The following items are ideal for a home training and rehabilitation space:  

What is circuit training?

Circuit training is a mix of strength training and endurance training. In a circuit-training workout you do a group, or circuit, of exercises with little or no rest in-between. Usually, one circuit consists of 6 to 10 exercises. Each exercise is performed for a set number of repetitions or period of time before moving to the next exercise. For example, you might do squats for 15 seconds, rest 15 seconds, and then do bench presses for another 15 seconds followed by other exercises. Depending on your fitness level, you might do one circuit or several circuits during each workout.

What are the benefits of circuit training?

What are some tips and precautions?

• See your healthcare provider before getting started.
• Begin each workout with a 5 minute warm-up of light calisthenics such as jogging in place or jumping jacks.
• After your workout, cool down with 5 to 10 minutes of stretching.
• Listen to your body and stop if you develop any joint or muscle pain that does not go away after finishing an exercise.
• Give your body a rest. Because circuit training can be intense, avoid working out 2 days in a row.
• Start slowly. Initially you might need a longer rest between each exercise. After you begin to get in better shape you shorten your rest periods.
• For a more difficult workout, you can replace your rest interval with aerobic exercise, such as jogging in place.
• Every several weeks modify the exercises in your circuit, or complete different circuits in one workout.
• If you use exercise equipment, be sure you are trained in how to use it right.

What are some examples of circuit training workouts?

Here are two examples of circuit training workouts. The first workout can be done at home and the other can be done at the gym or with the Keiser Machine:

Circuit-training workout #1 : Lunges are counterbalanced with a 30-second hip flexor stretch with a chopping motion of the arms towards the hip flexor being stretched. Squats are counterbalanced with Swiss-ball or TRX roll outs for core muscle integration.

1. Foam rolling - 2 minutes
2. Indo Board and TRX push ups - 1 minute
3. Indo Board riding- 5 minutes
4. Stability ball twists- 2 minutes
5. Kettle-bell squats - 1 minute
6. pull-ups - 1 minute
7. Functional lunges - 30 seconds each leg

Circuit-training workout #2

1. leg press machine - 15 reps
2. lat pull down machine - 15 reps
3. overhead squats  - 15 reps
4. shoulder press - 15 reps
5. biceps curls - 15 reps
6. hamstring curls - 15 reps
7. abdominal complex - 30 reps
8. cycling on stationary bike - 5 minutes

The Pump

Immediately following a weight training exercise the muscle may seem full and tight for 15 to 30 minutes. The muscular pump is caused by trapped plasma within the muscle. During muscular contraction the contractile elements exert a force inward upon itself; the muscle diameter increases as it shortens. During intense muscular contraction this force inward occludes the vasculature momentarily backing up blood flow through that particular muscle group. A compensatory increase of blood pressure forces plasma from the congested capillaries into the interstitial spaces of the muscle cells or the spaces between the muscle cells. Bodybuilders commonly perform pumping up exercises before appearing on stage to make their muscles appear fuller. Although, for most of us there is no real benefit from achieving a pump (except for boosting your ego), the inability to achieve a pump is one symptom of overtraining. Fluid volume in the muscle and possibly blood volume decrease when glycogen stores are low. Intense cycling or swimming can also bring about a pump.

Demystifying "No Pain, No Gain" 

The burning sensation during certain weight training exercises or high repetition training is caused by an accumulation of lactic acid in the fatiguing muscle. Anaerobic glycolysis utilizes carbohydrates and produces water and acid, or free hydrogen ions. This acid does not clear sufficiently if blood flow is impeded by the muscular pump. The vasculature within the muscle is temporarily occluded by the surrounding muscle when it is contracted intensely for a relatively prolonged duration. The excessive acid acts upon nerve receptors (nociceptors- pain receptors) producing the localized burning sensation. Excessive acid accumulation also impedes muscular contraction. Acid interacts with calcium rendering it unavailable for muscular contraction. If repeated regularly, the muscle will begin to adapt to this stress to become more efficient for later bouts. See types of muscular endurance and muscle fatique & blood supply graph.

Judging the effectiveness of an exercise on the burning sensation is fallacious.
The burning sensation has nothing to do with fat burning as popularly believed (See spot reduction myth).

Although the burning sensation may be indicative of the effectiveness of the exercise for improving a specific type of muscular endurance, it does not efficiently promote strength, power, or muscle development. It actuality, an exercise that does not induce the burning sensation as readily may be superior for the develop of strength and possibly muscular size. For example, leg press (basic and compound) is noted to be superior to leg extension (auxiliary and isolated) for both strength and muscular size. It is possible though to supplement strength exercises with muscular endurance exercises to later transfer muscular endurance to muscular strength.

It can also be misleading to judge the exercise's effectiveness on particular muscle group based upon localized muscular fatigue. Often times beginners feel muscular fatigue in unusual places until they become accustomed to that exercise. The weak link analogy can be attributed to this phenomenon. More common is the misconception that leg raises exercise the lower abdominal muscles.

Sports training

Training mode should be very similar the sport activity (surfers should surf, runners should sprint, cyclers should cycle hills, etc.)
Cross training should complement the specific muscle training done during sports participation with core muscle and stability strengthening.

 

Fat loss

Exercises that utilize the largest muscles (Glutes and Quads) may have greatest potential in increasing post exercise metabolism. Resting basal metabolic expenditure accounts for fat burning throughout the day even while at rest.

 

Geriatric considerations

Exercise programs increase muscle strength and flexibility in the elderly (JAMA- FICSIT Trials 1995; 273:1341; Journal of the American Geriatric Society 1996; 44:513)

Resistance training improves weakness which is more of a limiting factor than endurance (J Am Ger Soc 1994; 42:937) in preventing falls

Strength training of the whole body appears to be more beneficial than isolating an affected joint in osteoarthritis patients. Warm water exercises (~86 degrees Farenheit) provide analgesia for painful muscles and joints (Arthritis Rheum 1999;42(7):1361-1369)

Effects of exercise and hormone replacement therapy are additive in osteoporotic women (Osteoporosis Int 1999;9(1)1-12)

Tai Chi cardiorespiratory function better among older Tai Chi practitioners (J Am Ger Soc 1995;43:1222); Tai Chi decreases falls (J Am Ger Soc 1996; 44:489,498)

Tai Chi Equipment and videos available from Gaiam (click link/banner below)

 

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