Can Circuit Training Increase Strength and Muscle?
October 30 2011
Circuit weight training takes less time compared to traditional weight training, but can it increase strength and muscle similar to a traditional routine?
What is circuit training?
Circuit Training: This type of training involves lifting lighter loads with very short rest periods of time. The lifter moves from one exercise to the next in 15 -30 sec (or no rest) and completes a series of circuits. The weight is usually around 40-60% of 1Rm which equates to 10-20 reps.
What are the advantages of circuit training?
Cardiovascular: There is a moderate Increase in cardiovascular capacity compared to traditional strength training.
Time: Less time is required since there is little or no rest in between sets.
Fat Loss: There maybe greater fat loss with circuit training compared to traditional training.
What are the drawbacks?
Strength & Muscle: Since the weights used are pretty light, the strength and muscle gains are minimal compared to traditional training.
Bone Mass: This is also true for bone mass since there is less loading.
What was the purpose of the study?
Purpose: The purpose of the study was to study the effect circuit training with heavier loads ( 6 reps) on body fat, strength, muscle, cardiovascular response compared to a traditional routine.
What was the training protocol?
Duration: 8 weeks
Participants: The subjects were trained men.
Rest between sets: The traditional group did the same number of exercises separated by 3 min rest while the circuit training group rest time was 35 sec.
What were the results?
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Surprisingly, with just 35 sec rest, circuit training group had similar power, strength increase compared to the traditional training group.
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There was an a decrease in body fat and an increase in body fat in both groups. The decrease in body fat was only significant in the circuit training group though.
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Both groups improved in aerobic and anaerobic tests
Practical considerations
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Circuit training with heavier loads can increase strength and muscle similar to traditional routines.
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Circuit training can cut your workout time by almost half.
Reference
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| Sun February 26, 2012 
Anoop -
I was already convinced that circuit-training could produce roughly similar results, to conventional protocol, provided that resistance is challenging. And due to time constraints this is generally the only way I train. However, this is what really caught my eye:
“Both groups improved in aerobic and anaerobic tests.”
Question: is it really necessary to add a cardio component for “heart health” ?
And isn’t ‘cardio’ a bit of a misnomer in any case ? Doesn’t the term generally (wrongly) imply that there is an exercise protocol which serves to isolate the heart and lungs ?
Seems to me that, in a sense, it is the function of the heart and lungs to facilitate mechanical work. Therefore, whatever is good for the muscles out to be good for the heart and lungs.
| Tue May 15, 2012 
Great article!
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