Why Circuit Training is Good for You!

Circuit Training is a form of training where participants rotate through a number of stations, performing different exercises to time or repetitions, back to back, with minimum rest until the circuit is completed. There are various ways of constructing a circuit, but they would normally contain several movements including body weight, weighted and dynamic exercises.

The great thing about circuits is the adaptability available. They can be developed for cardiovascular improvement, strength, mobility, sport specific…virtually anything. They also don’t need a lot of space or time and don’t need to be overly complicated (unless you want them to be)

Benefits of circuit training include:

1. Improvements in cardiovascular fitness
2. Improvements in muscular strength
3.  Improvements in muscular endurance
4. Increased social interaction during a workout
5. Increased adherence to exercise

From a practical point of view, circuits are very easy to set up and they need minimum space and equipment. They can be used with weights, kettlebells, boxes, TRX and various other bits of equipment, but in many cases, bodyweight is more than adequate.

From a PT perspective, circuits can be a fantastic way to get multiple people involved (read more money) Assuming you have the space; a studio, park, garden, you could set up a circuit for any number of clients. Longer term, these clients could be converted into 1-1 clients, but even if they aren’t, a good PT will still have sessions running with several clients across the week, bringing in additional income.

Find out more about circuit training

Circuits are very versatile. Whether you are working with one client or a group of clients, they can be adapted to any situation and physical need. Circuits can tackle weight loss, strength, athletic performance and core training. A good PT will be capable of devising the circuit, engaging those taking part, creating weekly/daily challenges and most importantly, will be able to make them fun. If the circuit has multiple participants, a PT can foster a friendly competitive edge, which would naturally push participants a little further each session, some competition can make a lot of difference.

The biggest takeaway of circuit training is the adaptability as a training system. They can be done anywhere, with or without equipment, can cover a range of specific needs, can be done as a group or on a 1-1 basis. They can be an entire session or a tough finisher. Circuits are a valuable tool for any PT

How to construct the perfect circuit

This is a quick and easy way to construct a circuit, remember there are many variations which can be adapted to any goal/need, but the following circuit is a good template to use:

• Upper body Exercise, think; pull ups, push ups, shoulder press
• Lower body Exercise, think; Squats, lunges, step ups
• Core Exercise, think; plank, v sit, bicycle crunches
• Cardio, think; shuttle sprints, jump rope
• Full body exercise, think; Burpee, thruster, bear crawl

Further Reading

Five reasons to become a personal trainer

What is VIIT? The Benefits & Why it Matters