A Better Circuit
by Lisa Gartland
posted March 6, 2010

Lots of gyms offer circuit classes. In fact, in many gyms circuit is the only thing on offer. The beauty of a good circuit class is that you can work your entire body, and get an effective cardio workout, by transitioning efficiently from one exercise to another.

Inside Outside Fitness introduced circuit classes to our line up more than 15 years ago, and we’ve been teaching them ever since. It’s gratifying to see how other gyms have discovered circuit’s benefits. But many circuit classes offered are not very safe or effective. Here’s how to get the best circuit class:

Is an instructor or trainer available? To prevent injury and get the maximum from your workout, guidance on your form is essential. Even if your form is already perfect, a good instructor can enhance your results by giving you alternative moves.

Can you adjust weight levels? Some circuit training machines are fixed at the same level for all class participants. While this may make the machines easier to use, inevitably some exercises are going to be too hard, and others too easy for you. On adjustable machines, once you learn your settings, you can get the perfect workout for you.

Does the circuit have a good mix of exercises? A well-thought-out circuit alternates between upper body, lower body, core and cardio exercises. This gives you time to recover between exercises using related muscle groups, and helps prevent injury. Adding a few cardio stations to the mix also helps you exercise your most important muscles - your heart and lungs.

Can you really get a good workout in thirty minutes? Thirty minutes is better than nothing. But if possible, I recommend taking five to ten minutes to warm up, doing circuit exercises for 30 minutes, then adding in abdominal work and stretching for another 10 to 20 minutes.

Are you taking the warm up seriously? The point of the warm up is to raise your body temperature so your muscles work more easily, and to safely bring your heart rate into its target zone. Most people don’t work hard enough to reach their target zone, or even to warm their muscles. If there’s no heart rate chart around, monitor how you feel at the end of the warm up. You should have broken into a light sweat, be breathing heavily, yet still be able to talk between breaths.

Are you setting your exercise levels correctly? For the most effective workout, set your weight to a level where you can perform eight to twelve repetitions of an exercise before your muscles have had it. If you can’t do eight repetitions, your level is too high. If you can easily do twelve repetitions, you need more weight.

Are your motions smooth and consistent? If you can’t press the weight without a starting jerk, you’re at risk of straining a muscle and need to lower the level. Always control the release to get more out of an exercise, and never move too fast. A good rhythm to use is to press out on a slow count of two, and release on a count of three or four.

Are you moving through the circuit effectively? The transitions between exercises can be as smooth and graceful as the exercises themselves. A good circuit arrangement helps, as does keeping your focus. Try to think ahead to the next exercise, and what settings to use, before you make the transition. Taking too much time between exercises can slow your heart rate below its target zone and make the workout less effective.

Is your cool down too abrupt? A good cool down lets your heart rate down slowly, gives your major muscles a nice stretch, and includes important abdominal strengthening exercises. Too many people skip the cool down, and miss the opportunity to relieve sore muscles, protect their back, and end their workout feeling lanky and relaxed.

And if you’re looking for the Bay Area’s best circuit classes, check out Inside Outside Fitness.

Lisa Gartland is the owner of Inside Outside Fitness, a friendly, neighborhood gym at 4444 Piedmont Avenue in North Oakland, (510) 655-8308, www.insideoutsidefitness.com.

This article was also printed in the Piedmont Post.

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