tape or just do a light cardio. When I do Cardio & Weights, I go as heavy as I can with the upper body, so I would not weight train the upper body again the next day. However, after Boot Camp, which I feel is an overall stamina workout and for which I use medium weights, I would do serious upper or lower body training the next day if I desired.

So it depends on how YOU work each workout, and how YOUR body then responds to it, and as Kathryn says, whether your aim is to build muscle or not, since rest and recovery will be essential parts of the program and should be scheduled in.

Clare