circuit training results

[kariev34]

I wanted to know who has gotten good results with circuit training (ie: cathe's bootcamo, paul katami, paretrick g). How often did you do them and what were the changes you saw in your body?

[neatski]

Hehe, of course I was gonna jump in on this thread...!

Circuit training has absolutely changed my outlook on fitness. I was already in good shape when I became a devotee, but the changes I've seen in my body since I quit doing all that standalone cardio and started doing circuit cardio/strength training have been unbelievable. I have no idea about my weight because weight loss was not one of my goals, but the clothes I've been wearing since high school fit perfectly. And, I'm more toned, muscular and strong than I've ever been in my life. People stop me and comment on my muscle tone. I do Zuzana's workouts (from Bodyrock.tv) and I beat her time and repetitions on almost all of them. I've been working out 5-6 days a week for 10 years, but with this type of training, I literally feel more vital and strong than I ever have before in my life, and I think I look my best.

ETA: Circuit/bootcamp training 4 x a week + strength or yoga or HiiT 1 x a week + gentler cardio 1 x a week

[PeakFitness]

I gained 5 or 6 lb last summer while on vacation (it was a family vacay and my aunt loves to cook!) Anyway, that weight just fell right off with circuit training. Sometimes I would do something advanced like Cathe's Bootcamp, but sometimes it was more intermediate like a Pink Firm. I would do circuits most days a week. Sometimes straight cardio, if I had bad DOMS and needed a break. But all my strength work was circuits, I didn't do any pure strength at the time.

[Peggy T]

This is encouraging. I *love* circuits. I may do a 4 week circuit only rotation and see if I can melt off some of this lard.

[mel VF]

Originally Posted by neatski

Hehe, of course I was gonna jump in on this thread...!

Circuit training has absolutely changed my outlook on fitness. I was already in good shape when I became a devotee, but the changes I've seen in my body since I quit doing all that standalone cardio and started doing circuit cardio/strength training have been unbelievable. I have no idea about my weight because weight loss was not one of my goals, but the clothes I've been wearing since high school fit perfectly. And, I'm more toned, muscular and strong than I've ever been in my life. People stop me and comment on my muscle tone. I do Zuzana's workouts (from Bodyrock.tv) and I beat her time and repetitions on almost all of them. I've been working out 5-6 days a week for 10 years, but with this type of training, I literally feel more vital and strong than I ever have before in my life, and I think I look my best.

ETA: Circuit/bootcamp training 4 x a week + strength or yoga or HiiT 1 x a week + gentler cardio 1 x a week

Were you doing any strength training before you started doing circuits? I've seen your inspiring thread about the virtue of pushups; when are you doing those?

[neatski]

Originally Posted by mel VF

Were you doing any strength training before you started doing circuits? I've seen your inspiring thread about the virtue of pushups; when are you doing those?

Yes, I was. I did a long high rep/low weight rotation (Jari Love or similar) for months, usually doing strength training 3 x a week. I know others have really liked the results they got with that kind of rotation, but I never saw results like I've been getting with circuit workouts (and by the way, the harder the exercise/ the lower my repetitions, the better the results I've been seeing). Part of it is that I enjoy them so much that I do them more often, so that may play a role. Btw, I did also try an Insanity + barre rotation and was also very disappointed with my results.

I'm doing pushup-heavy workouts (100-200 pushup variations in a workout, broken up in various ways) about 3 times a week, with a total of 4 circuit workouts a week. I rarely do regular pushups now because I can do a lot of them, and like I said, I have noticed that the harder the exercise/the fewer reps I can do, the better my results.

[Lucky Star]

Neatski, you are SUCH a pushup warrior!

[neatski]

Originally Posted by Lucky Star

Neatski, you are SUCH a pushup warrior!

I know, it's getting kind of ridiculous, isn't it? I'm kinda wondering when I'll hit the ceiling with it and start doing something else. Hopefully that will happen before I forego all other exercises and just do pushups for an hour every day, lol.

[mel VF]

Neatski, that's very inspiring (especially the vital and strong part!). As for the pushups, ditto on the WOW. I've built up to 5 countertop pushups, so the amount you are doing is unbelievable to me.

[Buffgirl]

I have gotten great results with circuits, I have been doing Kettlebell Circuit training lately, and wow it has done wonders for my core. I like it that you work everything at once.