Differentiated circuit training

Edited by Dr. Francesca Fanolla

The type of card that I most frequently find myself preparing in the gym is essentially the circuit "slimming / toning" card, especially for women who seem to have a weight loss goal in 80% of the cases (alas, often localized .. .) combined with a general toning.

So I had to give space to the imagination and come up with new and different types of Circuit Training, of which we know the advantageous results in terms of loss of fat mass, especially on female users.

Below I illustrate an example of what I have called "CIRCUIT TRAINING DIFFERENTIAL" which essentially consists in performing, after an aerobic warm-up of 15 minutes, 2 mini-circuits in succession, repeating each 2 to 3 times before moving on to the next .

It is a circuit that can be proposed as an initial muscle and aerobic reconditioning to be performed 2-3 times a week for at least 2 weeks without excessive variations for people who have not practiced motor activity for some time.

It follows the principle of the PHA (Peripheric heart action) by activating in a consecutive way very distant muscle groups and thus stimulating the capillarization (the number of capillaries increases), the blood circulation and the peripheral lymphatic circulation (main objective of the reconditioning period and of the slimming).

Naturally in the 1st circuit we will be able to insert the exercises that will have priority based on the objectives to be achieved.

In the following 2 weeks changes will be made to the serial number and repetitions, perhaps proposing a system of "compound series" for the same exercise of the type

2nd week: 1x 10 + 15 (slightly increase loads compared to the previous week, reach 10 repetitions, download 30% and continue for another 15 repetitions)

4th week: 1x 10 + 10 ; or, again to obtain an increase in intensity, one could request to run the two circuits 3 times each instead of 2.

As for the aerobic stations we could implement the following modofiche in the weeks:

Or increase the minutes of aerobic work in case the main goal is weight loss

Or break them down as follows:

of 8 'total run: 3' at 65% Fcmax + 1 'at 70% Fcmax + 3' at 65% Fcmax + 1 'at 70% Fcmax

I always recommend:

conclude the work with at least 5 minutes of cool-down on simple cardio machines such as the Reclined bike (one of the best stimulants for capillary circulation given its cyclic thrust forward movement) by gradually lowering the FC to normal values,

to do stretching for at least 2x30 "each position and to finish the whole by laying the subject on the mat on the mat, in supine position, with legs resting on a bench for 2x40" to favor the blood flow "pushed" downwards during training.

Precautions:

to overweight subjects I do not propose NEVER at the beginning of the programming very demanding exercises at the articular level Squat or Leg Press which due to the bending of the legs and the flexion of the pelvis they go to occlude the saphenous veins (located approximately between quadriceps and groin) main responsible for venous and lymphatic stagnation in the legs.

Exercises such as the Step up-step down instead, with their upward pushing movement favor the functionality of these veins and are very simple, simulating a trivial and daily ascent of stairs.

I also exclude specific exercises for biceps and triceps that could be inserted from the 3-4th week, focusing more attention on complex exercises that however activate a greater number of muscular districts being pluri-articular (such as lat pulley, chest press etc .. .) favoring a safer and less drastic anatomical adaptation.

Good circuit to all !!!