What are peoples views on circuit training?

Are we talking cross-fit?
 
Abraham67 said:
No, hitting every muscle group lightly, but more often? If you know what I mean
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I feel like you mean full body workouts with circuit training involved. To me Circuit training is 3-5 stations of exercises performed for a determined number of sets/reps/ and or time limit. Can be done with abs, back, chest, push, pull, hell cardio based on the amount of rest-recovery. Really depends on the overall goal and your own time commitment really.

I like light Circuit Training on my active recovery days where I keep the session short and to the point with a 1-1 ratio for work and recovery between modes of exercise.
 
I do it for most workouts. I workout military/crossfit style mixing strength, power and endurance stuff regularly. Decent results but definitely not for max muscle gain (obviously; I have put on a bit of weight with lots of eating tho). I am using it mainly to stay functional and to compete in military style races. Check out Rich Froning (Crossfit champ) - my routine is similar to his minus the real heavy lifting as I don't have access.
 
First rule of anabolicminds, no crossfit talk!
 
I do it sorta. I'll bench then do pulldowns then calves or something. Only muscles that don't interfere with each other. Mainly to cram more into a set amount of time. Also may have cardio benefits at the cost of hypertrophy.
 
What are your main or top goals?
Types, styles or routine in training are usually best dictated by what your goals or outcomes are set on.
 
PaulBlack said:
What are your main or top goals?
Types, styles or routine in training are usually best dictated by what your goals or outcomes are set on.
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Mainly size with ego PL numbers on the side, since I believe size can only progress if strength does as well.
 
hewhoisripped said:
Mainly size,
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Is going to have a pretty direct relation with how many cals you are taking in.
Of course how old you are and how long you have been traing are also a factor.

with ego PL numbers on the side, since I believe size can only progress if strength does as well.
Click to expand...

Well strength comes fairly easy to untrained or novice trainees, since the CNS adapts to stresses and is able to have wide room recruiting more fibers than a more highly trained lifter.
Size and strength has a correlation yes, so adding mass, especially as a more advanced lifter, can have good benefits, along with loads in the 75%-85% ranges for multi sets and reps, (ie: 4-6 sets of 4-10 reps) and using as much as 2-5 minutes rest between sets for close to 80%+ recovery for next set.

2 cents...
IMO, using that style of training or routine set up, will have you moving closer to goals of pure mass and strength, than a more cardio fitness muscle set up like circuit training or Xfit.

Hitting the big 5-7 compound exercises 2x per week. Using exercises that have you (standing on some especially) and loading the spine, like squats, deads, leg presses, rows, OHP's, BP's, will have more "systemic overload" and carryover to powerizing the entire large structures of the body than anything else I can think of and again IMO. (ie: old school stuff)
Along with using 80% of the body's mass, the heart and lung capacity gets a W/O too, as you adapt and slowly bump the capacity of the entire body to do more work.
 
PaulBlack said:
Is going to have a pretty direct relation with how many cals you are taking in.
Of course how old you are and how long you have been traing are also a factor.



Well strength comes fairly easy to untrained or novice trainees, since the CNS adapts to stresses and is able to have wide room recruiting more fibers than a more highly trained lifter.
Size and strength has a correlation yes, so adding mass, especially as a more advanced lifter, can have good benefits, along with loads in the 75%-85% ranges for multi sets and reps, (ie: 4-6 sets of 4-10 reps) and using as much as 2-5 minutes rest between sets for close to 80%+ recovery for next set.

2 cents...
IMO, using that style of training or routine set up, will have you moving closer to goals of pure mass and strength, than a more cardio fitness muscle set up like circuit training or Xfit.

Hitting the big 5-7 compound exercises 2x per week. Using exercises that have you (standing on some especially) and loading the spine, like squats, deads, leg presses, rows, OHP's, BP's, will have more "systemic overload" and carryover to powerizing the entire large structures of the body than anything else I can think of and again IMO. (ie: old school stuff)
Along with using 80% of the body's mass, the heart and lung capacity gets a W/O too, as you adapt and slowly bump the capacity of the entire body to do more work.
Click to expand...

Thanks cap obvious, you answered a question I never had.
 
hewhoisripped said:
Not trying to be a dick. What he said is solid and good advice. Except it's basically an expansion on what I said before. Sorry if I came off as a dick, I did get like 2h of sleep lol.
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Yeah, not a problem guys. I just misinterpreted your answerstatement quoting my post.
We all good and on same page gunning for the muscles...! ;-)
 
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