Hybrid Circuits: A Modern Version of an Old Training Method

Circuit training has been around for decades. One of the first circuit training methods was the Peripheral Heart Action (PHA) which alternated upper and lower body exercises with minimum to no rest between exercises. This type of program really gets you breathing heavy and can burn lots of calories. It's also quite fun.

I came accross a new version of circuit training a few years ago and really like the results it has given me. First let me say, the one drawback of traditional circuit training was that your strength is compromised and limited by your heart rate when low rest periods are involved. The fact that my strength training is limited caused me to shy away from circuits as my workout days are more limited.

I call this new "Hybrid Circuit" the "Metabollic Circuit" because it's seemingly profound effect on fat burning.

In the above video, I perform 5 exercises in a circuit. I will perform a minimum of three rounds and most likely five rounds of most circuits.

Here's how the workout is written out and the format.

1) Reverse Lunges (Lower Body) 16-20 alternating reps

2) Dumbbell Incline Chest Press (Upper Body Push) 5-10 reps

3) Lat Pulldown (Upper Body Pull) 5-10 reps

4) Ab Wheel Roll-Out (Core) 10 reps

5) Rowing (Total Body Cardio) 2 minutes

I like this format because it is a total body workout, gets the heart rate up steadily and allows plenty of rest for maximum strength on my weight training exercises.

Below are my program guidelines for this circuit.

• I typically move from exercises with little rest, but I don't rush.

• All exercises are taken short of maximum effort on all sets.

• I take about 30 seconds between rounds.

The reasons I like this format is because it taxes the intire body (I can feel the fatique setting in around the 4th round) and the fact that I can use some fairly heavy weights for lower reps for maintaining and improving my strength. The low reps doesn't allow my heart rate to be a limiting factor. I also, for the most part dispise taking the time to perform traditional cardio in addition to my weight training routine.

When I use this workout plan I may tweek it a bit by removing one of the two upper body exercises making the circuit only 4 exercises in total. I ussually design two different circuits for one workout and perform each circuit 4-5 rounds for a total of 8-10 rounds in one workout.

Lastly, when I choose the exercises in the workout I mainly pick compound exercises. Exercises using multiple muscle groups or core stabilization yeild the most "metabolic" impact. For example, the first exercise in the video is the Incline Dumbbell Press, I could substitute a Push Up or Standing Cable Press as an alternative and created a greater overall demand on the body. The reason I did't, I a wanted an exercise that maximized my push strength.

I hope this article gives you a new way to look at your workouts. A way that is outside the traditional compatmentalization of cardio and strength training. Combining the two different fitness components of aerobic and anaerobic exercise can be difficult to make perfect but I have found this new "Hybrid" circuit to work extremely well.

I am available for hire in private and group training sessions if your goal is weight loss and health improvements. Contact me at brian@transformwilmington.com. Or call Transform Personal Training at 910-398-8379.