Circuits have long been an effective way to exercise and burn calories even though the practice sometimes falls out of style when new workouts hit the scene. Here's why circuit training will always be one of the best workouts.
With a circuit workout, you can train all parts of your body and keep yourself in active recovery mode. Generally, there are no rest periods between the circuits, only after a set before you begin over again. Your heart rate is kept up which means that even in some lower intensity exercises, you're still burning calories.
One of the best benefits of a circuits workout is how low maintenance it can be. Many circuits can be done without equipment and use simply body weight or other cardio based exercises. This makes it an ideal form of exercise for solo workouts and also works well with partners or small groups.
Cardio based circuit training burns a lot of calories, improves aerobic fitness and muscle endurance.
If you're looking to burn fat and calories, cardio based circuits are the one for you. Keep the intensity high and make sure the exercises you choose are cardio based, like mountain climbers, step ups or simply on-the-spot running.
For muscle building, your circuits would be better focused on resistance exercises that use a regular tempo and good form rather than ones designed for speed. You can even focus your circuits on one particular area like abs or biceps.
Whatever your goal, circuits are a versatile and customisable form of exercise that can benefit anyone. Once you've identified what you want to achieve from your circuit training, whether it be fat burning or muscle fain, the steps from there to create your circuit plan are easy.
Some top cardio circuit exercises include running on the spot, mountain climbers, step ups, star jumps and high knees. They keep your heart rate up and make sure you burn serious calories. They can also be incorporated into any kind of circuit training, even if you're concentrating on muscle building with weight work.