Question about circuit workouts

[shawna24k]

I believe that this question has been asked before, but I am too lazy to do a search. I would like to know if anyone can tell me why or if it is okay to do a circuit workout the day after working a specific body part, or if you should wait 48 hours for that body part to rest. If you don't have to wait, can you please tell me why? Is it because the circuit workout is not focused specifically on that body part? I am working on the intensity series right now and I have Pyramid Upper the day before Boot Camp. I got the rotation from a thread Cathe posted, so I assume it is okay, but why? Thanks for any input. Have a great day.

 

[Fit_mommy]

That question is really debatable (sp?) and lots could have different opinnions.

I once asked the question and I was told it is okay as long as you lighten up on the weights for the circuit work out. I was talking about doing a circuit and a full body work out back to back though so you'd only need to lighten up on the one body part.

I guess the reasoning is because in a circuit work out, the weight work is not long or very thorough...it just "touches" on the muscle if you will, instead of truly workin' them to failure. I guess if you went heavy enough though you could work a muscle to complete failure even in a circuit work out but I don't think many people do that....JMO!

ETA: I'm sure there are folks here who will disagree and would NOT put ANY weight training of the same body part back to back so you really have to decide what works for you.

HTH!

 

[kathryn]

I wouldn't do weight training after a circuit day, unless the circuit focused on upper or lower body, but not both (a suggestion I've made for future Cathe workouts).

When I workout with weights, I want the workout to be worth my time, and usually, doing a circuit workout with really light weights is a waste of my time if the workout is intended to use heavier weights (an exception is some Firm and similar workouts that use light weights to intensify the cardio, which are not even circuit workouts).

It may also depend on your goals.

My goal with weight workouts is to build and keep muscle mass and strength, which requires not only that I workout strong, but that I recovery sufficiently to see those gains. Doing a cardio/weights circuit and a weight workout back-to-back is contrary to my goals.

If you are looking for maintenance only, then doing a circuit workout light and following it up the next day with a weight workout might work fine.