Cardio circuit training workouts. Ultimate Cardio Circuit Training: Boost Your Fitness with High-Intensity Workouts

How can you maximize your cardio workouts. What are the benefits of circuit training for cardiovascular health. Which exercises provide the most effective cardio challenge. How to design an optimal cardio circuit routine.

The Power of Cardio Circuit Training: Transforming Your Fitness Routine

Cardio circuit training has emerged as a game-changer in the fitness world, offering a dynamic and efficient approach to cardiovascular exercise. This method combines the benefits of both cardio and strength training, providing a comprehensive workout that can significantly improve your overall fitness level.

Circuit training involves performing a series of exercises in quick succession, with minimal rest between each movement. This approach keeps your heart rate elevated throughout the workout, maximizing calorie burn and cardiovascular benefits. By incorporating various exercises that target different muscle groups, you can achieve a full-body workout in a shorter amount of time compared to traditional cardio methods.

Key Benefits of Cardio Circuit Training:

• Improved cardiovascular endurance
• Enhanced muscular strength and endurance
• Increased calorie burn and fat loss
• Time-efficient workouts
• Versatility in exercise selection
• Reduced workout monotony

Designing an Effective Cardio Circuit Workout: Essential Components

Creating an effective cardio circuit workout requires careful planning and consideration of various factors. The goal is to design a routine that challenges your cardiovascular system while also engaging multiple muscle groups for a comprehensive fitness experience.

Key Components of a Cardio Circuit Workout:

1. Warm-up: Prepare your body with dynamic stretches and light aerobic activities
2. Exercise selection: Choose a mix of cardio and strength exercises
3. Work-to-rest ratio: Determine the duration of each exercise and rest period
4. Number of circuits: Decide how many times to repeat the circuit
5. Cool-down: Gradually lower your heart rate with light stretching and breathing exercises

When selecting exercises for your cardio circuit, aim for a balance between high-intensity movements and strength-based exercises. This combination will help maintain an elevated heart rate while also building muscular endurance.

Top Cardio Exercises for Circuit Training: Maximizing Your Workout Intensity

Incorporating a variety of exercises into your cardio circuit can help target different muscle groups and keep your workouts engaging. Here are some of the most effective cardio exercises to include in your circuit training routine:

• Jumping jacks
• High knees
• Mountain climbers
• Burpees
• Jump rope
• Squat jumps
• Plank jacks
• Skater hops

These exercises are excellent choices for cardio circuits because they require minimal equipment and can be easily modified to suit different fitness levels. By combining these movements with strength-based exercises like push-ups, lunges, and dumbbell rows, you can create a well-rounded workout that targets both cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength.

The EMOM Technique: Elevating Your Cardio Circuit Training

EMOM, which stands for “Every Minute on the Minute,” is a popular training technique that can add an extra challenge to your cardio circuit workouts. This method involves performing a specific number of repetitions of an exercise within one minute, then resting for the remainder of that minute before moving on to the next exercise.

The EMOM technique is particularly effective for cardio circuit training because it encourages you to work at a high intensity while also providing structured rest periods. This approach can help improve your cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, and overall workout efficiency.

How to Implement EMOM in Your Cardio Circuit:

1. Choose 3-5 exercises for your circuit
2. Determine the number of repetitions for each exercise
3. Set a timer for one minute
4. Perform the prescribed number of repetitions for the first exercise
5. Rest for the remainder of the minute
6. Move on to the next exercise at the start of the next minute
7. Repeat the circuit for a set number of rounds (typically 4-6)

The EMOM technique adds an element of time pressure to your workout, encouraging you to complete the prescribed repetitions efficiently while also allowing for brief recovery periods. This balance of work and rest can help you maintain a high level of intensity throughout your cardio circuit.

Progressive Overload in Cardio Circuit Training: Continually Challenging Your Body

To continue seeing improvements in your cardiovascular fitness and overall strength, it’s essential to apply the principle of progressive overload to your cardio circuit training. This concept involves gradually increasing the demands placed on your body over time, forcing it to adapt and become stronger.

Methods for Implementing Progressive Overload in Cardio Circuits:

• Increase the number of repetitions for each exercise
• Extend the duration of work periods
• Shorten rest periods between exercises
• Add more challenging variations of exercises
• Incorporate additional resistance (e.g., weights, resistance bands)
• Increase the number of circuits completed in a session

By gradually increasing the difficulty of your cardio circuit workouts, you can continue to challenge your body and avoid plateaus in your fitness progress. It’s important to make these changes gradually and listen to your body to prevent overtraining or injury.

Monitoring Your Progress: Tracking Improvements in Cardio Circuit Training

Tracking your progress is crucial for staying motivated and ensuring that your cardio circuit training is effective. By regularly assessing your performance, you can identify areas of improvement and adjust your workouts accordingly.

Key Metrics to Track in Cardio Circuit Training:

1. Heart rate recovery: Measure how quickly your heart rate returns to normal after intense exercise
2. Resting heart rate: Monitor changes in your resting heart rate over time
3. Number of repetitions completed: Track increases in the number of reps you can perform for each exercise
4. Workout duration: Note improvements in your ability to sustain longer workout sessions
5. Recovery time: Observe how your recovery time between exercises decreases
6. Perceived exertion: Use the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale to gauge workout intensity

Regularly assessing these metrics can provide valuable insights into your cardiovascular fitness improvements. Consider keeping a workout journal or using a fitness tracking app to record your progress over time.

Nutrition for Cardio Circuit Training: Fueling Your Workouts

Proper nutrition plays a crucial role in supporting your cardio circuit training efforts. Fueling your body with the right nutrients can help improve your performance, enhance recovery, and maximize the benefits of your workouts.

Key Nutritional Considerations for Cardio Circuit Training:

• Carbohydrates: Provide energy for high-intensity exercises
• Protein: Supports muscle recovery and growth
• Hydration: Maintains proper fluid balance during intense workouts
• Electrolytes: Replenish minerals lost through sweat
• Antioxidants: Help reduce exercise-induced oxidative stress

Aim to consume a balanced meal containing carbohydrates and protein about 2-3 hours before your cardio circuit workout. For shorter sessions or early morning workouts, a small snack 30-60 minutes before exercise can provide quick energy. After your workout, focus on replenishing fluids and consuming a combination of carbohydrates and protein to support recovery.

Safety Considerations and Injury Prevention in Cardio Circuit Training

While cardio circuit training offers numerous benefits, it’s essential to prioritize safety and injury prevention to ensure long-term success in your fitness journey. By following proper guidelines and listening to your body, you can minimize the risk of injury and maximize the effectiveness of your workouts.

Key Safety Tips for Cardio Circuit Training:

1. Warm up properly: Spend 5-10 minutes performing dynamic stretches and light cardio exercises
2. Use proper form: Focus on maintaining correct technique throughout each exercise
3. Progress gradually: Increase workout intensity and duration over time to avoid overexertion
4. Listen to your body: Pay attention to signs of fatigue or discomfort and adjust accordingly
5. Allow for adequate recovery: Include rest days in your training schedule to prevent overtraining
6. Stay hydrated: Drink water before, during, and after your workouts
7. Wear appropriate footwear: Choose supportive shoes designed for high-impact activities

If you experience persistent pain or discomfort during or after your cardio circuit workouts, consult a healthcare professional or certified fitness instructor for guidance. They can help identify any underlying issues and provide recommendations for modifying your workout routine.

Incorporating Cardio Circuit Training into Your Fitness Routine

Integrating cardio circuit training into your existing fitness routine can help diversify your workouts and provide a new challenge for your body. The versatility of circuit training allows for easy incorporation into various fitness schedules and goals.

Strategies for Adding Cardio Circuit Training to Your Routine:

• Replace one or two traditional cardio sessions with circuit training workouts
• Use circuit training as a finisher after strength training sessions
• Incorporate circuit training into your HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) routine
• Alternate between cardio circuit days and strength training days
• Create hybrid workouts that combine circuit training with other fitness modalities

When adding cardio circuit training to your routine, start with 1-2 sessions per week and gradually increase the frequency as your fitness level improves. Be sure to allow for adequate recovery between sessions, especially if you’re also engaging in other forms of high-intensity exercise.

Advanced Cardio Circuit Training Techniques: Taking Your Workouts to the Next Level

As you become more proficient in cardio circuit training, you may want to explore advanced techniques to further challenge your cardiovascular system and continue making progress. These methods can help break through plateaus and add variety to your workouts.

Advanced Cardio Circuit Training Techniques:

1. Tabata-style circuits: Perform exercises for 20 seconds of all-out effort, followed by 10 seconds of rest
2. Pyramid circuits: Gradually increase or decrease the number of repetitions for each exercise
3. Compound movement circuits: Combine multiple exercises into single, complex movements
4. Time-under-tension circuits: Focus on slower, controlled movements to increase muscle engagement
5. Plyometric circuits: Incorporate explosive, power-based movements for increased intensity
6. Weighted circuits: Add resistance to bodyweight exercises using dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands

When implementing these advanced techniques, it’s crucial to maintain proper form and listen to your body to prevent injury. Gradually incorporate these methods into your routine, allowing time for your body to adapt to the increased demands.

The Role of Recovery in Cardio Circuit Training: Maximizing Results and Preventing Burnout

While the high-intensity nature of cardio circuit training can yield impressive results, it’s essential to prioritize recovery to prevent burnout and optimize your fitness gains. Proper recovery allows your body to repair and strengthen itself between workouts, leading to improved performance and reduced risk of injury.

Key Components of Effective Recovery:

• Adequate sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night
• Proper nutrition: Consume a balanced diet rich in proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats
• Hydration: Maintain proper fluid intake throughout the day
• Active recovery: Engage in low-intensity activities on rest days
• Stretching and mobility work: Improve flexibility and reduce muscle tension
• Stress management: Practice relaxation techniques to support overall recovery

Incorporating these recovery strategies into your routine can help you maintain consistency in your cardio circuit training program and achieve long-term fitness success. Remember that recovery is just as important as the workouts themselves in reaching your fitness goals.

Customizing Cardio Circuit Training for Specific Fitness Goals

One of the great advantages of cardio circuit training is its adaptability to various fitness goals. Whether you’re aiming to improve cardiovascular endurance, lose weight, or enhance overall athletic performance, you can tailor your circuit workouts to align with your specific objectives.

Customizing Circuits for Different Goals:

1. Weight loss: Focus on high-intensity exercises with minimal rest to maximize calorie burn
2. Cardiovascular endurance: Incorporate longer work periods and shorter rest intervals
3. Muscle building: Include more resistance-based exercises and increase the weight used
4. Athletic performance: Incorporate sport-specific movements and plyometric exercises
5. Functional fitness: Focus on compound movements that mimic everyday activities

When customizing your cardio circuit training program, consider your current fitness level, available equipment, and time constraints. Regularly reassess your goals and adjust your workouts accordingly to ensure continued progress.

The Future of Cardio Circuit Training: Emerging Trends and Technologies

As fitness technology continues to evolve, new trends and innovations are shaping the future of cardio circuit training. These advancements offer exciting possibilities for enhancing workout effectiveness, improving motivation, and personalizing the exercise experience.

Emerging Trends in Cardio Circuit Training:

• Virtual reality workouts: Immersive experiences that make circuit training more engaging
• AI-powered personal training: Adaptive workout programs that adjust in real-time based on performance
• Wearable technology: Advanced fitness trackers that provide more accurate data on workout intensity and recovery
• Gamification: Incorporating game-like elements to increase motivation and adherence
• Hybrid workout models: Combining in-person and virtual training experiences
• Personalized nutrition integration: Tailoring nutritional recommendations based on workout data and individual goals

As these technologies become more accessible, they have the potential to revolutionize how we approach cardio circuit training. By leveraging these innovations, individuals can enjoy more personalized, effective, and engaging workout experiences.

A Cardio Circuit Workout to Make You Sweat

Are you ready to get sweaty? Today we’re doing a five-move cardio circuit workout with an awesome EMOM finisher. Now might be a good time to think back on your progress so far. When you’re completing this cardio circuit, take a moment to listen to your body. What feels easier than it used to? What still feels difficult? What is challenging, and what is rewarding?

We’ve only been on this challenge journey for three weeks, but still—that’s a long time to commit to doing anything regularly (so congratulations, you!). It’s also enough time that you might start to notice little changes in your body and how it feels as it carries you through these aerobic workouts.

If you remember, last week we spoke a bit about why cardiovascular strength is so important: It can help your heart pump blood throughout your body, improve your mood, and help improve cognitive functioning. We also mentioned how the more cardio you do, the easier it gets.

As we near our final week of the Better Together Challenge, recognize your achievements, even if that just means going a little longer without needing a breather. And if you’re still feeling challenged, or like the cardio isn’t getting any easier, that’s A-OK and totally normal—just keep at it, and soon enough, aerobic exercises like today’s cardio circuit workout will start to feel more natural. Also, you’re not imagining it—our Better Together workouts do get slightly more challenging each week, so that you never get too comfortable.

One last thing to note before you crush this circuit: If you’re having difficulty breathing, or feel severe chest pain, see your doctor ASAP. If you ever feel chest tightness during a cardio circuit workout, there are a few possible culprits, some of which are totally benign—so don’t freak out yet. Click here to read more about what they could be.

Let’s do this!

The cardio circuit workout below is for Day 19 of the SELF Better Together Challenge. Check out the full month of workouts right here. Or go to the workout calendar here. If you haven’t signed up to receive daily emails, do that here.

WORKOUT DIRECTIONS 

Do each move below for your selected interval of work and rest. At the end of all the moves, rest for 60 seconds. That’s 1 circuit. Do the circuit 3–5 times. Then try the EMOM finisher.

• Option 1: 30 seconds of work, 30 seconds of rest

• Option 2: 40 seconds of work, 20 seconds of rest

• Option 3: 50 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest

EXERCISES

10-10-10 EMOM FINISHER

Do each move below for 10 reps as fast as you can. If you finish in under 60 seconds, rest. At the start of the next minute, repeat the circuit again. Continue in this way for 4 minutes. Note: On the squat to lateral lunge, count each lateral lunge as 1 rep. On the skaters, count each side as 1 rep.

The 20 Best Cardio Exercises Of All Time – At-Home Cardio Workouts

Here’s some welcome news: You don’t *have* to run or hop on the elliptical machine, stationary bike, or treadmill to get stronger and faster. (But all good if you love those modalities!) We’re inviting you to think beyond the machine for a moment. Many exercises you might associate primarily with strength training can actually double as cardio exercises.

The best way to get your heart pumping and the sweat dripping? Compound exercises, which involve multiple joints and more than one muscle group. This way, you get every part of your body in on the action and burn more calories.

Another way to turn up the burn: Swap the steady-state for a HIIT workout or circuit training sequence with moves like high knees, butt kicks, and jumping rope. The higher the intensity of your sweat sesh, the more energy and oxygen you use and the greater after-burn effect (otherwise known as EPOC) you experience. Basically, you’ll continue to burn calories at a higher rate after your workout as your body returns back to its regularly scheduled program #balance.

The real deal-sealer here, though, might just be that you can cut your cardio time in half (from 150 to 75 per week, per the U.S. Department of Health’s physical activity guidelines) by opting for HIIT or circuit training. That means more free time for you!

Use this list of the best cardio exercise to create a whole slew of heart-pounding workouts that also offer full-body benefits. Oh, and you can do them practically anywhere, too.

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Time: 20 minutes

Equipment: mat, kettlebell, dumbbells, jump rope (optional)

Good for: total body, cardio

Instructions: Choose six to eight exercises below. Complete the indicated number of reps for each move, then immediately continue onto the next. After you’ve finished all of your movements, rest for 30 seconds to one minute. Then, repeat twice more for a total of three rounds.

1. Squat Jump

How to: Start in a squat (feet under shoulders, toes facing forward, thighs parallel to floor) with torso upright and hands clasped in front of chest. Press through feet to straighten legs and jump up off the floor while swinging straight arms behind body. Land back in a squat position. That’s one rep. Perform 10 reps.

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2. Donkey Kick Burpees

How to: Start standing, with hands at sides. Hop up into the air. As you land, squat down, press hands into ground, and jump into the air, higher than shoulder height. Let feet land directly under body, then hop up. That’s one rep. Do up to 10 with proper form.

3. Rainbow Slam

How to: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart holding a medicine ball in front of right hip. Rise up on balls of feet while lifting weight overhead and pivoting on right foot to turn body toward left side as you swing medicine ball in arc with force to bounce off ground outside left foot. Catch it and return to start. That’s one rep. Complete as many reps as possible for 45 to 60 seconds alternating sides.

4. Wonder Woman

How to: Start in a standing position, as if you’re setting up to do a jumping jack. Jump your feet out, wider than hip-width apart, and stretch your arms out to the side at the same time. Jump your feet to the center and cross them, one in front of the other. At the same time, cross your forearms in front of your face. That’s one rep. Continue for 20 reps.

5. Mountain Climbers

How to: Start in plank position, feet hip-distance apart, hands shoulder-width apart. Drive right knee into chest, then bring to start. Repeat on left side. Continue switching sides, and complete as many reps as possible in 45 seconds.

6. High Knees

How to: Start in a standing position on mat with arms bent at 90 degrees, elbows close to sides, and hands at hip height in front of body. Bend right leg and lift right knee up to tap palm. Return right knee to floor and quickly repeat on left side. That’s one rep. Continue alternating sides, increasing speed for an added challenge. Perform 20 reps.

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7. Kettlebell Swing


How to: Start in a hinge (hips back, knees slightly bent, torso leaned forward at 45 degrees) holding the handle of a kettlebell with both hands, arms extended straight toward floor and bell between knees on the floor. In one motion, squeeze glutes, straighten legs, lift torso, and thrust hips forward, while swinging the weight to chest height, keeping arms straight and core tight. Reverse the movement, bringing the kettlebell between thighs this time when you hinge. That’s one rep. Perform 10 reps.

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8. Pencil Jump

How to: Start standing, feet shoulder-width apart. Keep arms by sides. Jump up and down by bouncing off the balls of the feet. Complete as many reps as possible in 45 seconds.

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9. Plank Get-Up

How to: Start in a low plank with forearms on the floor and parallel, elbows under shoulders. Pick up right forearm and press through palm to extend arm straight. Then, repeat with left to come into a high plank, keeping hips as level as possible. Reverse the movement to return to start. That’s one rep. Perform 10 reps, alternating which arm you start with.

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10. Butt Kicks

How to: Start standing, core engaged. Bring right heel behind you to touch right glute. Bring right foot back down to ground, then repeat on the opposite side. Continue alternating sides, and speed it up for an added challenge. Complete as many reps as possible in 30 seconds.

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11. Half Turkish Get-Up

How to: Start lying on back with right leg and arm straight on the floor and at a 45-degree angle from body, left leg bent so foot is flat on the floor, and left arm extended up toward ceiling (elbow locked out) holding a kettlebell. Keep eyes on kettlebell, press into right arm, and sit up, coming onto right forearm. Then, press through right palm and left foot to lift hips into air, keeping right leg straight. Slowly reverse the movement to return to starting position. That’s one rep. Perform 10 reps per side.

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12. Tuck Jump

How to: Start standing. Jump straight up, tucking knees to your chest. Land softly, and immediately repeat that move. That’s one rep. Complete 20 seconds at maximum effort, followed by 10 seconds of rest.

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13.

Star Jump

How to: Start with both feet together, firmly planted on the ground, with your hips slightly hinged backward. From here, jump as high as you can and stretch your arms out straight in either direction. Return to start. That’s one rep. Do 20 reps.

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14. Single-Arm Kettlebell Push Press

How to: Start standing with feet just wider than hips, a kettlebell in right hand, right arm bent with elbow close to body so that the weight rests on shoulder, and left hand on hip. Sink hips slightly into a quarter-squat. Then, quickly push through feet to extend legs, simultaneously pressing kettlebell straight up until right arm is completely extended overhead. With control, lower kettlebell back down. That’s one rep. Perform 10 reps per side.

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15. Bulgarian Split Squat

How to: Start standing about two feet in front of a step, holding a weight in each hand. Extend left leg back and place left foot on step. Bend knees to lower body as far as you can (or until knee hovers right above the ground), keeping shoulders back and chest up. Pause, then press through right heel to return to start. That’s one rep. Do up to 10 on each side.

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16. Kettlebell Deadlift to Squat Clean

How to: Start in a deep hinge position (hips back, knees slightly bent, and torso leaned forward almost parallel to floor), with hands gripping a kettlebell on floor between feet. Squeeze glutes and press hips forward to straighten legs and lift weight up keeping it close to shins. When bell reaches knees, bend elbows and pull it up to chest. Then, bend knees and sink hips back and down into a squat. Once thighs are about parallel with floor, press through feet to extend legs and return to standing position. That’s one rep. Perform 10 reps.

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17. Plank Jacks

How to: Start in a forearm plank position. Jump feet out past shoulders to a wide “V” shape, then jump them back in again. That’s one rep. Complete 20.

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18. Bear Crawl

How to: Start in bear plank, with shoulders over wrists and knees under hips and elevated a few inches off of mat. Step left hand and right foot forward at the same time, followed by right hand and left foot. Keep back flat and hips stable. Take three steps forward, then three steps backward. That’s one rep. Perform 10 reps.

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19. Bear Plank Shoulder Tap

How to: Start in bear plank, with shoulders over wrists and knees under hips and elevated a few inches off of mat. Keeping back flat and shoulders and hips stable, lift left hand up off mat and bend at elbow to tap right shoulder with it. Replace left hand, then repeat on the opposite side. That’s one rep. Perform 10 reps.

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20. Jump Rope

You can do perform this move with or without an actual jump rope. The form is the same either way.

How to: Start with feet together and arms by sides. Bend at elbows (but keep them close to body) to bring forearms wide and up to hip height. Begin making small circles with both forearms in a forward motion while simultaneously taking quick hops with feet. (If you’re using a jump rope, the goal is to revolve the cord around body and clear it under feet with every hop.) One jump equals one rep. Perform 20 reps.


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15 Circuit Training Routines: Quick At-Home & Gym Workouts

This circuit training guide is gonna give you EVERYTHING you need to do your first kickass circuit training workout today.

I mean come on, it has dinosaurs in it.

These workouts are similar to the custom programs we build for our Online Coaching Clients who work out at home, on the road, and in outer space.

Okay, FINE we don’t have any clients in space (yet). But we do have clients in Antarctica, and multiple aerospace engineers. Close enough?

We build workout programs that are actually fun! Learn more:

If you’re hoping circuit training will maximize your results in a minimum amount of time, one of the 15 circuits below will do the trick:

What is circuit training?

As Coach Lauren mentions above, the “circuit” in circuit training comes from the fact that you do a sequence of exercises back to back to back, and then you repeat the sequence.

And then again.

You cycle through the planned sequence of exercises, or circuit, multiple times.

That’s circuit training.

Generally, you hit each major muscle group during one full circuit. You may do a lower body for one exercise. Then the upper body the next.

You’ll find all sorts of different circuit training sequences. Here are some things most will have in common:

• Several different exercises. A normal circuit will have five to ten different movements per circuit. You’ll often hear these referred to as “stations.” Overhead press station, squat station, etc.
• Little to no rest in between. The goal of circuit training is to keep your heart rate up. Ideally, if you’re physically able, you go from one exercise to another without stopping. Maybe you rest after the whole circuit. Maybe.
• Rinse and repeat. Generally, you’ll run through your circuit a few times. Three rounds are common.

Make sense?

The point here is to work different parts of your body with different exercises, and then while those parts are recovering, you’re working on your other movements! This helps build cardiovascular health, while also improving muscular endurance and strength.

Plus you’ll burn calories!

As we lay out in our article, Cardio vs Interval Training vs. Weight Training, research supports that doing strength training circuits is great for weight loss and overall health.

More importantly, for somebody with limited time, doing a strength training circuit is more effective at building strength and burning fat than an equivalent amount of cardio.

In other words, if you are trying to lose weight, you should be doing circuit training.

Our Beginner Bodyweight Circuit would be a great place to begin, and you can download a worksheet to help you get started right here:

Grab Your Beginner Bodyweight Routine Worksheet. No Gym Required!

• Complete this workout at home, no equipment required
• Avoid the common mistakes everybody makes when doing bodyweight exercises
• Learn how to finally get your first pull-up

Why Should I do circuit training?

Generally, you’ll hear exercise divided into strength training or aerobic exercise (cardio).

What’s the difference, you wonder?

• Strength training. Strength training is also referred to as anaerobic exercise, which would be a short burst of energy for movement. Think of a push-up or pull-up. These exercises help build and tone muscle.
• Aerobic Exercise. “Aerobic” means “needs oxygen.” Your heart rate increases to get oxygen where your body needs it, thus the word “cardio.” Running, biking, or jumping jacks would be examples of aerobic exercise.

The thing about a circuit is, you actually do both categories. Presses and lunges fall into strength training. Jumping jacks are cardio.

And since you aren’t stopping much in between stations, you’ll need more oxygen, and voila. Even more cardio.

With circuit training, you build muscle and burn fat WHILE building stamina.

As Michael Scott would say, “that’s a win, win, win.”

There’s some debate on what kind of exercise is better for weight loss: aerobic or anaerobic.

My thoughts?

If you’re limited on time and only can pick one, I would pick strength training: when you strength train, you break your muscles down, and your body needs to work extra hard over the next 24-48 hours to rebuild those muscles (with increased calories burned).

We work with our 1-on-1 Coaching Clients to create programs that combine both strength and cardio in a fun way – it really comes down to a program that you actually WANT to do.

Let us build you a workout program that’s ACTUALLY fun!

Before and after your circuit training: Warm up and stretch

No matter which circuit you pick, I want you to start with one important thing:

Warm-up!

I cover why you should always warm up in an article found right here. It doesn’t have to be much though, give it about five minutes to get your muscles active and your heart rate up.

This will help you do exercises properly and help prevent injury. You can run in place, do air punches and kicks, or some jumping jacks.

Here is NF Senior Coach Staci (you might know her incredible story) showing you many beginner options you can use to warm up as well:

Did I just tell you to prepare for circuit training, with a circuit?!

If you’re curious, here’s my personal (advanced) warm-up:

• Jump rope: 2-3 minutes 
• Jumping jacks: 25 reps
• Bodyweight squats: 20 reps
• Lunges: 5 reps each leg.
• Hip extensions: 10 reps each side
• Hip rotations: 5 each leg
• Forward leg swings: 10 each leg
• Side leg swings: 10 each leg
• Push-ups: 10-20 reps
• Spider-man steps: 10 reps

Our goal isn’t to tire you out. Instead, we want to warm you up.

That’s step one.

Completing your chosen circuit training routine would be step two.

Below, you’ll find 15 workouts you can follow along with! And if you like our style of workouts, you might like our new app, Nerd Fitness Journey!

Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

Right now, you can try it for free for a full week (no credit card required). Jump in below:

Beginner Bodyweight Workout Circuit

This workout circuit, as we lay out in our Beginner Bodyweight Workout article, is as follows:

• Bodyweight squats: 20 reps
• Push-ups: 10 reps
• Walking lunges – 10 each leg
• Dumbbell rows (using a gallon milk jug or another weight): 10 each arm.
• Plank: 15 seconds
• Jumping jacks: 30 reps

Run through this circuit three times. If you don’t have milk in the house for the rows, find something of roughly the same weight with a good handle.

We also turned this workout into a fun infographic with superheroes, because that’s how we roll:

If you want to download this Beginner Bodyweight Workout as a worksheet, you can do so when you sign up in the box below:

Grab Your Beginner Bodyweight Routine Worksheet. No Gym Required!

• Complete this workout at home, no equipment required
• Avoid the common mistakes everybody makes when doing bodyweight exercises
• Learn how to finally get your first pull-up

Want a coach to help every step of the way? Learn more:

Advanced Bodyweight Exercises Circuit

If the beginner circuit above is too easy for you, move on to our Advanced Bodyweight Workout Circuit. The workout looks like this:

• One-legged squats – 10 each side [warning super-difficult, only attempt if you’re in good enough shape]
• Bodyweight squats: 20 reps
• Walking lunges: 20 reps (10 each leg)
• Jump step-ups: 20 reps (10 each leg)
• Pull-ups: 10 reps [or inverted bodyweight rows]
• Dips (between bar stools): 10 reps
• Chin-ups: 10 reps [or inverted bodyweight rows with underhand grip]
• Push-ups: 10 reps
• Plank: 30 seconds

I warn you, the above circuit will hurt… in a good way. You should be proud if you can get through this three times.

Get a workout program that grows with you! Check out our Coaching Program:

Playground Workout Circuit

Do you have a nearby playground? Why not work out there! If you have kids, you can do it together. Or let them ignore you.

I’ll give you a Level One workout, and a Level Two. Check out the main playground article for some Level Three exercises.

Level One

• Alternating step-ups: 20 reps (10 each leg)
• Elevated push-ups: 10 reps
• Swing rows: 10 reps
• Assisted lunges: 8 reps each leg
• Bent leg reverse crunches: 10 reps

Level Two

• Bench jumps: 10 reps
• Lower incline push-ups: 10 reps
• Body rows: 10 reps
• Lunges: 8 reps each leg
• Straight leg reverse crunches: 10 reps

After you’ve gone through a complete set three times, go down the slide!

Working out doesn’t have to suck. Let our coaches build you a fun program!

Kettlebell Workout Circuit

Have a kettlebell lying around? Use it for a circuit!

Here’s our kettlebell workout full write-up, but you can also just watch the video and see the workout here:

• Halos: 8 reps (each side)
• Goblet squats: 10 reps
• Overhead presses: 8 reps (each side)
• Kettlebell swings: 15 reps
• Bent Over Rows: 8 reps (each side)
• Front rack reverse lunge: 6 reps (per side)

Once you’ve done the above three times, go ahead and put your kettlebell away for your final step: stretches.

If you want a kettlebell worksheet for this workout, grab one by signing up in the box below:

Grab Your Beginner Kettlebell Routine Worksheet!

• Complete this workout at home or gym with 1 kettlebell.
• Avoid the common mistakes everybody makes when doing kettlebell exercises.
• Build strength, burn fat, level up your life!

We also have a fun new adventure in our app that will allow you to train with your kettlebell right alongside Hack Morris (this will make sense more sense when start).

Jump in right now for your free trial:

Beginner Gym Circuit Training

If you have access to a gym, you have a lot of circuit options.

If it’s your first time stepping foot in a fitness facility, check out our Beginner’s Guide to the Gym. The gym can be a scary place, but we’ll give you a strategy to get comfy.

(Gym closed do to COVID? Here’s how to build a gym in your home.) 

We’ll also walk you through each movement for both Days A and B below. I would recommend picking one of our 5 Beginner Gym Workouts, going through the leveled progressions, and working your way up to the circuits below:

DAY A GYM WORKOUT

Day B GYM WORKOUT

• Barbell Romanian deadlifts/regular deadlifts: 10 reps
• Push-ups: 10 reps
• Dumbbell rows: 10 reps per arm

Alternate your circuits on different days. Rest in between. “Day A” could be Monday. Rest Tuesday. Wednesday could be “Day B.”

We LOVE helping people get started in the gym, as we’re huge fans of barbell training and helping beginners build confidence with weight training! If that sounds like you…

Let us help you start weight training with our Coaching Program

And you can download our full Strength 101 guide too, which has this routine along with other circuits to help you start building strength today:

Download our comprehensive guide

• Everything you need to know about getting strong.
• Workout routines for bodyweight AND weight training.
• How to find the right gym and train properly in one.

The Hotel Workout Circuit: For Travelers that Train

Sometimes, you just plain find yourself stuck in a hotel room. Maybe you can find the hotel gym, but I bet it’s terrible! It probably has 2 machines, a broken treadmill, and no free weights.  

Ugh.

Instead, how about a workout circuit you can do in the room itself! Utilize the furniture to its full potential.

Level 1

Level 2

Set the alarm clock to 15 minutes from now and see how many circuits you can do!

Check out our full post on hotel circuits if you want Level 3!

We have a LOT of business travelers in our 1-on-1 coaching program, which is why we create workouts for both their home gym and while traveling!

If you need worldwide accountability, workouts for home and the road, and want expert guidance…

Travel for work? Let us create a travel program to help you stay healthy!

Nerdy Circuit Training Exercises

If those workouts above don’t tickle your fancy, we have these other nerdy circuits you can do too!

The Batman Workout Circuit

Day 1

• Rolling squat tuck-up jumps: 5 reps
• Side to side push-ups: 5 reps
• Modified headstand push-ups: 5 reps
• Jump pull-up with tuck / Pull-up with Tuck-up: 5 reps
• Handstands against wall: 8 seconds

Day 2

• ‘180 Degree’ jump turns: 5 reps
• Tuck front lever hold: 8 seconds
• Tuck back lever hold: 8 seconds
• Low frog hold: 8 seconds

Get in shape like Batman with our Online Coaching!

The Lord of the Rings Workout Circuit

Superset 1: The Fellowship of the Ring

Superset 2: The Two Towers

• Riders of ROWhan: 3 bodyweight rows
• Gimli “Shall I get you a box?” jumps: 7 box jumps – REALLY explode
• Helm’s Deep-Squats: 9 bodyweight squats – get your ass to the ground
• Tower of Orthanc Holds: 1 minute (Kick up against a wall and hold a handstand for as long as you can until 1 minute is complete, in as few as sets as possible. Check out our Guide to Handstands.)

Superset 3: The Return of the King

If you can get through a superset three times, consider yourself an honorary Ranger. Nothing found in Mordor can faze you.

Our Coaching Program changes lives! Let us change yours today:

The 300 Workout Circuit

The below circuit is no joke. Then again, neither were the Spartans.

• Pull-ups: 25 reps
• Deadlifts with 135lbs: 50 reps
• Push-ups: 50 reps
• ‘24-inch’ Box jumps: 50 reps
• Floor wipers: 50 reps
• Single-arm clean-and-press with 36 lbs. kettlebell: 25 each side
• Pull-ups: 25 reps

The above sequence is designed to be completed once. If you can go through it twice, you’re ready to defend Greece.

Our coaching program is with you every step of the way. Learn how:

The Wolverine Workout Circuit

• Barbell Deadlift / Dumbbell RDL / Banded Good Morning / Regular Good Morning: 10 reps
• Medicine Ball Slam / Quick Downwards Bodyweight Squat: 10 reps
• Push-up to Renegade row (push-up, row left, push-up, row right, repeat): 5 Rows per side
• Transverse Lunge and Chop: 5 reps each side

How many times do you do this circuit? AMRAP, or, As Many Rounds As Possible. I suggest setting a 12-minute timer and getting to work. Be careful though, because only Wolverine can heal automatically.

You’ll need actual rest.

Boom!

There are your nerdy circuits. Feel free to rock the soundtrack of the referenced movies during your workout. If you own a cape, now’s the time.

Want to look like Wolverine? Let our coaches help you reach your goals!

Complete List of Circuit Training Exercises

You can do any of the workouts in this article and get a great workout, but if you want to build your own workout, you can totally do that too!

Here is a list of exercises you can use to create your workout.

Simply pick a few, and do one after the other in as many circuits as you want!

Pick your exercises from this list to build your own circuit training workout, or suggest your own for us to add in the comments below!

CARDIO EXERCISES:

1. Jump rope
2. Jumping Jacks
3. Walking Jacks
4. Burpees
5. Mountain climbers
6. Stairs
7. Sprints
8. High knees
9. Running in place
10. Rowing machine
11. Long-distance jumps
12. Box jumps

UPPER BODY PUSH EXERCISES:

1. Push-ups (any variation)
2. Handstands.

UPPER BODY PULL EXERCISES

1. Dumbbell rows
2. Bodyweight rows
3. Negative pull-ups or chin-ups
4. Pull-ups or Chin-ups

LOWER BODY EXERCISES

1. Bodyweight squats
2. Lunges
3. Kettlebell swings
4. Farmer carries (carry dumbbells and walk around)

CORE EXERCISES:

1. Planks
2. Side planks
3. Reverse crunches

Pick 3-5 exercises, and arrange them as we discuss in our “how to build your own workout routine.” We also have The 42 Best Bodyweight Exercises for movements that you can choose from.

Do 3 circuits with 10 reps of each exercise, one after the other!

Have fun and keep things interesting. And if you don’t want to build your own workout, that’s cool too! We have 15 free workouts in this article, and we can also do all the heavy lifting for you.

Well, not literally DO the heavy lifting, but you know what I mean. We create custom workout solutions for busy people just like you in our 1-on-1 Coaching Program. Let us create a workout and help you make better food choices.

It’s like having a Yoda in your pocket (again, not literally).

Let us create a workout program for you! Learn more about our Coaching Program

How to Stretch After Circuit Training

Once you finish your workout, the final step (three) would be stretching and cool down. No matter what circuit you go through, stretch after a workout. It can help a lot with muscle recovery.

Scope this video for an awesome stretching sequence to follow:

You could also do some yoga poses. For stretching, find what feels good and take your time. Let your heart rate come down while you stretch.

You could even do some foam rolling too if you’re a glutton for punishment!

For more ideas on how to make the most of your stretches, check out The Ultimate Guide for Improving Flexibility in 30 Days. It has Spider-Man in it, so you know we aren’t messing around.

Work with our Coaches to improve your flexibility! Learn more:

Getting Started With Circuit Training

There are all sorts of different ways to do circuit training. We just showed you fifteen.

YOUR MISSION: Complete one of the above circuit training workouts! If you don’t know which one to pick, start with the Beginner Bodyweight Circuit. It’ll get you used to the idea of hustling from one exercise to the next.

And you can do it in your living room!

If you’re looking for more hands-on instruction and customized guidance, check out our 1-on-1 Coaching program. You’ll work with our certified NF instructors who get to know you better than you know yourself, and then build a workout program that is specific to your exact goals.

Simply put, we tell you exactly what to do every day, and how to eat. And then, we check in with you regularly to make sure you’re doing it!

We help busy people get in shape, step by step. Learn more about our Coaching Program!

If you got this far in the article, I really want you to try one of these workouts. Right NOW. I always mention the most important step in a fitness journey is starting it. Today, start circuit training.

Once completed, I’d love for you to share your story with the community in the comments:

• How’d it go?
• Did you get through three full circuits?
• Which routine did you pick?

Find a circuit you’re comfortable with, and do it.

Then do it next week. And the following. And track your progress! 

If you add circuit training to your fitness routine, you’ll be on a solid path for leveling up your life.

-Steve

PS: I couldn’t quite figure out how to use this gif, but it was too good not to include.

If someone creates the “Short Circuit Workout Circuit” you’ll be my best friend forever.

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All Photo credits can be found right here^[1].

A 30-Minute Functional HIIT Circuit Anyone Can Try

Photography: Jim Crossley, F45 Kingston

There are many ways to approach the gym. You can work on your cardio with some treadmill, exercise bike or rowing machine sessions, or you can focus on building muscle. You can also take a functional approach, training muscles for the tasks they perform in everyday life, rather than the gym (this method also builds some impressive-looking muscles as a happy byproduct).

This HIIT workout from the functional specialists at F45 Kingston takes the latter approach, basing the session around compound exercises which target multiple joints and muscle groups at once. It will take just under 30 minutes to complete, making it ideal for a lunch break. If you find it a bit easy, try this more advanced AMRAP workout from F45 Kingston.

How To Warm Up For This Workout

If you’re going to get the most out of a HIIT workout, you need to be firing on all cylinders from the start, and that means doing a proper warm-up beforehand. Now, you might well be doing HIIT because you’re short on time to exercise, but trust us when we say that a worthwhile warm-up need only take a few minutes.

The key to a good warm-up is thinking about the specific muscles you’re about to use and focusing on getting those muscles ready to go. Ahead of this HIIT workout you’ll want to start with some dynamic stretches – here’s a great seven-move warm up routine to use – and then go into a few exercise-specific warm-ups. The simplest way to do this is to run through a round of the exercises from the workout you’re about to do, completing just a few reps rather than working flat-out to time, and reducing the weight you’d use for any move that calls for a kettlebell or dumbbell.

Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to hit your first circuit proper at full speed safely. If that means your workout is 40 rather than 30 minutes, that’s a fair trade-off. And if you really do only have 30 minutes max, then it’s usually smarter to shorten the workout than to skip the warm-up.

Functional HIIT Workout

The circuit involves nine functional exercises, most of which are bodyweight exercises, although you will also need a kettlebell and a pair of dumbbells.

For each exercise complete as many reps as you can within 35 seconds, then rest for 25 seconds before moving on to the next exercise.

Complete three rounds of the circuit. If you’re not sure how to do any of the moves click the header for a full explanation, and make sure to bear in mind the dos and don’ts from the F45 coaches.

1. Kettlebell swing

Do: Initiate the move with the hips, not the arms
Don’t: Swing higher than eye level

2. Burpee

Do: Raise your hands above your head when you jump
Do: Consider skipping the press-up at the bottom of the move, it’s optional

3. Bear crawl

Do: Keep your knees close to the floor to engage your core
Don’t: Let your back arch

4. High knees

Do: Keep knees high and tempo fast
Don’t: Dip your head and hunch your shoulders

5. Press-up

Don’t: Flare your elbows – keep them tucked in
Don’t: Let your hips dip – keep your core engaged

6. Star jumps

Do: Bend your knees to land softly

7. Dumbbell overhead press

Do: Bring the dumbbells all the way to your shoulders and push then above your head
Don’t: Curve your back as you extend the dumbbell

8.

Bodyweight squat

Do: Get as low as you can
Don’t: Round your back or look down

9. Bicycle crunch

Do: Keep your shoulders off the floor

F45 offers high-intensity, 45-minute, circuit-based group training sessions. Visit f45kingston.co.uk

Circuit Training Workouts | Redefining Strength

Circuit training is all the rage, and while it shouldn’t be the only style of workout design you use, it can be a good one to include in your program.

Circuit training workouts are workouts where you complete different exercises back to back. Some can be super intense where you take little to no rest before moving on to the next exercise while others can be a bit less aerobic and allow you to rest 30 seconds or so before moving on to the next exercise.

You can do the exercises in circuit routines for time or for a set amount of reps. The exercises can be cardio in nature or more strength oriented.

You can alternate hemispheres (upper body then lower body) or you can blast one hemisphere with the circuit.

Below are two different Circuit Training Workouts that we love.

One is a strength circuit focused on building up a specific lift by working and strengthening the muscles involved. In this circuit training workout, the exercises are done for reps and there is more rest between exercises. This circuit is meant to be done after a big lift like the deadlift.

The second circuit workout is a full body cardio circuit. You will do the exercises for time and have very little rest between exercises. This circuit on its own is a full workout.

Strength Circuit

Often before this circuit we will focus on a big lift like the deadlift. We will use challenging weight and rest between sets of the lift. We generally do about 3-5 sets and between 5-12 reps per set. If you do more sets, you should be lifting heavier weights for lower reps. If you do fewer sets, you can use a higher rep range.

This circuit then has supplemental exercises to strengthen the muscles involved in that lift.

Complete 3-5 rounds of the circuit below, resting about 30 seconds between exercises and about a minute to a minute and a half between rounds.

CIRCUIT:
8-15 reps Hip Thrusters (or Glute Bridge variation depending on level)
8-15 reps Inverted Row (or a variation like the Single Arm Anti-Rotational Row shown above)
15-20 reps Reverse Hypers
10-15 reps Hanging Knees to Elbows (or a variation based on your level)

Full-Body Cardio Circuit Training Workout

This is a high-intensity interval workout meant to get your blood pumping. The exercise alternate between muscle groups and even types of movements to give different parts a rest so that you can continue working without getting completely burned out.

Each exercise is done for time and you are given only 15 seconds to rest between exercises. Rest up to 1 minute between rounds. Complete 5-6 rounds of the circuit.

CIRCUIT:
30 seconds Towel Taz
15 seconds Rest
30 seconds Split Squat Jumps
15 seconds Rest
30 seconds Rotational Med Ball Throws
15 seconds Rest
30 seconds Burpees (or a variation like the Slam Bag Burpee shown above)
15 seconds Rest
30 seconds Skater Hops
15 seconds Rest
30 seconds Sledgehammer Slams
1 minute Rest

Want more great circuit training workouts? Check these out:

 

Circuit Training | Learn the Basics of Circuit Training

Looking for a way to infuse your fitness routine with some new energy and excitement? Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just getting started with physical activity, circuit training is a great way to challenge your body in a variety of ways while boosting the fun factor.

What Is Circuit Training?

A typical circuit training workout includes about 8-10 exercise stations. After completing a station, instead of resting, you move quickly to the next station. A muscular strength and endurance circuit alternates muscle groups, such as upper body, lower body and core, so little or no rest is needed in between stations. This article focuses on another form of circuit training: aerobic + strength. This type of circuit alternates 1-2 sets of resistance exercise (body weight, free weights, dumbbells, kettle bells, bands, etc.), with brief bouts of cardiovascular exercise (jogging in place, stationary cycling, rowing, etc.) lasting anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes. Depending on your goals and the number of circuit stations, you can complete 1 or more circuits in a 30-60 minute session.

Advantages of Circuit Training

Boredom and time constraints are frequently cited reasons for giving up on a fitness routine. Sound familiar? Circuit training offers a practical solution for both. It’s a creative and flexible way to keep exercise interesting and saves time while boosting cardiovascular and muscular fitness. You’ll burn a decent amount of calories too—in a 1-hour circuit training session, a 150-pound person burns about 308 calories at a moderate intensity; and 573 calories at a vigorous intensity. Because the exercises can be performed in any sequence, you can create an endless number of combinations and design every workout to match your mood or specific training goal. Participating in a group circuit-training class is a great way to discover new exercises you might not have tried on your own.

At Home

Set up strength and cardio stations indoors or outdoors. Cardio could include going up and down stairs, marching or jogging in place, running up and down the driveway, using home exercise equipment and jumping rope. For strength stations, do push-ups, planks and lunges, using your own body weight. You can also use dumbbells, bands and Kettlebells. For more ideas, look for a fitness DVD featuring circuit-training workouts.

At the Gym

Check to see, if your gym offers circuit training classes. You’ll need to move quickly from station to station, so it’s tough to do on your own during regular gym hours when others are using equipment. If you’re working with a certified personal trainer, ask for help in building a custom circuit training workout using a variety of equipment.

At the Park

The fitness trail, or parcourse are popular features at many parks across the United States and around the world. This can be considered a form of aerobic + strength circuit training. The parcourse consists of walking trails with exercise stations located along the way. But even if your local park doesn’t have a circuit set-up, you can create your own aerobic + strength circuit by alternating brisk walking, bicycling or running on a trail with push-ups, dips, and squats, incorporating things found in nature, such as a tree, a boulder, or even a park bench.

Turn Up the Heat

If you’ve been doing circuit training for a while and are ready to push harder, try these ideas:

• Shorten your time intervals. If you’re currently doing 2-minute cardio intervals, shorten them by 30 seconds. This will keep you moving faster through the circuit, allowing you to complete more stations in the same amount of time.

• Boost your intensity. If your strength sets are feeling too easy, increase the resistance or choose a different exercise that works the same muscle group. Take your cardio intervals up a notch by accelerating or adding another cardio exercise.

• Do a backward circuit. If you always complete your circuit in the same direction, start at the opposite end to challenge your body and your brain in a new way.

Additional Resources

WebMD
USC Norris Cancer Hospital

Circuit Training – Everything You Need to Know

The term “circuit training” is widely used by fitness professionals, magazines, gyms, and fitness classes. If you did a google search to find circuit training classes in your area, no two classes would likely look precisely the same.

One class might use a variety of equipment, while another might use no equipment at all. One circuit training class might look intense, while another advertises itself as low-impact and suitable for beginners.

With such a seemingly broad range of classes all marketing themselves as “circuit training,” it might leave you wondering what circuit training is and whether or not it’s right for you – especially if you are wanting to become a personal trainer and eventually design circuit training programs for clients. 

What is Circuit Training?

Each exercise is performed in a circuit training workout one after another with little to no rest in between exercises. Usually, there will be 8-10 exercises in a circuit, although this number can vary depending on how much time you have.

You can perform a certain number of reps for each exercise (8-20 reps), or you can time each exercise (30-60 seconds per exercise). Once you go through each exercise in the circuit, you can take a slightly longer rest (about 1 minute) to recover before beginning the circuit again. Repeat the circuit 1-3 times or for the duration of your allotted workout time.

What Are Some Examples of Circuit Training?

To get the most bang for your buck in circuit training, it’s best to perform a full-body workout. Here’s an example of an intermediate full-body strength circuit training program:

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Rest
Push-ups	12-15	1-2	0-15 seconds
Dumbell squat	12-15	1-2	0-15 seconds
Bent over dumbbell row	12-15	1-2	0-15 seconds
Alternating lateral lunges	12-15	1-2	0-15 seconds
Biceps curl to overhead press	12-15	1-2	0-15 seconds
Romanian Deadlift	12-15	1-2	0-15 seconds
Ball crunch	12-15	1-2	0-15 seconds
Ball back extension	12-15	1-2	60 seconds

 

Training circuit-style is bound to keep the heart pumping, but if you like to incorporate some cardio exercises into your routine, here’s an example of what that might look like:

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Rest
Chest Press	12-15	1-2	0-15 seconds
Dumbbell squat	12-15	1-2	0-15 seconds
Jump Squats	8-10	1-2	0-15 seconds
Standing cable rows	12-15	1-2	0-15 seconds
Step up with biceps curl	12-15	1-2	0-15 seconds
Mountain climber (hands-on step)	20-30 seconds	1-2	0-15 seconds
Ball crunch	12-15	1-2	0-15 seconds
Ball back extension	12-15	1-2	60 seconds

 

These circuit examples are a great starting place, and you can adapt the exercises to suit your personal preferences and/or the equipment that you have available.

If you’ll be performing your circuit in a busy gym environment, it’s important to plan for limited access to space and equipment. Proper gym etiquette encourages that you use the minimum amount of space and equipment that’s needed so that others can also work out without having to wait for a machine that you’re only using for part of your circuit.

For example, instead of writing a workout that requires three different sets of dumbbells, a bench, and a cable machine, I may plan to use just one or two sets of dumbbells and a ball for an entire circuit. That way, I don’t have to worry about people giving me the side-eye as I do my workout.

Is Circuit Training Same as HIIT? 

HIIT training is another popular style of training that can often get confused with circuit training. Some will use the terms HIIT and circuit training interchangeably, but they really are quite different when performed as intended. The main differences between HIIT and circuit training are the intensity of the work periods, the length of rest between bouts of work, and the total amount of workout time.

HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training. In a HIIT workout, you will perform an exercise (typically a cardio exercise) at 95-100% maximum effort for a short period of time, usually, 30 seconds or less, followed by as much rest as is needed to recover. Your rest can be active, such as walking until the heart rate lowers. A simple example would be a 100-meter sprint followed by a walk around the track to get back to the starting point to recover before doing another sprint.

A true HIIT workout is performed at maximum efforts during the work periods, includes sufficient rest between bouts of work, and will only last 15-25 minutes total. A circuit training workout is performed at a medium intensity during the work periods, includes little to no rest between bouts of work, and can last 30-60 minutes. Even if a circuit training workout consists of only cardio exercises, there often isn’t enough recovery time between exercises to allow for true maximum effort in each exercise.

As a general rule, the higher the intensity of a workout, the shorter the workout will be and the longer the recovery will be between bouts of movement.

What is The Purpose of Circuit Training? 

The purpose of this style of training is to get the most bang for your buck. Circuit training is popular because it is the most time-efficient way to perform a full workout.

Because circuit training uses little to no rest, you’re able to complete the workout in a shorter amount of time than you would perform each exercise one at a time with rest in-between sets.

What Are The Benefits of Circuit Training?

There are many benefits to choosing circuit training. My clients love doing circuits because they say it makes the workout feel like it flies by (seriously!). Even better, when we time the circuits, no one has to count! Circuits of light resistance intervals are also great ways to combat exertional disorders like rhabdomyolysis.

Here are just a few of the other benefits of circuit training:

Built-in Rest Periods

Even though there’s little to no rest between exercises, circuits allow you to train each muscle group of the body without overdoing it.

You might start with an exercise using the chest and triceps, but then you’ll have seven other exercises using different muscle groups to let your chest and triceps rest before you return for a second (or third) set.

Perfect for All Levels

Circuits are easy to make more challenging or less challenging simply by manipulating the order of exercises and/or the rest time between exercises. Beginners can start by alternating upper body and lower body exercises in the circuit, and they might even choose to include 15-30 seconds of rest between exercises.

Intermediate exercisers can eliminate the rest for an increased challenge. Intermediate-advanced exercisers can up the ante by doing several upper body exercises in a row followed by several lower body exercises in a row to increase the challenge. There are many ways to get creative with a circuit. Just remember to start with small changes over time to let your body adapt and prepare for the next challenge!

Higher Calorie Burn, Less Time

If you’re used to going through your workout one exercise at a time, transitioning to circuit training will shorten your workout and allow you to burn more calories in that period of time than you did previously.

 Due to the shorter rest periods, circuits keep the heart rate up, which increases the calorie burn. Plus, the efficiency of this workout makes it perfect for anyone who has a busy schedule or doesn’t want to spend more than 30-60 minutes in the gym.

 Read also: 5 Ways to SPEED up Your Metabolism

How Many Times a Week Should You Do Circuit Training?

If you’re performing full-body resistance circuits (similar to our examples above), you’ll want one or two days of rest between circuits. This means you can do circuit training 2-3 times per week to allow for sufficient recovery.

Is Circuit Training Good for Weight Loss?

Whether you’re looking to lose weight, train clients to lose weight, increase your fitness, or improve your muscle tone, circuit training is a great option for you. This training style keeps you moving the entire workout session, which increases the heart rate and, therefore, the overall caloric burn during the session to aid in weight loss. Additionally, this style of training can be performed by gym-goers at all levels!

If you’re looking for ways to make your workouts more time- and calorie-efficient, more interesting, or you’re looking for a new workout style to try, circuit training may be a great option for you.

90,000 TOP-20 cardio workouts that will get you in shape

In this article we will tell you about the different types of physical activity that have a beneficial effect on the heart and cardiovascular system. Add them to your training plan to add variety to your workout routine. First, let’s go over the basics.

What is cardio training

Cardio training is a training of the human cardiovascular system. If, for example, the quadriceps and biceps muscles of the thighs primarily work when performing the bench press, then when performing any of the types of cardio, the main load is on the heart, because the word “καρδία” in translation from Greek means “heart”.

Thus, cardio load is everything that makes the heart work in an accelerated mode.

Benefits of cardio training

Cardio is the best thing you can think of to fight excess weight, increase endurance and get rid of negative thoughts. Running or swimming, of course, you will not be able to set records in push-ups, but vigor and the ability to spend a long time in motion are guaranteed to you.

What other benefits do cardio loads give:

• strengthening of the cardiovascular system;
• training of the respiratory system;
• increasing the body’s endurance;
• increase in tissue density;
• muscle strengthening;
• lowering cholesterol levels;
• Improving metabolism, that is, increasing the metabolic rate;
• Improving the ability of muscle tissue to process glucose, that is, preventing diabetes;
• the production of endorphins and the improvement of hormonal levels.

Contraindications

Most types of cardio workouts are available to a wide range of people, but if a person has any heart problems, has had a stroke or heart attack, then it is necessary to see a doctor before starting classes. The same recommendation applies to those who are obese, have diabetes, cancer, and have serious problems with joints and knees.

Whether it is seemingly easy running or exotic canoeing, the duration and intensity of an exercise must not be drastically increased.Start with light, short workouts, watch your heart rate, and stick to the 10% weekly workout increase.

Duration of cardio training

Whether you are looking to lose weight or improve endurance, ten minutes of cardio is a must. The minimum recommended duration of cardio training is 30 minutes, which is the time when glycogen stores are depleted. However, do not forget that a person who has not been trained before can start with 10 minutes of load, gradually increasing the time to 60 minutes.

When losing weight, a long duration is important in that the burning of fatty deposits begins only after the glycogen stores have been used up. To lose weight, you need to work out either for a long time or intensively. In this sense, exercises in the morning on an empty stomach are good, when the body has small reserves of glycogen.

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Important: you are losing weight not because you give yourself a load, but because you create a calorie deficit.Together with exercise, this is much easier to tolerate, but do not forget to eat right in order to achieve the desired effect.

How often to do cardio training

For health, 3-4 workouts per week, according to experts, is enough. Professional athletes train every day or 6 days a week. For an ordinary person, it is not even the number of classes and hours that is more important, but stability and regularity.

You can’t get all the benefits of cardio if you do 4 workouts in one week and then do nothing all week.Lack of systematic training will give the body negative stress rather than positive.

Cardio intensity

Activity intensity can be tracked by the heart rate measured by the heart rate monitor. For optimal cardiovascular performance, exercise between 60-90% of your maximum heart rate.

The maximum heart rate can be estimated by subtracting age from 220 – this is the simplest formula.For example, the estimated maximum heart rate for a 37-year-old person would be:

220 – 37 (age in years) = 183 beats per minute

Read on: Heart rate zones: what heart rate to run at

When is the best time to do cardio: morning or evening

The time of day at which it is best to train depends on the goals of the student.

Morning is suitable for those who seek to lose weight, because during the night almost all glucose is used up, and the body will quickly switch to fat burning.Morning cardio is very invigorating, unless it is painful for you to get out of bed early.

Daytime workouts strengthen the heart. At this time, since a person has already taken food more than once, the body has enough nutrients and energy. But the body can switch to a fat-burning regimen only 30-40 minutes after the start of the lesson.

Evening activities can be similar to morning and afternoon activities, depending on when you eat. To get rid of excess weight, at least 1.5-2 hours should pass between cardio load and meals, and after training it is better to do with food that does not contain carbohydrates.

Types of cardio training

1. Run

Running is the first thing that comes to mind when talking about cardio. Indeed, this is the most affordable and simple form of cardio workout. However, it is important that the trainee does not have knee problems, and he runs in suitable shoes. Running either on the street or on the track in a fitness club will be equally beneficial for the body, but it is more pleasant and best of all to run in a forest park area on the ground.

If you haven’t run before, start with 20 minutes of walking and running.When you get past the 10 minute continuous run mark, add 1-3 minutes to it. To improve your health, three workouts per week will be enough.

Health jogging: benefits and contraindications

And there is also a fun and time-saving option in running – canycross, or running with a dog. You still walk your pet in the morning and in the evening, so why not replace the walk with a run? Most dogs will definitely be happy with this transformation of their walks.

2. Cross-country skiing

Don’t want to run in winter and don’t want to stop cardio? Cross-country skiing is the way out.Of course, skiing will take more time to get on the ski track, but how fresh it is in the forest in winter!

Unlike running, this type of cardio has a low impact factor on tendons, ligaments and muscles, so it is not so easy to get injured from redundancy. Skiing is also good because it involves not only the lower body, but also the upper one, and therefore it is an excellent complex workout of the whole body.

Considering the fact that in Russian cities the ski track is not cut in every park, most likely you can go on a ski trip no more than twice a week.So consider what kind of affordable cardio you should choose for your weekdays.

3. Bicycle

Cycling outperforms all types of cardio workouts with the ability to incorporate an element of travel into the classroom. On weekends, provided you have sufficient skiing experience, you can easily go out into the countryside, getting a lot of positive emotions from exploring new places.

As you pedal, bones and joints are not subject to repetitive shock loading.Well, in order to spin them, you do not have to buy a bicycle, worry about its serviceability during operation, drive around the city or wait for the right weather. You can “ride” a bike in the fitness room or at home using an exercise bike or machine. The impact on the body will be the same.

How to choose a bike rack for training at home

4. Cycling

Cycling looks like cycling at first glance, but the difference between the two is about the same as between running and skiing.In cycling, in addition to the legs, the load goes to the upper body.

Cycling is an intense cardio, therefore it is not recommended for people with cardiovascular diseases. It will be hard for beginners who have gotten up “from the couch” in the first lessons; for a start, it is better to do with a calm type of cardio workout.

Due to the high intensity of cycling, 2-3 times a week will be enough for you. Read more about it in the article: What is cycling and can it replace cycling.

5.Walking

Walking is the best solution for people with heart disease, obesity and those who cannot find time to exercise. Agree, you can just take a walk during your lunch break, take a longer walk with the dog, leave 2-3 stops earlier, or park your car further away. During the day, you will have an hour of walking, that is, an average of 5 kilometers.

Walking: types, benefits, calorie consumption

You can and should walk every day: there is absolutely no high load on the heart, joints and muscles.For the best health and fat burning effect, try to walk fast or alternate between fast walking and comfortable walking.

Walking option – Nordic walking. It engages up to 90% of the muscles and is considered very effective for healing and losing weight. This is not the case with running or cycling. But in order to use all of these muscles, technique is important in pole walking. To do this, take 5-7 lessons from the instructor.

6. Rope

Jumping Rope is an affordable home workout that builds endurance, strengthens muscles and improves coordination.For those who run, jumping rope is useful to include for training cadence and shortening the contact time of the foot with the surface.

The main problem with the rope is that jumping for more than 5 minutes is boring, and the effect of cardio begins only after 40 minutes! In this regard, the rope can become an addition to training, but not the main type.

For example: twice a week you can go to a cycling studio, and 1-2 times a week you can jump rope at home. Various training complexes will help to diversify jumps, including jumps on one leg, push-ups, burpees, squats.

Jump rope for runners: benefits, technique, training

7. Swimming

Swimming in a pool or open water relieves joints and tendons from the wear and tear that comes with many other workouts. However, swimming uses a lot of muscles without forcing a person to switch to high intensity. You can keep your pulse in the aerobic zone for a long time without getting tired in the same way as, for example, skiing.

The benefits of swimming: 20 reasons to go to the pool

However, if you want the effect of your training, forget about long breaks at the side.It’s best if you can swim non-stop. Swimming has many techniques – crawl, breaststroke, butterfly, backstroke – and they all put more or less stress on certain muscle groups. If you pay attention to a specific technique in each workout, you can comprehensively develop the body.

For runners, skiers, cyclists, swimming is the best recovery workout. Relaxing swimming allows your legs to rest and relieves muscle soreness faster.

8. Ellipsoid

Movements on an elliptical trainer are similar to running and skiing at the same time.Classes on this equipment include practically all muscle groups – up to 80%, and due to the elliptical trajectory of movement, there is no high load on the joints. If you didn’t know, then on the ellipsoid you can pedal backward, giving a load on muscles that are not so easy to get to work in other types of cardio.

A noticeable advantage of the ellipsoid is that you do not need to specially learn the technique of movements – the amplitude of movements on it is set initially.

9.Rowing machine

Rowing is available to units, and a rowing machine with distance and power metering will meet you in most modern fitness clubs. This is both cardio and strength training, which uses the muscles of the arms, legs and back, according to various estimates, from 80 to 95% of the muscles.

The rowing machine can train endurance and strength in a way that running, walking and cycling cannot. In general, in terms of the load on the human body, it is very similar to skiing. On a rowing machine, your heart rate is kept at a moderate intensity, and 20-60 minutes of high-intensity exercise 3 times a week will be sufficient.

10. CrossFit

Functional training, developed by CrossFit Corporation, is now at the peak of popularity, it is not for nothing that the word “CrossFit”, which is the brand, has become ubiquitous when it comes to combining cardio with gymnastic and strength exercises.

CrossFit is a circuit training where you need to complete a certain complex, while spending as little time as possible. These are high-intensity workouts, and it is worth approaching them only if there are no contraindications to prolonged work for wear.

There are so many different exercises for endurance, strength, flexibility in crossfit that at each lesson the coach will offer you something new. But if you are very passionate about these workouts, it is still advisable to give yourself a day of rest before the next visit to the gym.

11. Water aerobics

Water procedures are not only swimming. Aqua aerobics is created for those who quickly get bored of swimming from side to side. Water aerobics classes are held in the pool under the guidance of a trainer who shows the group exercises to music.

Since all this is done through the resistance of the water, the muscles receive a sufficient load. In addition, water here acts as a support for the musculoskeletal system, reducing unnecessary stress on it. Aqua aerobics is one of the most non-traumatic types of human physical activity.

Despite the fact that aqua aerobics exercises involve almost all muscle groups, muscle tension is relieved in the water, so such training will be a good addition to basic cycling / skiing / running and other training on land.

12. Step aerobics

Step aerobics has all the benefits of high-intensity cardio training without stressing the joints. In the classroom, a height-adjustable step platform is used, on which various choreographic combinations of steps are performed at a fast pace. Dumbbells can also be used to increase the load.

Step aerobics refers to cardio, where the load throughout the entire session is above average: you cannot stop for 45-60 minutes, rest in the form of a step on the spot is given after a complex of intensive steps.

As for the working muscles, in step aerobics, the main emphasis is on the lower body. For a comprehensive body improvement, you will need separate arm, chest and abdominal exercises.

13. Fitbox

A mixture of martial arts, strength training, aerobic exercise, self-defense lesson – all this is a new kind of fitness called fitbox. Punching and kicking a punching bag are done at an accelerated pace to rhythmic music, which makes the pulse accelerate to the anaerobic zone, which trains physical endurance.

Fitbox in the structure of the lesson is somewhat similar to cycling: the trainer makes the group constantly move and perform strength exercises between the execution of blows on the bag.

Do not be afraid to go to training in fitboxing: unlike regular boxing, there are no sparring sessions, which means there is no pain, bruises and abrasions.

14. Ski simulator

Classes on the ski simulator can be both a year-round addition to cross-country skiing, and an independent type of physical activity.One thing is for sure: a ski trainer will make your heart beat faster. The whole body will be involved in the work: here the hands pull the rope, the hips and knees are bent to push, the press holds the torso.

Unfortunately, ski simulators are not common in Russian fitness clubs, but a skier’s expander can serve as a good substitute – a sports equipment in the form of a cord with handles that can be used either in the gym or on the playground near the house.

The expander is also effective in that it can be used to perform exercises that not only imitate skiing, but also any other exercises to strengthen different muscle groups.25-30 minutes of this workout 2-3 times a week will be enough.

15. Climbing

It would seem how far rock climbing is from cyclic sports that act as locomotives of cardio, which, however, does not prevent the heart from beating faster during the climb.

Climbing in the mountains is a hard and technical sport, but indoor climbing on a climbing wall is available to everyone, even those who are afraid of heights. Climbing requires dexterity, coordination, strength of arms, legs, and in general, while climbing, a person constantly strains the muscles of the body, so it even looks like running.

Only, unlike running and cycling, in rock climbing, the upper body does not receive even the slightest rest, and the alternation of concentric loading (holding the posture) and eccentric (moving) awakens to work even those muscles that you did not know existed. On average, an hour of training at the climbing wall can be spent from 500 kcal.

As a comprehensive whole body workout instead of iron in the gym, this is a great option that also includes the brain. Climbing a climbing route is like playing chess.

16. Ladder running or walking

Walking or running up the stairs is available for residents of multi-storey buildings at any time of the year and in any weather. This load is much more intense than normal jogging, and the heart rate is likely to be kept in the aerobic zone throughout the session, improving cardio endurance.

Staircase running is both strength training and cardio training. In this case, a high impact goes not only on the heart, but also on the muscles of the legs. Legs, thanks to the ladder, will become much stronger than they could be from ordinary flat running.

Ladder running for 10 minutes 3 times a week after 6 weeks gives a significant increase in general functional indicators – heart rate, recovery time, respiratory rate, load tolerance. Like cycling, walking and jogging are moderate to medium intensity cardio activities, so three sessions per week if not available should be sufficient.

Stair run: recommendations and training plan

17. Coordination Ladder

This sports equipment is often used in the training of football players, basketball players and skiers.The ladder of coordination forces the person to make a burst of speed and at the same time control balance, agility and coordination.

Given the explosive nature of the work, the load from such equipment with limited rest between intervals will be above average. You can run through such a ladder in different ways: forward, sideways, jumping, with a cross step. All of these different exercise options will help you avoid burnout and plateaus.

The simulator does not take up much space, you can work with it anywhere.

18. Speed ​​skating

Speed ​​skating is recommended for cyclists in winter, which uses the same muscle groups. If you do not know about this, then it would never occur to you that cycling and speed skating are so similar: by the way, they switch from skating to cycling quite often.

Not to say that this is a mass sport, but, nevertheless, in the winter season in Russian cities there are a lot of flooded ice rinks, where you can wind kilometers in a circle.As an option for cross training, speed skating will help diversify your core training program and improve your sense of balance with coordination.

19. Football, basketball, volleyball, tennis

We included these playing sports in the selection because during the game a person is in constant motion: he runs across the entire field, jumps high, uses the shuttle run method. The heart rate here is likely to be even higher than during a calm skiing in the woods.

Basketball, tennis and other outdoor games train agility, flexibility, coordination, reaction together with endurance and speed. It should be said that team sports have a positive effect on the character, tactical thinking of a person and his social skills.

20. Dancing

Dance training is far from routine. Such classes are always held in a group or with a partner, and therefore sometimes you do not notice how time flies. Cardiotans provide aerobic workout for the whole body, toning all muscle groups, helping to avoid imbalances.

Working with the same muscles over time creates exercise tolerance, so gradually you no longer get the same good workout as you once did. But dance movements differ in that they are constantly different and do not use the same muscles until they are exhausted.

Let’s add that dancing improves the mood. In one study, depressed patients were given salsa lessons for 9 weeks. At the end of the experiment, everyone experienced a boost in mood.The researchers explain this by the fact that it was the combination of social interaction, exercise and concentration required to master a new skill that significantly increased the mood of all study participants.

As you can see from our selection, cardio doesn’t end there for running, cycling and swimming. You are free to engage in any kind of activity, combining them, which will make your workouts varied and your body fully developed. Most importantly, don’t forget about recovery, healthy eating and safety measures.

Read on: Which is better: running or cycling

Cardio workouts fitness3000.ru – what is it? Answers to the most popular questions

We will tell you what cardio training means, what cardio equipment and exercises are, how, when and how much to do to bring your body back to normal.

Cardio training: what is hidden behind this concept

Cardio workouts include any exercise in which your heart rate (pulse) is greater than 110 beats per minute.The heart, with the participation of the respiratory system, pumps blood twice as much, naturally, spending twice as much energy on it. To replenish it for the first 20 minutes of intense cardio training, the body uses liver glycogen, and then switches to the “type of fuel” of interest to us – subcutaneous fat. Start exercising in the system and say goodbye to those extra pounds. However, regular cardio exercises do much more benefit than banal fat burning.

Why cardio training

is good for you

Many, illuminated by the sudden idea of ​​losing weight, immediately threw themselves on the floor to shake their abs or do push-ups, but quickly returned to the sofa with a slight dizziness. This is the result of vasoconstriction, and cardio training helps restore their elasticity and more.

The main benefits of cardio workouts:

• strengthening the heart muscle;
• normalization of blood pressure;
• increasing the body’s endurance;
• strengthening of the immune defense;
• weight loss;
• prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory system.

You can start cardio training at 20, 30, 50, 60 years old, but at the same time be a healthy person, that is, without chronic diseases, especially of the heart and blood vessels. With vegetative vascular dystonia and other symptomatic pathologies, it is necessary to engage in under the supervision of a personal trainer who will select the optimal exercises for cardio training.

Types of cardio training

Cardio training has been and remains the most common and affordable type of sports activity, because you can do it at home, on the street, in the pool or in the fitness center.

Among the types of cardio training, the following are distinguished:

• run;
• walking;
• a ride on the bicycle;
• swimming;
• dancing, aerobics;
• jumping rope;
• training on cardiovascular equipment: treadmill, exercise bike, ellipsoid (orbitrek), air bike, rowing and others;
• Interval cardio with alternating difficulty levels.

However, in a gym or fitness center, you cannot immediately rush onto a treadmill and try to run 3 km without a break. Health and fitness benefits will only come from balancing the intensity and difficulty level of your workouts.

Cardio for weight loss: simple rules

You will eventually learn to run to the limit when endurance takes over fatigue. And you need to start small and approach your studies wisely.

How any cardio workout aimed at burning fat should be done:

• start no earlier than one and a half to two after eating, eventually switch to morning cardio on an empty stomach;
• you can practice in the evening, 2 hours before bedtime;
• obligatory warm-up for 7-10 minutes, it is also cardio exercises;
• the duration of the workout is not less than 40 minutes and not more than 60 minutes;
• with cardio workouts, exercise should alternate with rest;
• ideal schedule for burning fat: 5 times a week for 45 minutes;
• at least two days off to restore the body are required;
• constant pulse control: heart rate should not be lower than 110-120 and not higher than 150 beats per minute (the pulse corridor is selected individually).

Exercise machines are the best cardio workout for beginners, because the load is automatically set in them. You just need to enter your parameters, including gender, age, weight, and the automation will control your actions.

Cardio equipment for beginners

Professional lines of cardiovascular equipment are good because they have a wide software and multimedia potential. You can study in a group or individually.The larger the fitness club and the number of simulators, the more cardio training programs you can implement.

We have a lot of cardiovascular equipment and there are no queues for them. The most suitable types for beginners:

• treadmill for running and fast walking, with an incline function to increase the load when going uphill;
• the exercise bike is ideal for burning fat, strengthening muscles;
• ellipsoid, also known as an orbitrek, reduces the shock load on the joints, which is important for overweight, great for people who are losing weight.

In order for the training to make sense and give tangible results, you need to engage in the system, be sure to alternate cardio and power loads. You can buy a fitness card and start working with a personal trainer, eventually develop your own programs, perform and win competitions, not get sick and look much younger than your age for many years.

What is cardio workout? | THE BASE

Physiologically, cardio is any type of physical activity that raises your heart rate and makes your breathing quicker.Translated from Greek, kardia means “heart”. During cardio training, energy exchange in the body occurs with the active participation of oxygen, which oxidizes glucose. This method of releasing energy is called aerobic glycolysis, as opposed to the anaerobic nature of strength training.

The benefits of cardio

The health benefits of cardio have been proven in numerous studies. Regular exercise leads to the following results.

• Increases endurance, which is needed in everyday life, but is especially important for cyclic sports.

• The heart is strengthened. Like any muscle, it needs regular exercise in order to be in good shape. As a result, the resting heart rate decreases, the walls of blood vessels are strengthened, the level of cholesterol in the blood decreases, and blood pressure normalizes.

• By strengthening the cardiovascular system, the supply of oxygen to other tissues and organs is improved.

• During cardio training, the respiratory system is strengthened, deeper breathing is trained, which also contributes to the saturation of the body with oxygen.

• Aerobic exercise reduces the risk of diabetes because glucose is processed correctly and blood sugar levels are maintained.

• The hormonal background and psycho-emotional state improve, sleep becomes deeper, and stressful situations are much easier to bear.

Limits for cardio

The advantages of this type of exercise are undeniable, but there are a number of contraindications to active cardio training.

• Recently suffered a stroke or heart attack, as well as other diseases of the cardiovascular system. You can start practicing only after consulting a cardiologist.

• Chronic diseases, especially those associated with the musculoskeletal system, respiratory system and obesity, which can worsen during exercise.

• Intense cardio training is contraindicated just before strength training to gain muscle mass. Cardio depletes glycogen stores and leaves no energy for full-fledged strength work. Also, protein production decreases after aerobic exercise, and as a result muscle growth is inhibited. In this case, you need to combine different types of cardio and strength training with an interval of at least 2.5-3 hours.

Load selection and heart rate control

Before cardio training, you need to determine your goal: lose weight or work out the heart.The most important indicator for any type of load will be the heart rate (HR). When doing cardio, you need to keep your heart rate at a given level throughout the entire session. This is important for maintaining heart health and achieving your training goal.

For different ages, its own heart rate rate is determined:

• lower limit = maximum heart rate * 0.6;

• upper limit = maximum heart rate * 0.8.

Maximum heart rate is calculated as 220 beats per minute minus age in years for men and 226 minus age for women. These are averaged indicators that do not take into account the health status of a particular person. The best way to calculate the load will be helped by a professional trainer.

One lesson, especially cardio training for beginners, should not be longer than an hour. After 60 minutes of intense aerobic exercise, the body begins to burn protein amino acids, which are the main building blocks of muscles.As a result of such training, the muscles experience a protein “starvation” and become flabby.

To maintain the current shape and exercise the heart, three sessions a week for 15-20 minutes in an intensive mode are enough (heart rate is about 80% of the maximum).

Sign up for a cardio workout at THE BASE


• CARDIO

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Cardio and weight loss

An overweight person needs several cardio workouts per week at a low intensity – 65% of the maximum heart rate.A complete fat-burning cardio workout should last at least 40 minutes. For the first 20 minutes, glycogen stores from the liver are used, and after half an hour of training, the long-awaited fat burning begins.

If a treadmill seems like a boring option, try a variety of workouts for cardio for weight loss at Adidas THE BASE Fitness Club.

For example, Bodyjam (Les Mills studio). Just imagine: you are learning stylish dance combinations with trendy music and at the same time you are losing weight.This is possible thanks to a complex of intense movements that effectively burn fat and increase endurance.

The Trip at Cycle Studios is a high-intensity sprint cardio workout with immersion in virtual reality and the opportunity to participate in cycling races. Cycling under the guidance of a professional trainer simultaneously increases cardiovascular endurance and actively burns excess calories.

Try blended cardio to keep calories from getting rid of after your workout.Strength training elements accelerate metabolism, and fat burning occurs much faster. In addition, due to anaerobic exercise, muscle growth occurs, which forces the body to spend more energy in everyday life. If, in the process of losing weight, you separate strength and cardio workouts by day, the latter are recommended to be carried out 2-3 times a week at a moderate pace for 45-60 minutes.

Interval workouts are considered one of the most effective cardio workouts for weight loss; in terms of their effect on metabolism, they are as close as possible to power workouts.

For example, Grit Cardio
in the Les Mills studio, it involves all muscle groups, the work is built using its own body weight. By exercising at an intense pace with short rest periods, you not only develop endurance of the heart and lungs, but also powerfully speed up your metabolism. Calories are burned for several hours after cardio workout.

How to improve training results

Having figured out what cardio training is, one cannot fail to mention the main key to its success – proper nutrition.When losing weight, a calorie deficit is important, so the diet should contain more vegetables and protein products, and complex carbohydrates and fruits – only in the morning. After finishing the training, you can eat proteins or vegetables. It is also necessary to drink water during and after exercise, this prevents dehydration, accelerates the body’s metabolic processes.

Increase the pace of cardio training gradually. To determine the optimal level of load, you can use the “verbal test”: if during the lesson you are able to talk calmly, then it is time to increase the load.Also, focus on the heart rate: if over time in the same mode the pulse becomes less frequent, the load can be increased.

90,000 When is the best time to do a cardio workout? – DON-Sport

Have you already presented your cardio workout while reading the title of the article? Is it a jogging in a park near your home or an ellipsoid in your favorite fitness club? Incendiary dancing after work, or maybe swimming with the whole family for a race? Perhaps a ski run with scenic slopes?

For some, cardio training is a necessary monotonous routine that you don’t really want to mess with.But if you remember what cardio training is useful for and how to diversify it, then you will quickly form the right healthy and certainly not “boring” habit!

Benefits of cardio training

• Burns fatty deposits
• Stabilizes blood pressure
• Trains the cardiovascular system
• Affects the elasticity and strength of muscles
• Normalizes the level of “stress hormones”
• Reduces cholesterol levels
• Increases endorphin levels
• Increases the efficiency of the brain
• Raises the degree of insulin sensitivity of cells
• Improves lung ventilation
• Strengthens the immune system
• Builds a barrier against external factors, so necessary today
• Positively affects overall well-being and sleep quality

Cardio has absolutely everything, and it’s super useful! But you probably knew all this before.However, many questions remain, the answers to which you can find in this article.

When to do cardio?

Let’s talk about when is the best time to do cardio? In the morning or in the evening, before or after strength training, in combination or as an individual direction? How often, how long to choose, how to combine food and drink, what heart rate range to adhere to, how to take personal indications into account?

Determined with a target

When and how to do cardio, first of all, depends on the goals that are now in your microcycle of the training process.Usually there are three areas: fat burning, anaerobic endurance training and heart training.

And if the average visitor to a fitness club conducts strength training two or three times a week, then cardio training, like stretching, can be done daily. The main thing is to make them for fun! And now we will tell you how to train for pleasure.

Cardio Training: Combine or Divide?

The favorite combination of athletes and gym goers is cardio after strength.Warming up before training and cooling down after it does not count as cardio and lasts 10-15 minutes. Thus, if you decide to combine cardio training with strength training, then the former become shorter in time. It is believed that aerobic exercise complicates muscle gain, but some researchers believe that the correct combination of strength and cardio training can lead to more hypertrophy than strength training alone. This is discussed, for example, in Dr. Keith Baar’s work “The Molecular Biology of Getting the Most Out of Combined Workouts.”

However, interestingly, a number of studies have not found a positive or negative effect of combined training on muscle protein synthesis.

Types of cardio training

Cardio as an independent workout is a low-intensity load, which is recommended to be carried out for 45-60 minutes, while when combined with other types of training, the load is considered high-intensity, and the duration is reduced to 25-40 minutes. High-intensity cardio training can be customized.Do not forget that the choice of food before and after training depends on the rate of intensity. The indicator of the selected pace is the pulse, i.e. the number of heart beats per minute.

For the effectiveness of training, you need to know your heart rate zone, it is individual and depends not only on the fitness of the body.

Cardio exercise is as significant and energy-intensive as other types of exercise, so before doing it, you should eat food containing proteins, the burning of which will serve as a source of high-quality amino acids, and slow carbohydrates, which will prevent the rise in insulin in the blood and provide energy for correct it abduction.

Let’s take a closer look at the issue of proper nutrition.

High-intensity cardio and nutrition

During high-intensity cardio, the body uses glycogen for fuel. This type of training is ideal if the priority is to reduce the amount of subcutaneous fat – fat burning. It is the excess of glycogen stores that turns into glucose, the unused portion of which goes into body fat. High-intensity cardio is more likely to affect resting metabolic rate than low-intensity cardio.The diet of an athlete before and after sports depends precisely on energy consumption during training. The restoration of this energy is laid either in food intake or in the process of burning subcutaneous fat.

Low-intensity cardio and nutrition

Low-intensity cardio uses fewer calories and uses fat directly for fuel. During the workout itself, muscle fat is consumed, and in the recovery process, the lost muscle fat is replaced by the subcutaneous fat component and weight loss occurs.The diet after low-intensity cardio should be dominated by proteins (eggs, fish, white meat) and fiber. It is these products that will be used to restore muscles and reduce the fat component.

Despite the trend in our world towards short workouts, long-term low-intensity cardio should be left as a foundation in your exercise diet, resorting to it at least once or twice a week at any time convenient for you, be it morning, afternoon or evening … Low-intensity cardio training builds endurance and is suitable for a wider range of people, including age groups, as it is safer for joints and muscles.Also, such training is ideal for recovering from injuries, as it accelerates the regenerative functions of the body. Low-intensity cardio is essentially universal. Diversify them with an exercise bike while watching a movie, listening to an audiobook or interesting articles, and supplement with Scandinavian walking.

Whatever intensity you choose for yourself at this stage of reading the article, you should not neglect meals in any case, since nutrition is the basis on which getting the desired results from training is based.

Water-salt balance in the body

Did you know that water is the main nutrient for our body? That is why water-salt balance should be given special attention during cardio workouts. Preference is given to clean, still water. Do not neglect drinking in any way, because water during cardio:

• controls body temperature
• responsible for the metabolic process, excretion of metabolites
• delivers oxygen and energy substrates to tissues
• helps muscle contraction

A bottle of water or a cooler should always be at hand.There are general recommendations on the amount of fluid intake per day, but there is no single rule about how much water you need to drink during a workout, everything is very individual, so drink in small sips as you wish. It should be noted that you need to drink more plentifully, since under stress, water leaves the body faster, and its deficiency leads to an increase in blood clotting, which we absolutely do not need.

Morning, afternoon or evening – when is the best time to do cardio?

Back to the question of when to do cardio – there is no optimal interval for everyone.

A common misconception is that doing cardio in the morning on an empty stomach is effective, but we do not recommend doing this. Our colleagues from the Austrian Association for Nutritional Science have linked training to the biochemical composition of the blood of athletes at different times of the day, and this hypothesis has been confirmed by the studies: in the morning on an empty stomach, our body has increased cortisol, which is also called the “stress hormone”. Its amount fluctuates during the day, increasing, for example, when running, and the lowest level is typically at 3 am.A double dose of cortisol will not bring the desired result and will affect the psychological state of a person, synthesizing more stress than benefit.

Also, do not exercise right before bedtime, because at this time all body functions begin to decrease activity and prepare to fall asleep.

The ideal time for a workout has been determined for a long time, and you know by whom? That’s right, your body. British scientists have come to the conclusion that the training process is not tied to a specific time of day.You determine it yourself, relying on the biological clock, which directly affects the benefits of physical and mental stress. Try to feel the peak of your physical activity. It can be in the afternoon, in the morning or in the evening, the main thing is to take food 1.5-2 hours before cardio training and go to bed no earlier than a couple of hours after training, so that the body has time to go through all the stages of slowing down.

Depending on your level of fitness and physical form, the time of gradual entry into cardio varies: workouts can start from 15 minutes, gradually increasing in duration and intensity.

You will say “thank you” to yourself

When and how to do cardio workouts and which exercises to combine is an interesting question, but the answer cannot be given with a simple formula. You yourself will get to know it in the process, approaching training consciously, with the correct recommendations of a trainer and nutritionist, listening to your body, and then this type of load will become your friend, a guide to a beautiful healthy lifestyle, will be loved and enjoyed! Start with low-intensity cardio and work your way up to interval workouts and then high-intensity cardio workouts.

Sport for everyone! DON-Sport.

Effective cardio workout in the gym

Run 10 kilometers on a treadmill, cycle 5 more and walk the same amount, but no results? It means that you did not prepare correctly for cardio training or chose the wrong mode. Let’s figure it out.

Before training

1. Define your goal. Are you looking to lose weight, improve your cardiovascular system, or build muscle and endurance?
2. Set your heart rate limits: keeping track of your heart rate is a basic rule of cardio training.To do this, subtract your age from 220 (for men) and 214 (for women). Multiply the resulting number by 0.65 to get the lower limit and 0.85 for the upper one.
• For example, if you are a girl and you are 25:

214-25 = 189, then the lower bound will be 189 * 0.65 = 123, and the upper 189 * 0.85 = 161. During training, make sure your heart beats per minute stay within these limits. Otherwise, such training will only hurt.

The picture below shows what happens in the body during exercise (% of the maximum heart rate):

Correct power supply

Do not forget about the metabolism, it does not stop for a minute. You need to eat right in order to maximize your workout results.

• Fractional food 5-6 times a day, portion size 200-250 grams.
• Fewer fast carbs (add mood and fat) – if you want something sweet, eat some fruit or some dark chocolate, and more fiber (it is practically not absorbed by the body, while it makes you feel full) – legumes, whole grains
• bread.
• Eat protein – lean meat, dairy products. A balanced diet is 50% protein, 30% fat and 20% carbohydrates.
• No alcohol. It retains water in the body and slows down weight loss.
• Drink more water – 1.5 – 2 liters. Try to keep the water bottle in front of your eyes.

Training mode

Allocate specific hours for your activities. Effective workout should:

• last 30 – 50 minutes
• Be regular

Do it in the morning or in the evening – it’s up to you:

• Fats are burned faster in the morning – you can lose weight faster.
• In the evening – the body is full of carbohydrates that it is ready to burn – it will be easier to train actively.

The main thing is not to give up food before training – it is a source of the necessary energy. Doctors advise not to eat 3 hours before training and a couple of hours after it. For 15-20 minutes, let your body fill up on simple carbohydrates for an effective workout – eat fruit, for example.

Getting started

There are several basic machines for cardio training:

Their effectiveness is about the same, so you can choose the one that you like best, and it is better to combine them.

The general principles of doing the exercises are clear to everyone, so we will pay attention to important points that are often overlooked.

During any cardio workout, watch your breathing – give your body enough oxygen.

Keep your back straight – remember to control your posture.

Cardio workout on a treadmill

Start at a low speed (3-4 km / h) and gradually increase it.

Choose the mode that suits you:

• Running – Suitable for maintaining overall fitness and burning fat;
• Intensive walking – effective for training the cardiovascular system;
• Walking and running “uphill” – will have an excellent effect on the buttocks and thighs;
• Interval Workout – Suitable for actively burning fat;
• Walking with weights – dumbbells in the hands increase the efficiency of training almost 2 times.

Increase the effectiveness of your stationary bike workout

Adjust the seat height before starting so that your foot can freely reach the pedal when driving down.

The thigh muscle is tense when the leg goes down and relaxed when up.

If you want to build muscle, put on high resistance, if you want to lose weight, medium.

Intensity depends on speed:

• light 15 km / h;
• moderate 22-25 km / h;
• high up to 30 km / h.

How to do it correctly on the elliptical trainer

Exercises on an ellipsoid resemble walking. Legs smoothly describe an ellipse, while the foot does not come off the horizontal surface. Just like on a stationary bike, the muscles in your legs, hips, and buttocks work.

If you use the handles, you can additionally pump the muscles of the arms, shoulders, back and chest.

Increase the load gradually over 2-3 weeks.

Different types of walking train different types of muscles:

• Walking forward – exerts a moderate load on the muscles;
• Back – increases pressure on the buttocks;
• Sitting position – makes the muscles of the thighs, buttocks and lower back work hard;
• With a forward bend – will give an increased load on the legs.

Important:

1. Cardio workouts are suitable for both the gym and home workouts
2. Monitor your well-being.If you feel faint, nauseous or dizzy, stop exercising and consult a doctor.
3. Gradually end your workout, gradually lower your heart rate.
4. In order not to injure muscles, any workout must begin with a warm-up and end with a stretch.

The result will not be long in coming after such a training. Do not be discouraged if you missed a workout or if something harmful, but so tasty, the main thing is to return to the mode again and go to your goal.

90,000 Effects of Cardio Exercise on Brain Health

Did you know that not only does cardio workout help you burn excess fat, lose weight and strengthen your heart, but it also has a positive effect on our brain?

This is the conclusion reached by scientists who have been conducting research for several years. The study involved more than 2000 people of different ages (from 21 to 84 years old).

Analysis of various body readings during cardio loads has proven that such loads optimize and improve brain function and have a beneficial effect on its health, memory, and thinking speed.

Cardio training and their benefits for the body

Cardio training – loads that increase the body’s endurance. Thanks to cardio loads, blood circulation, respiratory function improves, the heart muscle is strengthened and excess fat is burned.

Cardio is aerobic exercise – endurance exercise that increases your heart rate and breathing throughout your workout. These exercises include running, walking, interval exercise, cycling, jumping rope, and more.The main condition for such training is to perform it regularly, for a long time, at a moderate intensity, with a certain heart rate. It should be 60-80% of the personal maximum.

Benefits to the body from cardio exercises:

• increase in endurance – while experiencing cardio loads, we make the heart work faster, thereby training and increasing its endurance;
• weight loss – with regular exercise and proper nutrition, subcutaneous fat is burned and extra pounds go away, the skin and muscles become more toned;
• good mood – cardio training saturates the body with oxygen, endorphins are released – hormones responsible for positive emotions;
• improvement of metabolism – physical activity allows you to normalize and accelerate metabolism, as well as improve blood circulation and saturate the body with oxygen;
• Stress Reduction – With cardio exercise, the body experiences tension, which stimulates the production of hormones in the brain – endorphins, serotonin and norepinephrine, which are responsible for overall well-being.

Benefits of cardio training for brain health

As a result of research, scientists have concluded that regular cardio exercise has a beneficial effect on the human brain. People who exercise for at least six months 3 times a week have shown an increase in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for the ability to remember and concentrate. This means that we make the right and quickest decisions best during and immediately after exercise.

And without any physical activity, according to neuroscientists, our brain will not be able to perceive information and produce new cells. Accordingly, the better the general condition of a person, the more efficiently the brain works.

Cardio training at home

Cardio training at home without exercise equipment and devices – easy!

Carrying out workouts at home is simple and effective. All you need to do is wake up, drink a glass of water and start exercising.

To keep your cardio workouts at home healthy and safe, here are some tips:

• start training with a warm-up – this will warm up your muscles and not get injured;
• Do interval classes – for example, work out vigorously for a minute, then rest for 20 seconds;
• average heart rate values ​​should be in the range of 125-145 beats per minute (65-75% of your maximum values) – training in this rhythm promotes rapid fat burning and weight loss without overloading the heart muscle;
• Drink a small amount of water to avoid dehydration;
• Do cardio workouts at home regularly, 3-4 times a week;
• work out in sneakers so as not to get injured;
• Eat right, watch your sleep and give up bad habits.

Morning energy boost from Mikhail Prygunov

Cardio training at home can and should be done to stay healthy and beautiful. Our professional trainer Mikhail Prygunov and his specially designed program for home workouts “Morning Cardio” will help you with this.

Do this cardio workout at home regularly before breakfast and the result will not be long in coming.

90,000 Cardio Exercise: Features of Myths and Misconceptions | All about fitness

Cardio training is a workout of the heart muscle.This program includes running, jumping, walking, cycling. Let’s consider in more detail what features this training has, as well as reveal five myths and give a couple of tips for the training to be successful.

Contents

Features of cardio training

Cardio training has become more and more popular lately. Sometimes, when visiting the fitness center during rush hour, it can be difficult to get to the free treadmill or stationary bike.However, many coaches claim that some guests, doing their own work, are only wasting time and energy, and sometimes they can even act to their detriment. So how do you get the most out of your cardiovascular exercise, and what should you consider while exercising?
First of all, it should be remembered that such exercises are not aimed at developing the muscles of the body, but at the cardiovascular system. Therefore, cardio training can only be beneficial if the person exercises correctly and regularly monitors their heart rate. Failure to do so could result in serious damage to your health.
Preparation
Before starting classes, you should definitely find out the limits of your heart rate : upper and lower steps. The most accurate way to do this is to undergo a computer examination, which will show the state of the cardiovascular system and give an idea of ​​the permissible blood pressure during exercise. To find out the upper and lower limits of the heart rate without a computer, you need to subtract age from 220.If the resulting number is multiplied by 65%, we get the lower permissible limit, and multiplying by 85% – the upper one.
Despite the fact that almost all types of modern simulators are equipped with a sensor that determines the heart rate, experts advise using additional equipment as well. In order for the simulator to determine the exact heart rate during training on a treadmill, for example, the athlete’s palms must lie motionless on the handrails, which, in fact, is very difficult to do.

For those who have a tendency to high blood pressure or have problems with the cardiovascular system, experts advise to purchase a heart rate monitor, which will provide an opportunity to get the maximum result from training.After all, accuracy is important here: if the heart rate is below the permissible norm, training will turn out to be meaningless, if it is higher, an overload of the body is inevitable.

Five myths associated with cardio training

The first myth

“Cardio burns” excess fat better than athletic training. ”
In fact, the shortest path to a slim figure is a combination of aerobic and strength exercises. Many women mistakenly do just cardio for two reasons.First, it is believed that aerobic exercise as an energy fuel, they say, directly uses fat, and strength exercises – only blood sugar and glycogen (sugar “stored” for future use in the liver). And second, in 45 minutes of training, aerobic exercise “burns” much more calories than an equal strength training session.
Let’s figure it out. Yes, is true – aerobics uses subcutaneous fat stores as fuel , but blood sugar and glycogen also go into action! Science has proven that during the first 20 minutes of aerobic exercise only consumes blood sugar and glycogen.And only then does the “burning” of fats begin.
Yes, it’s true – for an equal workout aerobics “burns” more calories . However, there is another truth! Here it is: strength training dramatically raises your metabolic rate at rest. For those who do not understand, let me explain: at rest, our body gradually “burns” our fat to provide energy for the physiological work of our body (heartbeat, digestion, respiration, etc.). Strength training dramatically increases the rate of fat consumption at rest, and the consumption itself depends on your muscle mass.For example, ten kg of muscle requires 500-900 additional calories per day, which is equivalent to one day of complete fasting per week!

The bottom line is this: cardio “burns” fat during exercise, but hardly affects resting fat . Well, strength training is not so good at “burning” fat, but it seriously spurs the resting metabolism of .

It is clear that doing both you will fabulously speed up your weight loss. There is nothing to compare with aerobics alone!

The following movie stars use Cardio in their workouts:

Myth 2

“The more aerobics, the better”
Let’s turn to the scientific facts.Scientists have found that although aerobics “burns” fat, but after an hour of exertion, the body for some reason switches to muscle tissue. And instead of fat, protein amino acids burn like a blue flame in the fire of metabolism. After two hours of cardio training, the body loses up to 90% of leucine, an amino acid that determines muscle growth. Here is what the eminent professional Jay Cutler says: “Trying to gain” relief “, I decided to push on aerobics and lengthened aerobic training to one and a half hours. Muscle strength immediately dropped, they” shrank “and lost their usual elasticity. Since then I have been doing aerobics no longer than 45-50 minutes. “

The third myth

“Start with cardio workouts, and then move on to strength exercises”
Quite the opposite. For strength exercises to work, you need to use relatively large weights, with which you can do no more than 6-12 reps per set. Starting with cardio will use up glycogen, which will lead to a drop in muscle strength. As a result, you will not be able to develop the intensity of training that involves muscle growth. You should start with “iron”, and it will greatly help your aerobics. Strength training will deplete carbohydrate stores and therefore “fat burning” will not begin in a quarter of an hour, but almost immediately after the start of aerobic training.

The fourth myth

“Ate a cake? Nonsense, added twenty minutes of cardio, and the extra calories are gone!”
If you start to chronically overeat, then you will need to lengthen the duration of aerobic training beyond a reasonable time. As a result, this will lead to overtraining, and nothing more.It is more correct to do this: to increase the intensity, and not the duration of aerobics in the next two workouts. The next step is to return to the normal intensity level. However, the simplest thing is to subtract the excess calories eaten from your next meal.

The fifth myth

“Increasing the amount of cardio and strength training with light weights will help you burn fat more efficiently.”
As already mentioned, the best result in “burning” fat comes from a combination of aerobic and strength training. However, in the case of “iron” the loads are different. Low weights do not stimulate the growth of muscle tissue, but its amount, as you know, is a fundamental factor in “fat burning”. So, the main rule remains indisputable: you need a full-fledged strength training with large weights (6-12 repetitions per set).

Answer to frequently asked questions about cardio training

• How long should you train?

Experts of this method of losing weight advise: at least 30 minutes three to five days a week .But we are all busy people and we cannot always find these 30 minutes in our schedule. Especially when we are working and want to spend more time with the family. Therefore, can be combined with cardio training with the work of . For example, ride a bike to the dacha or to the supermarket. Or, when leaving work, and you need to go down or up a multi-story building, use not the elevator, but your own feet and steps.

Which workouts are better for losing weight: running, walking, cycling?

Each of these types of loads will have their advantages. It all depends on what you enjoy , on your attitude. This factor is key when choosing the type of cardio training, thanks to it you will both lose weight and not physically deplete.

• When should you do aerobics to lose weight faster?

We recommend doing 2-3 times a week traditional cardio training at a moderate pace for 45-60 minutes, and two more times – interval training . At least 2-3 times you need to do strength exercises.

• Which exercise regimen will help you maintain your weight loss?

To prevent the kilograms from coming back, it is enough to train 3-4 times a week for 45-60 minutes at a moderate pace . Maintain your heart rate at 65-70% of your maximum. Practice interval training only in order of variety.

• Which machine is the most effective?

The one you like! Weight loss determines the length of time aerobic exercise has been done. The more there are, the greater the weight loss. You can last longer than on your favorite machine than on the one you hate.

Earlier articles reviewed a weight loss and muscle gain workout program.

We also recommend reading:

Expert advice on cardio training

• Cardio is only beneficial if the person exercises correctly , that is, monitors the pulse.
• During training , you must constantly monitor the heart rate of . For this reason, experts advise using additional equipment during training, especially for those who have a tendency to high blood pressure or problems with the cardiovascular system.
• Before starting a workout, you need to define your goal : active heart training or weight loss. In the first case, the workout should be more intense (heart rate at 85% of the maximum upper mark), but shorter in time (on average 15–20 minutes.If there is a task to lose weight, then you need to prepare for training for 40-60 minutes, but with a lower intensity – 65% of the upper limit of the heart rate.
• The best place to start is with 10-15 minutes of low intensity sessions.
• When choosing the time of day for cardio training, it is worth remembering that the degree of load in the morning and evening hours differs . In the morning, the intensity of the classes should be lower – about 100-110 beats per minute for beginners and 120-125 beats for regular visitors.Evening workout should take place in a more intense mode with a heart rate of 130 beats for beginners and 140 beats for advanced ones.
• Only a gradual increase in the volume and intensity of training loads can provide safe and effective training. If you follow it, then after a month with the same exercise regimen, the pulse will be much less frequent, which means it will be possible to increase the degree of load. To move to a new level of intensity, you can use the so-called “verbal” test: during training, a person should be able to talk calmly.And then, experts point out, you can gradually increase the load.

Video Cardio Exercise

Cardio

Cardio