circuit training

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crystalmoore83
crystalmoore83 Posts: 103 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
my gym offered a free session with a personal trainer which turned into basically a sales pitch to get me to spend 35$ a session and during this sales pitch he told me that circuit training was ineffective ( that is what I usually do + a hour of cardio) just curious if that is true or was he just trying to make a sale?

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  • MAYONNAISESANDWICH
    MAYONNAISESANDWICH Posts: 33
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    ineffective as far as what? overall conditioning? no, its great for that..endurance, cardio health. Muscle gains? yes, although marginal growth for a guy depending on the weight to strength ratio, it doesnt offer body recomposition because of the high endurance and stress on the entire body. fat loss? no, anything that consumes calories will aid in fat loss by depleting glycogen stores or burning excess calories or both.
  • crystalmoore83
    crystalmoore83 Posts: 103 Member
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    ineffective as far as what? overall conditioning? no, its great for that..endurance, cardio health. Muscle gains? yes, although marginal growth for a guy depending on the weight to strength ratio, it doesnt offer body recomposition because of the high endurance and stress on the entire body. fat loss? no, anything that consumes calories will aid in fat loss by depleting glycogen stores or burning excess calories or both.
    He claimed it over stressed muscles and led to muscle loss...
  • jaygreen55
    jaygreen55 Posts: 315 Member
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    It all depends on what your goals are. If you're looking to be a body builder or just increase the amount of weight you can lift then it is not that effective. If your goal is to maximize fitness and overall health it's definitely very beneficial. Here are some references

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/403629-circuit-training-benefits/

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/luis11.htm

    http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ycn-10952826

    http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_100/131_fitness_tip.html
  • crystalmoore83
    crystalmoore83 Posts: 103 Member
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    It all depends on what your goals are. If you're looking to be a body builder or just increase the amount of weight you can lift then it is not that effective. If your goal is to maximize fitness and overall health it's definitely very beneficial. Here are some references

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/403629-circuit-training-benefits/

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/luis11.htm

    http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ycn-10952826

    http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_100/131_fitness_tip.html
    I am looking for overall weight loss...thanks for the links
  • MAYONNAISESANDWICH
    MAYONNAISESANDWICH Posts: 33
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    it will because of the lack of rest time that is uaually involved with circuit training but circuit training shouldnt be avoided. not eating also will lead to muscle loss. but circuit training will still lead to muscle growth at the same time with a proper diet. Here is what he didnt tell you and the technicality he is using to keep you from being in stellar shape. If you arent looking to bulk up like a The Rock, then circuit training is awesome. if you do it correctly and can handle the intensity needed then go for it. thers nothing better than be able to survive in the world world as opposed to lifting heavy things in perfect form. if you want o get that booty popping, i would recommend leaving the circuit training to your upper body workouts for the first 8 weeks and alternate between low rep/high weight and high rep/low weight with proper rest intervals for your legs. increasing the muscle will aid in your BMR and strength in everything else that you do. dont forget to incorporate a good stretching routine. Oh yeah, you hear about cardio after you train im sure.....squash that, its bro science. it works for guys who want to bulk and save carb energy for the bigger numbers that make us better men if we can lift them. cardio before and after resistance. trust me on thism its pure science.
  • smsjaf
    smsjaf Posts: 3 Member
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    Circut training is actually really really good for you!!! most track participants and football players use them. It keeps your body moving while also working different parts of your body off and on.
  • MAYONNAISESANDWICH
    MAYONNAISESANDWICH Posts: 33
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    It all depends on what your goals are. If you're looking to be a body builder or just increase the amount of weight you can lift then it is not that effective. If your goal is to maximize fitness and overall health it's definitely very beneficial. Here are some references

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/403629-circuit-training-benefits/

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/luis11.htm

    http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ycn-10952826

    http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_100/131_fitness_tip.html

    booyah
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    the statement is too vague. effective for what is the first question. and 'circuit training' is a very general term. i've seen some circuit training that would make a trained athlete cry and i've seem some routines that really won't do anything to make anyone's body adapt.

    like everything in life, you will get out what you put in.
  • crystalmoore83
    crystalmoore83 Posts: 103 Member
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    he said it was ineffective for muscle gain and actually led to muscle loss...there is a circuit training area in my gym with about 14 weight machines and I do each machine for about 5 minutes with weights that vary from 20-40 lbs depending on the machine and area I am working
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    if these are the parameters then I would tend to agree with him.
  • crystalmoore83
    crystalmoore83 Posts: 103 Member
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    if these are the parameters then I would tend to agree with him.
    then what would you recommend?
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    It depends on what your overall goals are. Circuit style training can be effective for fat loss but usually isn't good for gaining muscle or strength. Not enough weight or rest. If you're trying to get stronger or gain mass, you'd be better served with a good beginners program like starting strength or new rules of lifting for women
  • crystalmoore83
    crystalmoore83 Posts: 103 Member
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    It depends on what your overall goals are. Circuit style training can be effective for fat loss but usually isn't good for gaining muscle or strength. Not enough weight or rest. If you're trying to get stronger or gain mass, you'd be better served with a good beginners program like starting strength or new rules of lifting for women
    my overall goal is weight loss but I would like to gain a bit of muscle as well I will definitely check out those programs you recommended

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