6) [Training] Circuit training - First things to know

What is circuit training? 

Circuit training is a set of exercises to do where the main focus is the lenght of the whole workout.
Let's explain this.

You know, gym exercises are often seen with a good load (in terms of kg to lift) a few repetitions and rest between each set. Then repeat the same exercise.
Circuit training is different. First, the number of exercises is big in order to work the most muscles of the body. Second, the rest time after each set is quite nothing. Sometimes there is no rest and you jump to the next exercise.
In fact, circuit training is a method where you do every exercise in SUCCESSION, often with short or null rest.



What is the goal of circuit training? 

Circuit training is a good way to improve "endurance", in the specific the "muscle endurance". Indeed, muscles are not able to recover due to the very short/null rest and are forced to continue the workout in a state of "fatigue".

Another important thing is that, due to this characteristic, circuit training is a very good cardio workout. Your heart rate will always be high, because your heart is forced to pump in order to let your fatigued muscles do the workout.
This is possible because the main objective of this method is the duration of it. You can easily get a large ammount of minutes of continuous training.



So, is circuit training the best method of training?

In order to answer this question you have to know your objectives.

The key is the rest. If you do little rest your muscles will get fatigued soon, if you do large rest you'll be able to lift heavier or with a better form.

This is a table where you can find every pro and cons of every gym session methods.
It is sort by rest times (low/null, medium, complete).

Is circuit training useful for runners?

Yes, it is useful because it can be as useful as an easy jog (due to it's lenght) and will make your muscles stronger and able to resist to stronger workouts.
Also, this method may be work together with other gym methods for build a better strenght too.

So, this method can be used in case you miss a run (but an easy one) or in case you want to work your muscles in a cardio circuit.
However, don't forget that if you are new to this, you may be lead to exhaustion and don't finish the workout. Those circuits should be done with a little "buffer", so you have to finish the workout at 75% / 80% of your maximal fatigue.
Higher percentages may lead to exhaustion or to stimulate the anaerobic system (and big lactate production). You may be interested in this work too, but those circuit training are best for medium/easy efforts.


I'll talk about the different combinations of systems (aerobic, cardio, anaerobic, and so on) you can do in another post. Don't miss it!



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My "Scheduled Running Program"

You can find more useful hints and things on my Fitocracy's Team Fitness, where i give you a scheduled program based on yourself and your level, online. You'll meet other people too in order to double the fun.

For more informations, please visit: Scheduled Running Program

4) [Training] Training with Resistance Bands - Part 2

In the first article I wrote the differences between each type of resistance band. 

I have also said that these bands help you working in a different way, and they can be used everywhere due to their little weight and space needed. Indeed, with a few bands, that you can put on your pocket, you can do extremely hard workouts or create a really heavy endurance.

So, in this second article I wrote about the workouts you can do. But first I have to remember you two things:

-You can sum the general resistance by using more bands at the same time. You can even add an elastic band to your dumbbell/barbell to create a mixed workout (and a higher resistance).

-Each band works differently from a common dumbbell or barbell, where the resistance is given by the gravity force. In fact, here the resistance is given by: the general tension of the band and the stretch of it. In other words, the more the band is stretched, the higher the resistance, until a certain limit. This means that the band keeps adding resistance until its limit.

This second particular property leads to a different use of your muscles. Now I explain the differences.

-Fixed weights

You know, If you have to lift a fixed weight (dumbbell, barbell, body-weight) you’ll push it with an explosive strength in the very first moments, then your force will gradually decrease.

These two graphics explain it. In a bench press, squat, shoulder press, etc, the velocity improves (graphic on top), but the force decreases (graphic on bottom).

-Progressive weights

Elastic bands have a progressive add of resistance. Unlike of the fixed weights, in this case your muscles will always provide a stronger force.

This either can be a good thing, but even a bad thing. I explain with an example:

-in a bicep curl with dumbbell, after a certain point of the movement, your muscles will decrease their force because the weight is in a position that don’t require other additions of strength.

-in a bicep curl with an elastic band, your muscles will always increase their force and this can lead to a too-expensive waste of muscle strength, even if in the very first moments their force will be less than a dumbbell exercise.

-What kind of workout can be done?

Like I said, you can use the band everywhere and it is extremely adaptable. So you will be able to do the most exercises you do with a dumbbell or body-weight. Plus, you will be able to do new workouts.

I list down a few exercises you can do and why I suggest/not suggest to do them. Let’s start from top to bottom (of the body).

Upper Body

-Band Bench Press:

This is the first workout I think when I think about the “upper body”. Feet on floor, lay on a bench, grasp a dumbbell/barbell and lift them up/down. It is very easy do to with a fixed weight, but with a resistance band it requires a good place to fix the elastic.

In fact, if you push an extremity with your shoulders, the band won’t be stretched enough to give you the right resistance. For example, it may be too long (so to exceed the length of your arms) or too short (so it will be a lot more difficult to have the proper range of movement).

So the best choice is to put an extremity of the band below the bench to create a straight line with your shoulders. 

See the photo:  

-Band Row:

This is a good workout for an elastic band’s user. You just have to fix an extremity somewhere, at shoulder height (under a weight or with a knot on a bar). Go a few steps back (the farther you are, the higher the resistance) and pull it back.

You can set the height of the fixed extremity in order to work on different inclinations.

Cross body exercises:

Since the band can be fixed at any height and can be used at every angulation, you can work on the common gym exercises in a different way. Let’s talk about the “cross body” workouts. You have a sword on your hand: in order to swing it, you have to move the whole arm from the outside to the inside of your body. This is a “cross” exercise. You know, they are primarily done with a cable in the gym, but we can do them with our bands!

-Band Cross Triceps Extension:

Fix an extremity of the band above your arm’s height (the higher, the smaller the angulation) and cross it from the outside to the inside.
You can use both your hands.

-Band Cross Bicep Curl:

This is the opposite movement of the “band cross tricep extension”. Fix an extremity of the band below (the lower, the smaller the angulation) your arm’s height and cross it. You can use both your hands.

Please note that:

-If you turn your body to face the fixed extremity, if it’s fixed below your arm’s level, then you will do a “regular bicep curl”. Else you can curl your biceps from different angolations.

-Band Overhead Triceps Extension:

This is another type of “triceps extension”. Fix an extremity of the band above your head, turn until you give your back to that extremity and then push your arms down.

  

Abs & Core

-Band Crunch:

Crunches are a common workout. Lie down with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, then raise your shoulders, head and neck. That’s the standard, body weight, curl.
With an elastic band you can do it in a different way. I give you two examples:

1) Fix an extremity of the band above yourself, knee on floor, and push it down with your abdominals (I mean that the impulse of the movement should be provided by your abs).  

2) Lie on floor, fix an extremity of the band at your same height, and do a standard crunch while pulling the band.

-Band Glute Bridge:

Glute bridges let you work the opposite muscles of crunches. Pass your elastic band on your lower abs and hips, while grabbing it with your hands. Lie down with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, then raise your midsection until it forms a straight line with your thighs. 

-Band Side Plank Lift and Leg Raise:

Lie on side on floor, with forearm on floor under shoulder perpendicular to body. Bend at the waist and lower your hip and leg towards the ground and then back up again while you swing your leg up.

You can put your elastic band on your feet or on your lower abs and hips.

Legs

-Band Leg Press:

Lie on floor, grab an extremity with your hands (or you can fix it a few steps back from your head) and push the other side with your leg. 

Leg Swings

I found that working on classic leg workouts (such as squats or deadlifts) with the bands is a bit complicated. You may want a great force for your legs and it is difficult when you have to move your leg and keep the band firm at the same time.
So, that’s why I think that “leg swings” are the best workout when you use an elastic band. With a combination of these four exercises below (but the last two workouts are a variant of the second one), you will work your legs on every angulation (and it may be extremely useful if you play some sport such as basket, soccer, or even running).

-Band Lateral Leg Swing:

Fix an extremity of the band and the other on your ankle. Then swing your leg from the outside to the inside and vice-versa.  

-Band Front/Rear Leg Swing:

Fix an extremity of the band and the other on your ankle. Then swing your leg on your front and back. You can fix the elastic band on both your feet.

Band Front/Rear Leg Swing variants

-Band High Knees:

Fix an extremity of the band and the other on your ankle, or fix it on both your feet. This time you raise your leg from bottom to top (in order to from a straight line from hips to quadriceps).

-Band Butt Kickers:

Fix an extremity of the band and the other on your ankle, or fix it on both your feet. Then raise your leg back in order to kick your butt with the ankle.

Other workouts

Make Light Items Extremely Heavy!

A short note on another characteristic of resistance bands. I explain it with an example. Put your band below your feet and take the other with your hands. Grab a game-ball (like a volley ball or football one): the weight of that ball should be very low (just a few grams). 

Now, throw that ball back raising your arms from bottom to up. Now the weight of the ball will be HUGE (because you are lifting the band too)! But if it crashes down it will only have a few grams!

Professional Resistance Band Workouts

Since we are talking about resistance bands, we have to quote the training methods you can do with some professional bands.

For example, certain bands can stretch from one to fifteen meters and can be used to do explosive, massive workouts such as sprints, jumps or agility.

Other bands grants impressive forces and can be used for long lasting strength training, for example the exercise you keep pushing ahead trying to win the resistance of the band.

 

With a “low-cost” band you can do quite the same workouts, but that band will have a limited stretching capacity and resistance.

Conclusions

We have seen the different bands and the different workouts you can do. There is not a better workout from one to another or from barbell to elastic band, but you have to know what kind of training you want to do and now we have seen the limits and the key points of the resistance bands!

3) [Training] Training with Resistance Bands – Part 1

Let me introduce these useful items that may help in your training. I found them really helpful and i was able to create a large variety of workouts and combination of movements that kept me fit, stronger and with a better endurance.

-What are those resistance bands?

The resistance bands are nothing else than an elastic of different lenghts and resistances.

They work as the following: the more you stretch them, the stronger the resistance they create and the more strenght you need to face it.

That's why they are so useful. The first important thing to note is the space needed. You can carry them everywhere (just a few grams can give you a resistance of different kilograms) and you can use them in a very short area. So that every place can become a great gym: think about a beautiful beach, at the green park under the trees.. or even at home.

The second thing is that, even if a single band gives a great resistance, you can combine two or more of them in order to have an huge resistance.. and that can be a lot stronger than the common gym barbells and their weights. Also, you can tie two or more bands to improve the lenght.

The third thing is about injuries. Yes, a stretched elastic can produce a very high resistance, but in case of failure of the movement (for example, you do a movement when suddenly the weight crashes on you) what really crashes is just a simple band of a few grams. Whatever the train you do, you won't be able to destroy the pavement and you won't need a power rack or something similar.

However, if you want to train with those bands you have to consider that they don't work like a dumbbell or a barbell, even if the weight given is the same. Let's clear this:

-Dumbbell, barbell, kettlebell or even the single weight-disk have a standard weight. I mean, their weight (and resistance provided) don't change in the movement. You'll always lift the same weight.

-Resistance band is different. Its resistance changes as more you stretch it. So, at the top of the movement you'll reach the maximal resistance, while in the beginning the resistance will be low.
So, you cannot compare a barbell workout with a resistance band one.

That's how they work (the examples used are for a certain type of band).

Type and resistance of bands:

Like i said there is an huge variety of resistance bands. Here i try to list them, with the resistance provided. Please note that the resistance can vary. However it refers to the max resistance you can generate at the edge of the maximal movement.

-“Pilates workout band”

-Resistance: from 2 to 6 kg.

-It is often used in the pilates' gym, it's the basical band with the smallest resistance. However it is easy to attach to something in order to stretch it.

-“Strap training”

-Resistance: your body.

-This isn't a real elastic band, but it works in the same way. It doesn't real stretch, but it gives you a good resistance (that is your body weight).
It is also easier to attach it somewhere.  

-“Fit band”

-Resistance: from 7 to 15 kg.

-A very good band. It provides a good ammount of resistance or you can add other bands to double the weight.

When stretched, both heads of the band give the half of the listed weight (so, the 15 kg band will give up to 7 kg per each head).

Yet you need some immagination in order to best use it.  

-“TRX suspension extender”

-Resistance: your body.
-This is similar to the “strap training” band, but with a better equipment. For instance, you can buy other gears to better fix this band. Also, you can use this to do some training.. in the air. Indeed, it is said that this band can ift up to 450 kg, while the resistance provided is the same as your body weight.

However, this is a “professional” one, so its cost may be too high if you don't want to train with it everytime.

-“Loop band”

-Resistance: from 15 to 50 kg.

-This is the best band i found at a cheap price.

It doesn't have a head nor a tail, indeed its name is “loop”.
In this way, it makes possibile other workouts, while have some problems on doing others.

However, its resistance is very high, so you can do a lot of “heavy” workouts too!

  

-“Super sprinting band”

-Resistance: from 40 to 125 kg.

-The strongest “loop band”. This is a professional model that has an huge resistance and it's used by the elite sprinters or rugbist over the world.

-“VertiMax”

-Lenght: up to 18 metres.

-The professional system of resistance bands. You can set up the bands and the resistance and it allows you up to 18 metres of sprinting with a great force that pushes you back.
It is used by sprintes or people in search of the maximal power or resistance.

Since it is a professional thing, it is very expensive.  

 You may find other different bands, with different resistances and prices, but the things you can do are quite unlimited.
It's up to you think about the proper workout to do with your bands. They can help you reach the max strenght, the biggest power, or you just want a progressive resistance or combine different gym items (such dumbbells and bands) to create the craziest workout ever in the place you like the most.

All you have to do is remember that you are not lifting an heavy barbell, but a band of few grams. You won't destroy anything if it crashes down, but the resistance you have to win is real. It sounds like “magic”, but its the essence of the elastic bands.

In the end, those bands can make you workout hard while entertain you with something different and funny at the same time. Yet, a combination of classic gym weights and resistance bands can be a different but useful training method. And your creativity will improve as well!

(In the next article i'll show you some useful excercises you can do with them..)