Is this considered circuit training?

sweetnsassy1491

For example today is biceps, back and abs...

I start with cables machines. There are 4 sides to the cable machine. I do a complete circle(all four sides) for the first set. Then the second set, up the weights and do a complete circle again. I continue this until all four sets are complete. Is this circuit training? I know, doing it this way I'm working harder.

rybo

That seems a bizarre way of working out? What are the 4 exercises? Typically circuits involve hitting the full body.

MarieRich

Curious too. I treat Jillian's 30 Day Shred as circuit training. 3 minutes strength, 2 minutes cardio, 1 minute ads, repeat circuit 3 times.

cwolfman13

I personally think you need to find an actual established routine to work with. You're not going to get a whole lot of benefit from doing what you're doing at all. Where did you come up with this? A typical circuit course is going to hit the entire body and is done in such a way as to improve stamina and muscular endurance.

sweetnsassy1491

The trainer at the gym. That's why I was asking. It doesn't seem right.

Bamacraft

like others have said, circuits typically involve the entire body whether directly or indirectly (through compound exercises) and usually involves 6-10 exercises (strength and aerobic), a set might be: jump rope 60s, push ups, step ups, DB row, curls, lunge, tricep ext, 30s sprint, rest, repeat.Giant Sets are ~4+ exercises for one body part (4+ for back only for example) done with no rest time in between (wide grip lat pull down, reverse grip bent rows, pull ups, Db rows) would be done all in a row then rest 1 minute and repeat. Drop Sets is when you do everything to failure with heavy weights then reducing weights with less weight each time doing every set to failure (lat pull down 100lbs, 80lbs, 60lbs, 40lbs) all in a row then rest and repeat (or just do a drop set on the last set). Supersets: 2-3 exercises performed back to back with minimal rest in between. typically push / pull (bench / bent over rows or bis/tris etc..). not sure what the 4 exercises are that you're doing but may fit into giants or super sets...idk. I'm gonna assume the 4 corners you refer to are: lat pull down, seated row, curls and pull ups maybe?? no clue really, so much for the assumption lol. I would do all back and do bis on a different day (about 3 days apart) since you hit bis during back but you can isolate bis on another day. go to bodybuilding.com and search for Giant sets (David Robson has a good one) and search for a circuit routine you like (and can do) givin how crowded your gym is when you w/out. most circuits and giant set routines utilize several machines and / or weights so you'll need to be considerate hogging equipment. you could do both and alternate every 4 weeks if you wish.

sweetnsassy1491

Pretty close,lol. lat pull down, seated row, curls and bicep curls. I'm super new at this and I have talked to a couple trainers and honestly this is what I'm left with. Less knowledge, and more confusion. Thanks for the replies.

meshashesha2012

Pretty close,lol. lat pull down, seated row, curls and bicep curls. I'm super new at this and I have talked to a couple trainers and honestly this is what I'm left with. Less knowledge, and more confusion. Thanks for the replies.

those are only exercises you are doing?

if you are new and the trainer wants you to use machines to get a good baseline of strength before progressing that's fine. but why not do something like leg press, chest press, lat pull down and shoulder press machines. that way you'd get full body and the movements would give you a good prep to eventually start doing things like squats, bench press, etc

sweetnsassy1491

No, I was using that as an example. There are also free weights and machines and cardio after. Different set of muscles per day along with cardio.

rybo

Fire your trainer.

cafeaulait7

I don't know the term either, but I do that with certain lifts to reduce the time it takes to do my workout. I do the first set of one lift, go to the first set of another and even maybe a third lift. Then I do the 2nd set of everything, etc. I just don't have to wait doing nothing to rest.

Mine are for different muscles, and this is not my compound lifts (I have to do a lot of isolated lifts because of health problems). The compound lifts come first.

Anyway, if you are using a different muscle group and getting back to the 2nd set fast enough, I don't see a problem. I don't know how your overall routine stacks up, but that's kind of a different question, imho