Potential injury from circuit training??

Mad_Dog_Muscle

Lately I have been doing a 10 station circuit routine with lighter weights, more reps, no rest in between stations, and a 2 minute rest between "sets" - 5 sets in total. My goal has been to get my heart rate up, and burn more fat versus heavier weights for gaining size.
I am now curious if there a potential injury risks with this method? I always use proper form while doing this but a friend suggested it could lead to injury by doing this many stations?? I don't agree with him, but if there are any "personal trainer" types out there that may have an answer I would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks

eillamarie

I used to do almost that exact same circuit cycle on and off for years. I never had any injuries. Just make sure you have perfect form and switch up the exercises every 3-5 weeks. Also, make sure you have 48 hours in between.

TrainingWithTonya

As long as you are using proper form, there's not much risk for injury. The only real risk I would see is that you are going to be tired at the end of a circuit (What I think you are calling a set is actually a circuit of one set on each of 10 stations. A set is actually a grouping of how many repetitions you do of one exercise without rest.) and being tired could lead to loss of form which might increase risk of injury. But if you are going low enough in weight to not lose form at the end of a circuit, then it is perfectly safe. If you are going that low in weight, though, there isn't much need for rest between circuits either, though, as that amount of rest is generally only beneficial in the anaerobic systems and you're primarily working the aerobic system so you can go for longer without rest.

Suzy12

When I worked out with a personal trainer we always did super-sets. But she made sure it was always opposing muscle groups (bi's then tri's for example). I still do that without any rest periods. Only injury I ever suffered was using the Smith machine and squatting about 150 pounds (which was more than I weighed). I messed up a disk in the back of the neck. I tell everyone to stay away from the Smith/squat machine!!

Mad_Dog_Muscle

thanks for that...good tip about the 48 hours, I forgot to mention that I was allowing that as well. DIdnt think about the switching up routines every 3 weeks or so. thanks!

eillamarie

thanks for that...good tip about the 48 hours, I forgot to mention that I was allowing that as well. DIdnt think about the switching up routines every 3 weeks or so. thanks!

Because I was a high level athlete I started weights & strength training @ 13 and did them 3-6 times a week until I was almost 18. The only time I got injuries was when I was doing something with poor technique over and over again (like poor swimming technique gave me biceps tendonitice) and jumping rope in poor shoes gave me shin splints. Another time I would get injured AND not see any results is when my coach didn't change up the routine frequently enough and/or didn't change up the exercises in the routines frequently enough (I cycled thru different gym routines every year). It wasn't enough for me to just cycle thru the routines every year, I needed @ least half the exercises in each routine to be different every year as well!

Bottom line is: CHANGE IT UP! And make sure you have proper form and give your muscles the rest they need.