Circuit training can be called a combination of strength training and cardio. The exercises used in such programs give a good workout to the muscles. This helps with regular exercise to make the body sculpted and toned. In addition, a fast pace provides aerobic exercise, which effectively burns fat. Another advantage of circuit training is that you can do it without special equipment almost anywhere: at home, in the gym, in the fresh air, etc. Therefore, such classes are gaining more and more popularity among girls who want to lose weight and improve their figure.
Features of circuit training
Circuit training is an exercise whose goal is to burn excess fat while maintaining muscle mass.
The features of such training are:
- repeating sets of exercises during one lesson;
- a set of 5–10 exercises makes up one circuit;
- In total, you need to do 3-4 laps during the workout;
- There should be a 2-3 minute rest between circles;
- The duration of the lesson should be 60–90 minutes;
- in one workout it is necessary to work out all muscle groups;
- exercises should be done at a fast pace and in high repetition mode (15–20 repetitions or more).
As a result of circular training, the muscles of the whole body are strengthened, and the fat layer is burned. Therefore, thanks to regular exercise, the body becomes elastic and sculpted.
For beginners, you can do circuit training with your own weight. The main thing is to initially master the correct technique for performing the exercises.
After some time, you can start using additional equipment. Dumbbells, weights, resistance bands, water bottles, etc. will do.
Girls don't need to be afraid of weights. Strength training is much more effective for weight loss than cardio. After all, calories are actively consumed not only during class, but also after it.
Circuit training is suitable not only for women, but also for men, as the body will become stronger and healthier as a result.
Third round of exercises
When performing a circuit training for girls at home for weight loss, the exercises of the third circle include: jumping in place with a high hip lift, jumping in place with a frog, vertical “Climber”, side plank on the left and right side.
Jumping in place with a high hip lift is familiar to everyone from the school physical education curriculum: one by one the legs are raised through the jump, bent at the knees. You can stretch your arms with your palms down and try to reach your palm with your knee.
Jumping in place with a frog is performed from the starting position of a squat with a sharp jump up. At the same time, the legs are stretched. When landing, you should strive to lower your pelvis down as much as possible. The vertical “Climber” is performed like this: one arm is raised up, the other arm is bent at the elbow, the opposite leg is bent at the knee and raised up, while jumping you need to change the arm and leg.
When performing a side plank, one arm is the support arm, the other is extended to the ceiling. The body is turned to the side. First one hand is supporting, then the other.
Lesson programs
There are many ready-made strength training programs. To choose the most suitable one for yourself, you need to clearly define the goals of your studies.
In addition, it is important to objectively assess your level of physical fitness. There are programs for beginners and more experienced athletes.
You can practice the circuit training programs presented below both at home and in the gym. Some activities will not require any additional equipment. For others you will have to find a burden.
For beginners
Beginners in sports should practice the simplest programs. A circuit training plan for beginner girls who want to lose weight is presented in the table.
| Exercise | Number of repetitions | Image |
| Jumping "Star" | 10–15 |
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| Push-ups (can be done from your knees) | 10–15 |
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| Walking to higher ground | 12–15 |
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| Running in place | 40 seconds |
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| Reverse chair push-ups | 10–15 |
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| Plank | 30–40 seconds |
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| Ab crunches | 20–30 |
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You need to perform this program 2-3 times a week. You should not exercise every day, as the muscles need time to recover.
On days free from circuit training, you can do cardio training.
For intermediate level
After some time, you can move on to a more advanced training program for intermediate levels.
| Exercise | Body part being worked | Number of repetitions | Image |
| Bodyweight squats | Legs | 15–20 |
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| Back lunges | Legs | 15 per leg |
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| Pelvic lifts while lying on your back | Buttocks | 20–25 |
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| Bent-over dumbbell row | Back | 15 |
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| Lying dumbbell flyes | Breast | 15 |
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| Dumbbell lateral raises | Shoulders | 15 |
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| Dumbbell Curl | Biceps | 15 |
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| Extension of arms with dumbbells back in support | Triceps | 15 |
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| Leg raise while lying on your back | Press | 15–20 |
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This program involves consistently working out the muscles of the whole body. It is more effective and allows you to achieve more pronounced muscle relief.
For advanced level
Experienced athletes can engage in the pro level program. It should include more complex exercises that require developed coordination, strength and endurance.
An example of such a circuit training in the gym for girls is presented in the table.
| Exercise | Body part being worked | Number of repetitions | Image |
| Dumbbell Squats | Legs | 15 |
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| Bent-over barbell row | Back | 12–15 |
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| Pull-ups in the gravitron | Back | 12–15 |
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| Seated dumbbell press | Shoulders | 12–15 |
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| Dumbbell Curl | Biceps | 15 |
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| French dumbbell press | Triceps | 15 |
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| Twisting at the lower block | Press | 15–20 |
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| Burpee with push-ups | Arms, legs, chest | 15 |
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Even experienced athletes should not take too much weight. In circuit training, the main thing is to follow the correct technique and feel the target muscles.
With an emphasis on the buttocks
Many girls go in for fitness with the goal of losing weight and pumping up their butt. In this case, a circular training program with an emphasis on the buttocks is ideal for them.
| Exercise | Body part being worked | Number of repetitions | Image |
| Squats with dumbbells or a small barbell | Legs, buttocks | 15 |
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| Walking lunges with dumbbells | Legs, buttocks | 40 seconds |
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| Glute bridge with a plate or dumbbell | Buttocks | 20 |
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| Taking the leg back in a crossover | Buttocks | 20 |
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| Breeding legs in the simulator | Buttocks | 20 |
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| Burpee | Arms, legs, chest | 15 |
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You cannot do this plan more than 2 times a week. Otherwise, the buttocks will not have time to recover, as a result of which the muscles will not grow and strengthen.
With an emphasis on the abs
Another priority for many losing weight is to acquire a flat stomach with slight definition. To achieve this goal, you can perform ligaments on the abs. This training will also be circular. An example of it is presented in the table.
| Exercise | Number of repetitions | Image |
| Ab crunches while lying on your back | 20–30 |
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| Hanging Leg Raise | 15–20 |
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| Twisting at the lower block | 15 |
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This complex is also performed in a circle 3-4 times. You can do it at the end of a workout for other muscle groups or after cardio.
It is imperative to combine exercise with proper nutrition. If you do not adhere to a balanced diet, there will be no effect from training. After all, it is known that abs are not made in the gym, but in the kitchen.
First round
Circular training for girls at home to burn fat reserves begins with the jumping jack exercise. Next comes the burpee, then the “Star” exercise, then jumping plies. The last exercise is chair pose from yoga.
Jumping Jack is performed as follows: from the starting position of a standing jump, you need to spread your legs wider than your shoulders and simultaneously raise your arms above your head. With the next jump, return to the starting position.
Burpees are performed from a starting position while standing, jump to a lying position (as in push-ups), with the next jump, pull your legs towards your hands and jump up.
The “star” is performed from the starting position as if in a squat (legs bent at the knees, thighs parallel to the floor, knees not extending beyond the line of the toes), while the hands touch the floor in front of the feet. When jumping, you need to straighten and spread your legs wider than your shoulders, arms extended upward. The next jump is a return to the starting position.
Plie jumps are performed from the starting position of the feet wider than the shoulders, the toes are turned outward, the knees are pointing towards the toes, the legs are bent. The jump is made with springy upward movements.
Chair pose is a static exercise, the thighs are parallel to the floor, the pelvis is pulled back, the arms are raised up parallel. Rest 1-1.5 minutes. Then repeat the execution.
Safety precautions
When performing this workout, you need to focus primarily on your well-being. Constant jumping is not recommended for people who have problems with their knee joints. Increased heart rate during exercise should be kept under control if you have problems with the cardiovascular system and sugar levels.
When performing various squats and lunges, you need to control the position of the knee in relation to the line of the toes (the knee does not go beyond the foot) and the position of the hip (the thigh should lower to parallel with the floor). When performing various types of planks, you should remember that there should be no deflection in the lower back, the body should not sag on the arms, and the palms should be located under the shoulder joints. You should always monitor your breathing; any effort should be made while exhaling. You can't hold your breath. All jumping exercises must be performed as intensely as possible. When squats and plie squats, you need to watch your knees: they should not point inward. When doing a plie squat, your knees point in the same direction as your toes. When performing side lunges, you need to move your pelvis back and control your knee. When doing regular crunches, you can imagine holding a small ball between your chin and neck to keep your chin from being pressed down. Any workout must be done in sports shoes. This will minimize the impact force on the knee joints and spine. If necessary, the rest between approaches and circles can be increased or decreased. The importance when performing fat burning workouts is to increase your heart rate, intensity and correct execution of the exercises.
Purpose and benefits
If a strength program for women or men is aimed at increasing strength and increasing muscle mass, then circuit training is designed to solve other problems - cutting, fighting excess fat and increasing endurance. In order for such fitness to guarantee muscle growth, it is worth supplementing it with strength exercises.
Why is the circular program so good? There are a number of advantages worth highlighting here:
- Versatility. Such training is relevant for both women and men.
- High speed of getting rid of excess fat.
- Increases body stamina and endurance.
- Strengthening muscle fibers without increasing volume.
- Increasing the speed of metabolic processes, which accelerates the fat burning process.
- Reduced training time. Due to the fact that the program does not involve long breaks, class time is reduced to a minimum. If you do everything correctly, you can finish it in 30 minutes. At the same time, efficiency is not reduced.
Operating principle
What is so special about fitness organized in a circle mode? First of all, a special approach to the training process. The program implies that the exercises are performed in strict order one after another without breaks. There is no need to be afraid of overtraining, because the muscle group that received the load in the first exercise rests in the second.
The program must take into account the above feature. For example, if push-ups are done first and the upper body gets the load, then the next exercise should be squats. In this case, the bottom receives the load, and the top is restored. By gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts and adding new exercises, you can make this type of fitness more effective.
The situation with the number of circles may vary. Here a lot depends on endurance and level of training. At first, the number of circular repetitions can be 1-2, after which this number can be increased.
Below we will look at several examples of circuit training that have gained the most popularity and have proven effective in losing weight and increasing endurance.
Adding Cardio
Circular intensive training can be diluted with cardio cycles. This approach will help diversify your training and prevent a plateau effect. To perform it, you will need to include any cardio-oriented load.
The effectiveness of the technique is due to the fact that running and other cardio exercises are considered energy-intensive. They speed up metabolism, increase glycogen consumption, thereby provoking the body to take energy for restoration from adipose tissue. It is noteworthy that fat continues to burn after exercise for quite a long time. That is why it is worth alternating strength and cardio exercises during circuit training.
What you need to burn fat
For an effective fat burning process, you will need to follow several rules, thanks to which the female figure will acquire the desired slimness:
- proper nutrition and drinking regime;
- high-intensity aerobic training;
- schedule.
A balanced diet is important in the process of burning fat tissue. Proper nutrition for weight loss is characterized by an emphasis on the intake of proteins and cutting carbohydrates. The frequency of meals is around 5-6 times a day. The body should not feel hungry, otherwise it will store fats in reserve. It is also important to stay hydrated, as water helps remove toxins from the body.
Training takes place from 3 to 5 times a week. They should take no more than 60 minutes in duration. The main criterion for a successful workout is maintaining a cardio regimen. The heart rate should be between 115 and 135 beats per minute. It is within this heart rate that the body releases hormones that burn fat.
Daily routine is the final factor involved in fat burning. Modern rhythms of life do not allow relaxation. Snacking on the go, working until late, constant stress - all this does not allow the body to speed up its metabolism so that fat burning occurs. A good idea would be to go to bed and get up at the same time. Sleep – 8 hours a day.
