At different times of my life I went through phases in terms of physical exercises to stay in shape. I often went to extremes between weight training and aerobic activities, where I would do one type of exercise but not the other. As I got older, I understand that you really need a balance between weight training and aerobic activity. They should not be mutually exclusive activities, but rather some kind of combination should be made.
It’s the perfect way to get a weight workout and at the same time having an aerobic element to the workout is a super program of the training environment. By super circuit I mean weight training machines where users rotate through a series of weight lifting machines at regular intervals. Circuit training stations have always been around, but they often lack any kind of aerobic component. One of my high-school coaches, who was a bodybuilder, always emphasized that the heart is the most important muscle to train.
I am lucky to go to a gym where the workout has a great weight and aerobic exercise room where you can cycle through a series of weight machines and do some type of aerobic activity between weight stations. Typically, you lift for thirty seconds, rest for fifteen seconds, go to an aerobic activity for another thirty seconds, rest and then go to another weight station. Aerobic activities include walking on step-up boxes or riding an exercise bike.
Another important part of the super circuit in which I workout is the sequence of weight stations. I am fortunate that in my workouts I mostly reach all the major muscle groups between the legs and I have aerobics. composing When I first started doing the circuit, I never really considered the order of how the heavy training stations were arranged, but after looking at the configuration there is definitely some logic to how the stations are placed in the progression.
The main super circuit that I train in is a weight training station that alternates between lifting with the upper body and lifting the legs. Yes, don’t forget to include aerobic activity. From bench presses to riding a bike and then to leg presses.
Also, a super circuit where the workout also focuses on “deer” exercises. What I mean by positioning is to train similar body parts in order. For example, I could do a biceps curl machine and instead of moving to another part of the body like the back, for example, I would then do a triceps extension machine. My program would look something like this: arm curls, bicycle, leg presses, walking steps, triceps extensions. By doing this, I am going to list these muscle groups.
I’ve also found that pushing myself between weight stations with an aerobic component not only gets a good aerobic workout, but also helps my strength training< /a>. After the aerobic activity, my legs are tired, which must work the muscles while lifting weights.
Having a super gym at my gym has been such a great thing. Not only do I get a great strength workout, but I also get an aerobic element. Gone are the days when I viewed these types of exercise as mutually exclusive. I’m really getting two workouts in one.
I really encourage you to find some type of circuit training program and incorporate aerobic exercise into your strength training exercises. If you do, you’ll come out with a double workout.
