Napa Boot Camp Shows You How To Build Circuit Training Workouts For Fat Loss

History has seen the use of straight sets in most resistance training programs. These is where you perform a certain number of reps for a given exercise or perform as many reps as possible for a given exercise and then rest anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes based on your training goals before repeating this set a certain number of times based on your goals. For more of a fat loss and lean muscle gain emphasis shorter rest periods are ideal. For more of a strength or power emphasis, longer rest periods are prescribed.

So, what's the problem with this format? Well, though straight sets are extremely easy to comprehend for people new to fitness, they are also an extremely inefficient way to order your exercises. In most commercial gyms you'll typically see someone perform three sets of 10 reps for let's say the bench press They pump out 10 reps go to the water fountain, chat it up with their workout buddies, watch some television and then gingerly walk back to the bench area to finally start up their second set. In general, most people, guys in particular, tend to take about three to five minutes between sets. In the case of performing three straight sets of 10 reps of the bench press, only one exercise will be completed in a 15-minute time frame. That means you'd need at least an hour to perform four different exercises!

The alternating set format provides a much more results-oriented and time-efficient approach to your workouts. Here you'll perform one exercise, rest for a short period of time, then perform another non-competing exercise, rest for a short period of time, and so forth. Alternating sets allow you to work different areas of your body when you would otherwise be resting with the straight set format. In addition, following each exercise with a non-competing exercise provides the recovery your body needs when returning to the previous exercises within the alternating set format

The result is improved training economy and density: more work accomplished in less time, the cornerstone of any sound fat loss program. There are several ways to perform alternating sets outlined below:

1.) Supersets: Alternate between two different non-competing exercises (e.g. upper body and lower body such as push-ups and lunges)

2.) Trisets: Alternate between three different exercises (e.g. push, pull, and lower body such as push-ups, rows, and lunges)

3.) Circuits: Alternate between four or more different exercises Even though I like using supersets and trisets in my boot camp workouts, if I had to choose one format, I believe circuit training is by the best way to order your exercises

To demonstrate why, let's examine my favorite circuit training template using timed set intervals:

The 50-10 Five Exercise Circuit: Within the following five-minute circuit you will alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest :

Exercise#1- Squats

Exercise#2- Dips

Exercise#3- Single-Leg Hip Extensions

Exercise#4- Pull-ups

Exercise#5- Leg Raises

Perform this circuit up to four times for a 20-minute total body fat burning workout.

Basically, in the same 15 minutes that it took to get in three sets on the bench you could have gotten in three sets of five different exercises for a staggering total of 15 work sets! Just as you had full recovery in the straight set format, you will also have over four minutes of rest before repeating any given exercise within this circuit. As a result you can perform more work without sacrificing the much needed intensity in performing each movement

To recap, the key to creating the optimal hormonal environment for fat loss is to perform each exercise with maximal intensity while separated by brief rest periods in order to accumulate a high volume of total body work in the shortest amount of time possible. Circuit training provides for the best of both worlds and is thus simply unmatched for simultaneously maximizing fat loss and lean muscle gain. Use the following template I use with my many boot camp clients for some killer, yet simple fat loss circuits:

Exercise#1- Double-Leg

Exercise#2- Push

Exercise#3- Single-Leg

Exercise#4- Pull

Exercise#5- Core

So follow this really simple template for some awesome fat loss workouts that can be completed anywhere in 20 minutes or less. Now it's time to get to it!

Article Source: http://nichecontentarticles.com

Jeff Larson, N.E.S.T.A. Certified Personal Trainer, is widely regarded as the best personal trainer in Napa, CA having helped hundreds of people lose thousands of pounds of fat. For a FREE 1-week trial to his Napa boot camp to experience the best personal training in Napa please visit www.napabootcamp.com

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated