Hi Guys! If your looking for a time efficient workout that achieves both cardiovascular health and muscle strengthening, then this post is for you!
Both Cardiovascular AND Resistance Training are equally important components to a fitness program if the goal is overall health and longevity. However, if I had to choose one over the other, I would choose lifting weights with shorter rest periods, or using a circuit training method.
Especially for busy professionals, circuit training is an effective method because it is very time efficient! Delivering the benefits of both resistance and cardiovascular training in one workout.
The video demonstrates a 10 exercise circuit that will help you improve body composition, increase bone density and lean muscle mass, as well as burn fat and improve cardiovascular fitness.
There are many ways to format circuit training, the following are some general guidelines to help you set up your own circuit:
1. Choose a series of different exercises, generally from 5-15
2. List them in order that you want to do them
3. Usually the exercises are non-competing. For example think opposing muscle groups like chest and back, biceps or triceps, or upper and lower exercises.
4. Try not to choose back to back exercises using the same muscle group. For example doing squats and lunges together would be quite challenging and be considered competing exercises
5. Choose the rep range or time you want to perform each exercise. Generally between 8-20 reps or 20-40 seconds works works well. Note, not all exercise have to be done for the same rep range or time.
6. Choose the rest periods between each exercise. Generally minimal rest or 10-15 seconds transition time between exercises will keep the heart rate up.
7. Choose how many sets or rounds you want to perform for you workout, this depends on how many exercises you chose. For example if your circuit includes 15 exercises 1-3 sets is adequate. However if you only chose 6 exercises 2-5 sets might be better suited. This also depends on how much time and energy you have to workout.
8. Generally a longer rest period is provided after each full set or round of 1- 2 minutes -Remember to always for within your capacity and to have safe and pain free reps!
The Format for the circuit in this video is as follows:
10 Exercises - 2 Options for each exercise, 1 option for Dumbbells and 1 option for using a Band 1) Push-Ups 2) Squats 3) Rows 4) Deadlift 5) Shoulder Press 6) Lunges 7) Biceps 8) Triceps 9) Calfs 10) Face Pulls Perform Each exercise for 8-20 reps or 20-40 seconds, for 1-3 sets.
If you want to bias the workout to elicit for of a cardiovascular effect, simply add in some cardio movements between the resistance exercises.
Adding any of the following movements in the video will help elevate the heart rate, mix and match as you please, the more cardio move you put in the more the workout is biased towards a cardiovascular workout. 1) Lateral Hops 2) Burpees 3) Jogging 4) High Knees 5) Jumping Jacks 6) Lateral Shuffles 7) Vertical Jumps
Hope you find this workout and guidelines useful, thanks for reading and please let us know how your training is going in the comments.
You can also book in for a free consultation and assessment to set up personalized plan to get you fit without burning out! I specialize in helping busy professionals in the st. Lawrence Market, Distillery district, and Corktown neighbourhoods of Toronto. I also offer online coaching and virtual sessions for those outside the downtown Toronto area.