Circuit training vs weight training

In a nutshell circuit training consists of high intensity strength training. You get cardio and strength training by doing "circuits" of reps and not slowing down to rest. You keep your heart rate up and burn calories WHILE you are building muscle. A lot of trainers are doing it. It's def my preferred method!!

circuit training is alternating between cardio and weights throughout the workout. I do 30 minute circuits 3 times a week. Here's my circuits:

5 min cardio warmup (walking 4.0 mph on treadmill or light jog)

Circuit 1 (2 reps):
1 set of 15 squats with 10 lbs handweights
1 set of 5 lunges with 5 lb handweights - right leg
1 set of 5 lunges with 5 lb handweights - left leg
25 jumping jacks (cardio)

Circuit 2 (3 reps):
1 set of 15 tricep curls (behind the back)
1 set of 15 bicep curls with vertical raise with 5 lbs handweights
25 jumping jacks (cardio)

Circuit 3 (3 reps):
1 set of 15 leg lifts on machine (works quads)
1 set of 15 leg lifts on machine (works hams)
50 butt kicks (cardio)

Circuit 4 (3 reps):
1 set of 15 dead lifts with 5 lb handweights
1 set of 10 crunches
50 butt kicks

5 min cardio on treadmill
2 min slow walk cool down

Weight training alone would not burn nearly as many calories. Adding in a little cardio to the end of each circuit helps me keep my heart rate up and burn through more fat.

My trainer set me up on this program. It's difficult, but it's really effective!

I did strength training tonight with my trainer and he told me that I burned between 500-600 calories for one hour and have a higher burn rate for the next 12 hours.......so, it's not as low in calorie burn as most ppl think.

Get a good HRM that counts calories for you. See which one gives you the most burn. I do both. 5/week. Screw that. Might as well go all out while I can. They say though, that the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. So there you go.

Weight training is the way to go (IMHO). Put down those silly 5 and 8 lb weights and lift HEAVY.

"Lift like a man, look like a goddess"
- Lou Schuler

(author of my absolute most favorite book in the world - The New Rules of Lifting for Women - read it!!!!!!)

What she said.

bump

Circuit training is completing one exercise after another with no rest in between each exercise. The amount of exercises in each "circuit" depends on your level of fitness. Most of the circuits I do have at least 5 exercises back to back and 30 seconds to 1 minute of rest between circuits.

As for the comments below, I think both weight training and circuit training have their place. The great thing about circuit training is that you not only burn more calories than traditional weight training (resting 2 to 3 minutes per set) but you can also include weight training exercise into your circuit. Now, you probably won't be able to lift as heavy of weight like you would if you were doing traditional strength training, but you may still be able to 70 to 80% of your 1 rep max. Just do lower reps.

Brandon
www.bittersweetfitness.com

This is the routine I am doing 4 days heavy and one circuit training
.

http://www.musculardevelopmentstore.com/articles/womens-fitness/jamie-easons-30-day-knockout-total-body-workout

If you want optimal strength and muscle gains, get on a beginner training program that emphasizes compound movements, progressive overload, and recovery.

If you want to annoy people in the gym by roaring through like the Tasmanian Devil, and to later talk about how hard your workout was, circuit train.