Strength circuits are exciting and cool, all the cool kids are doing this kind of training right? Think CrossFit, it’s still got a lot of pull despite many other peoples opinions to the contrary. But let’s not label this post as anti-CrossFit, it’s absolutely not. I trained at CrossFit ‘boxes’ for a few years and learned some great things. Instead let me explain why strength circuits are probably not the right fit for you.
Strength and conditioning is a science and should be taught with sound principles. I know you don’t want to be ‘taught’, you want to get fit and lose some weight. Also gyms have to make money and most people these days don’t have the patience to do the more “boring stuff”. Time is another reason why someone feels they need to work up a sweat with a shorter, more intense session. Of course it feels good especially in the company of others. The truth is that this approach is not sustainable and sooner or later you’re bored, lacking results and seeking out the next trend to help you lose the pounds.
So lets get back to why strength circuits don’t work. It’s very simple you haven’t earned the right to do strength circuits. They are fu*king hard work for the even the best trained. What I mean by best trained is an individual that has years and years of strength training behind them and have a very well trained aerobic system. Normally an individual bypasses these essentials – years of building up your strength and aerobic system and goes straight to a strength circuit. Instead of seeing tangible, long term progress fatigue accumulates, there might be a few injuries, you’ve overreached in your efforts leading to further fatigue and ultimately a lack of motivation to put your body through any more effort. Essentially your body has just said, enough, you’re killing me, I can’t recover in time in between these sessions AND you skipped all the essentials. Dumbass lol.
Here are two example, one is a strength circuit, the other is a muscle endurance circuit.
Sure this not for everyone but that’s my point, strength circuits are not for everyone…instead dial it back to a muscle endurance workout, especially if you’re still relatively new strength and conditioning.
The above is a very simple but very effective muscle endurance circuit. The risk of injury is extremely low and the intensity is low, meaning you can do more work, meaning you will get fitter and better at the most basics ensuring you’ll be better suited to strength endurance circuits in adequate time.
The above is almost identical to the muscle endurance workout before it but it’s progressed by adding external resistance in the form of a kettlebell and increased work with more reps and exercises. Anyone can do this with adequate coaching and the good thing the advanced trainer can do this as his or her medium day.
So, why do strength circuits not work – because you more than likely don’t have the experience – not many do – and your brain is unable to co-ordinate this level of complexity safely and long term.