Doing circuits at the gym

Many gyms have a dozen or so machines arranged in a circle or row called a circuit. They’re placed in a logical order (from larger to smaller muscles) so you can move from machine to machine without having to use any brainpower to decide which exercise to do next.
Some fitness facilities, such as Curves®, revolve entirely around circuit training.
Many facilities also offer cardio-resistance circuits where in-between strength training stations, they have cardio stations. For example, you may jog or march in place, do jumping jacks, or jump on a trampoline in-between lifting weights. The concept behind these workouts is keeping your heart rate at the low end of an aerobic training zone so you also receive some aerobic conditioning benefits as well. Because this workout represents a compromise, you’re not getting an optimum cardio or strength workout. Instead, you’re trying to hit two goals at once, which is of course, better than hitting only one or no goals, especially if you’re time crunched. After reviewing weight training principles, you may understand why circuits are a good place for beginners to start training. Typically, you’ll do one set at each machine and have about a 30-second rest interval between stations. This is the lower intensity side of the spectrum and has a reduced risk of injury.

Using the rest period

How long you rest in-between sets is also a part of your routine. If you want to increase maximal strength, you need a long rest period of up to four minutes. If you’re looking to improve muscular endurance, 30 seconds or even less rest is fine. And, if you want to increase size, your rest period should be about 30 seconds to one-and-a-half minutes. If you are a beginner, and that lasts for at least the first three consecutive months of training, take as long as you need. You’re considered a beginner until you have completed three consecutive months of consistent training at least two to three days a week.

Choosing the right weight

The right weight level depends on what you want to achieve from your training, because it relates to the number of reps that you perform. To develop strength, you want to do one to six reps. To increase muscle size, do between 6 to 12 reps. And, to improve endurance, do between 12 and 20 reps. A onerep max equals the total amount of weight you can lift with one repetition and means you’re giving a 100 percent effort. More reps represent what are referred to as sub-maximal loads. See the bullet points below for reference.
_ 1 rep = 100 percent
_ 2-3 reps = 95 percent
_ 4-5 reps = 90 percent
_ 6-7 reps = 85 percent
_ 8-9 reps = 80 percent
_ 10-11 reps = 75 percent
_ 12-13 reps = 70 percent
_ 14-15 reps = 65 percent
_ 16-20 reps = 60 percent

As you can see, a moderate intensity workout of lifting 70 to 80 percent of your one rep max is in the 8 to 13 rep range. Performing fewer reps — and using ultra-heavy weights — carries a greater risk of injury. And doing more than 12 reps is generally not effective for building strength, but doing up to 20 to 25 reps does improve muscular endurance. To keep yourself motivated and your muscles challenged, you may want to vary the number of reps you perform. You can use a periodized program that first emphasizes muscular strength and then later emphasizes muscular endurance. For example, you can do 6 to 8 repetitions one month and then 12 to 15 the next. Finding the right weight for each exercise requires some trial and error. Don’t be afraid to add or subtract weight after you start a set. We’ve seen people contort their bodies to finish a set just because they overestimated what they could lift but who were too embarrassed, too stubborn, or simply not aware of the huge risk of injury to drop down a plate.

Doing exercises in the right order

In general, follow the rule of doing your upper and lower body exercises in the order of your larger muscles first, and then your smaller muscles. Lastly, exercise your middle body, your lower back and abdominals, as they serve to stabilize your body as you do all the prior exercises.
Upper body

1. Chest and back (It doesn’t matter which comes first.)
2. Shoulders
3. Biceps and triceps (It doesn’t matter which comes first.)
4. Wrists

Lower body

1. Butt
2. Thighs
3. Calves and shins (It doesn’t matter which comes first although we prefer to work our calves before our shins.)

Middle body
Perform your abdominal and lower back muscle exercises in any order you want. Mix up your core stabilization exercises with those that target the mover muscles, or do your mover exercises first, followed by your stabilizer exercises or vice versa. Researchers haven’t yet determined whether an ideal order exists for training the muscles of this part of the body.

Your lifestyle

Ask yourself (and answer honestly): “How many times can I work out each week? How many hours can I spend at the gym, including time in the shower and the locker room?” If you’re a busy parent who also works full time, chances are you have less time to work out than a college student or retired person. Be realistic. Don’t vow to do six sets per muscle group if the only time you’re able to lift weights is during your 30-minute lunch break on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Otherwise, you fall into that why-bother? trap. You’re better off doing a 20-minute routine than skipping that 2-hour workout you planned but somehow never got around to.

Your exercise preferences

When you first take up weight training, you may be overwhelmed by the challenge of knowing the basics of each exercise — how to stand, where to grab the weight, how to adjust the machines, when to inhale and exhale. But you soon develop strong preferences for certain exercises and equipment. Before you know it, you’ll be saying things like, “I love the incline chest fly, but I’d much rather do the dumbbell chest press on a flat bench.” Pay attention to which exercises feel good to you and which equipment you enjoy using, and design your workout accordingly. Keep in mind, however, that it’s natural to prefer the exercises that you’re better at doing. Sometimes, you may need to push yourself to do exercises that you don’t love to balance out your conditioning. Keep an open mind. You may even surprise yourself when you grow to love the push-ups that you used to hate.

Reality check: Plastic or perfect?

By the way, take a big reality check: Don’t expect to look like the sculpted, fat-free people who sell weight training products on TV infomercials or magazine ads. Many of these models have unusual genetics, have taken drugs, and/or have undergone liposuction and added implants to achieve their looks (in addition to being digitally enhanced by professional film producers). In fact, among men, chest or pec and calf implants are popular, while more and more women are getting butt implants. Mentioning this phenomenon is not to advocate plastic surgery. This is simply to let you know that most people who have bodies that look a little too perfect are likely to have achieved that look through unnatural means. So don’t set yourself up for failure before you begin by trying to look like a TV or magazine model by using natural methods. It’s impossible. Simply aim to be your best you.