Just circuit training question

[emvolkin]

I was wondering if it would be O.K. to do just circuit training for a while. It seems that you (Cathe) have an over abundance of circuit training workouts out, and since I own just about all of your DVD's, plus with the new DVD's (which I pre-ordered) are mostly circuit DVD's-I was wondering if it is O.K to do just circuit training for a while? I work out 3-4 times a week and back to back days a lot. I currently do just Cathe workouts and my current rotation was: upper body, interval, total body, running-weights (on my own), lower body, cardio, circuit training, cardio. My plan was too repeat the same circuit training video 4 times in a row until I almost reach a plateau, then move on. I figured the circuit workouts have cardio and weights so I will be getting a well rounded workout, but is it O.K. to do them back to back days with the weight component in it.
Any input?
Thanks
Eva

 

[kathryn]

I wouldn't do circuit workouts two days in a row, because of the upper body weight component.

Doing them every other day (so doing them 4 times a week on week 1, and 3 times a week on week 2) would be fine.

Or you could tweak them: on those that have upper and lower body combined moves, do only the lower body move, then do the lower and upper body moves the next day (when doing these combined moves, you won't be using weights heavy enough to really fatigue the lower body, so doing lower body this way two days in a row would be fine. The lower body is used to more endurance, just from walking every day. I wouldn't do uppper body for the same muscle group two days in a row, though, because the joints are smaller and the shoulder joint in particular rather delicate).

 

[jharris35]

That's a great question and a great answer. I to like the circuit workouts the best.

Jenn

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Eva! It really depends on what your goals are. For example, if you are looking to build solid upper body strength, then I wouldn't do 3 to 4 circuit workouts a week to reach this goal. It would not provide enough of a progressive resistance challenge to reach this goal.

From reading your description above, I think doing circuit workouts for a solid month would fit in well, however, I would prefer to see you do them every other day to get the best results. If you have to workout back to back days, then I would suggest your second day being and all cardio day rather then another circuit.

Another fair solution would be to find circuit workouts that target mostly upper body in one and mostly lower body in another. Then you could do them on back to back days (with slight modifications to the body part you are resting that day) without totally interferring with the muscles repairing themselves.

I think you will really enjoy Low Impact Circuit. After each cardio cycle you can easily skip the one lower body compound, and go straight to the solid upper body workout before the next cardio cycle.


Good Luck!

 

[emvolkin]

Thanks for the feedback. That just gave me a great idea! I could use the KPC/SJP premixes on back to back days since some of those premixes are circuit training with just upper body or just lower body.
So what are the benefits of doing circuit training every other day as opposed to doing them on back to back days? Is it because the muscles have to recover?
My goal is to build some lean muscle and tone since muscle burns more fat. I like the cardio component for burning calories.
Eva

 

[kathryn]

>My goal is to build some lean muscle and tone since muscle
>burns more fat. I like the cardio component for burning
>calories.
>Eva

Just my take:
If you want to build muscle and burn fat, I find that alternating cardio days (including 1-2 interval workouts a week) and weight days (with maybe a short, 20-30 minute cardio as an 'extended warm-up,' especially if you also want to burn fat) works really well.

I'm an ecto, though, and find that while circuit workouts are usually good for maintenance and leaning (or 'toning'---as in, giving shape to what you already have rather than building), they don't do much for building. If you're a meso, your results would probably be different, and circuit workouts might be just right for your goals.