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By
Charles Staley, B.Sc, MSS
Director, Staley Training Systems |
Circuit Training (CT) for
Various Objectives
I’ve put together several sample
circuits for different objectives such as maximal strength
development, lean mass gain, and explosive strength development.
Please use these examples as templates from which you can
create your own solutions, rather than viewing them as the
"Holy Grail" of CT. In other words, when I point the way,
you shouldn’t be looking at my finger!
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CT
for Strength Development
Although many bodybuilders and fitness
enthusiasts may be inclined to skip this section, let me remind
you that strength and lean mass gain have a symbiotic relationship—
they each depend on the other.
Think of strength training as developing
the neural aspect of the neuromuscular system, and mass training
as augmenting the muscular portion of that system— both aspects
must be addressed if you want to make maximal progress.
When you’re training for maximal strength
development, emphasize the following points:
1) Choose multi-joint exercises rather
than single joint (or "isolation" exercises). This allows for recruitment
of large amounts of muscles, and it will also help to encourage
better "inter-muscular coordination," or cooperation of various
muscles toward the completion of a motor task.
Also, multi-joint exercises tend to
have larger ranges of motion, and thus, are more suited to maximal
strength training because they allow you to accelerate through the
"sticking point" of the exercise (discussed below in point #3)
2) Select relatively high intensities—
those which permit between 1-4 repetitions per set. TENSION, not
fatigue, is the goal when training for strength. Never sacrifice
the former for the latter.
3) Accelerate through the sticking
point of the exercise. In any loaded movement, it is your strength
through the sticking point— that narrow region where your leverages
are worst— that really determines whether or not you succeed.
4) Do a relatively high number of
sets. Strength training is a form of motor learning, and a key aspect
of all forms of learning is practice through repetition. Since strength
training requires a low number of reps per set, you’ll need to compensate
by using more sets (usually between 3-8 sets per exercise).
5) Keep fatigue to a minimum, both
during and between sets. Even though you might be performing 2 reps
per set, you’re not reaching failure on the last rep. The idea is
to "keep some speed on the bar." Training to failure creates a quick
build-up of lactic acid and other waste products which are thought
to inhibit the nervous system from engaging high-threshold muscle
fibers. With these facts in mind, I normally suggest between 3-5
minutes rest between sets of the same exercise when training for
strength. This time frame ensures replenishment of energy stores
and dissipation of lactic acid. With CT, you can reduce this suggested
rest interval by 50 percent.
Smaller, weaker, less experienced
lifters should opt toward the lesser end of that range, while bigger,
stronger, more experienced athletes should opt for the greater end.
A Three Week CT Program for Maximal Strength Development
Here’s an example of how CT can be
applied to strength training with fantastic results. I’ve used many
variations of this scheme with athletes from many sports, and it
never disappoints!
Monday
1: Flat Bench Press
2: Stiff-leg Deadlift
3: Seated Low Cable Hammer Curl
NOTES: Position a bench perpendicular
to a low cable pulley. Attach a triceps rope to the low cable. Sit
on the bench and brace your feet against the low support brackets
of the cable machine. Grasp the rope with a thumbs up grip, lean
back about 45 degrees, stabilize your elbows against your sides,
and perform the hammer curl.
4: Machine Seated Row
Wednesday
1: Front Squat
2: Military Press
3: Swiss Ball Reverse Trunk Twist
4: Barbell Curl
Friday
1: Chins
2: Close-grip Bench Press
3: Dumbbell Shrugs
4: Back Extensions
Training parameters and progressions:
(Perform all sets in an acellerative
style— explode through the sticking point).
Week one: Perform 4 circuits 4-6 reps
per set. Rest 150 seconds between sets.
Week two: Perform 5 circuits 3-5 reps
per set. Rest 120 seconds between sets.
Week three: Perform 6 circuits 2-4
reps per set. Rest 90 seconds between sets.
CT for Increased Lean Mass
When training for maximal muscle growth,
the most important concept is to thoroughly exhaust the muscle being
trained. The following guidelines will help ensure that you’re doing
it right:
1. Choose a wide range of exercises
in order to fatigue the largest possible muscular regions
2. Select a moderate number of repetitions
and keep tension on the muscle at all times. This is in stark contrast
to the exercise technique I suggested for strength training above,
and it is certainly more familiar to experienced bodybuilders.
3. Perform a moderate number of sets—
generally between 2-4 per exercise, and normally no more than 16
"work sets" per workout.
CT for the Chronologically-challenged
This is a personal favorite of mine
when time is tight and I need an utterly efficient total body training
cycle. There’s barely a gram of muscle that isn’t torched by this
program — the next day, you won’t know what part of your body hurts
the worst!
Monday
1) Pull-up
2) Bench Press
3) Back Squat
Wednesday
1) 45-degree Incline Dumbbell Curl
2) Barbell Shrug
3) Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension
Friday
1) Back Extensions
2) Donkey Calf Raise
3) Ball Crunch
Parameters:
Week 1:
Perform 6-8 reps of each exercise,
for a total of 4 circuits. Rest 2 minutes between exercises, and
3 minutes between circuits. Use a constant weight for each exercise
for all 4 sets.
Week 2:
Perform 3-5 reps of each exercise,
for a total of 5 circuits. Rest 3 minutes between exercises, and
5 minutes between circuits. Use a constant weight for each exercise
for all 5 sets.
Week 3:
Perform 8-10 reps of each exercise,
for a total of 4 circuits. Rest 1.5 minutes between exercises, and
3 minutes between circuits. Use a constant weight for each exercise
for all 4 sets.
CT for Explosive Strength Development
Although speed strength training might
seem a bit "paranormal" to bodybuilders, it’s a great way to "wake
up" your nervous system, and the gains you’ll experience from this
type of training will definitely transfer to your more important
goals— namely, improving your body composition. Some of these drills
are modifications of the classical Olympic lifts, which require
some instruction at first. I strongly recommend Art Drechsler’s
"The Weightlifting Encyclopedia" if you’re interested
in learning these very productive exercises.
Monday (at the track)
1: Clapping Push-ups
2: 20 yard sprint
3: Seated Low Cable Hammer Curl
Wednesday
1: Snatch Pull
2: Push Press
3: Swiss Ball Reverse Trunk Twist
Friday
1: Power Clean
2: Close-grip Bench Press
3: Back squats
Training parameters and progressions:
(perform all sets in an acellerative
style— explode through the sticking point)
Week one: Perform 5 circuits 3-5 reps
per set. Rest 150 seconds between sets.
Week two: Perform 5 circuits 3-5 reps
per set. Rest 120 seconds between sets.
Week three: Perform 5 circuits 3-5
reps per set. Rest 90 seconds between sets.
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Final Comments
I hope I’ve made a strong
case for the value of CT in your own training. I’m so convinced
of it’s value that CT is a key feature of the strength training
programs I write for my clients who pay me to get them in
the best possible shape as fast and safely as possible.
Why not put the information
you’ve just gained into immediate use, and construct a six
week CT plan for your next training cycle? I’ll bet my reputation
as a strength specialist that it’ll be the most productive
six weeks of training you’ve ever experienced!
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About
The Author
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His colleagues call him
an iconoclast, a visionary, a rule-breaker. His clients
call him “The Secret Weapon” for his ability
to see what other coaches miss. Charles calls himself
a “geek” who struggled in Phys Ed throughout
school. Whatever you call him, Charles’ methods are
ahead of their time and quickly produce serious results.
His counter-intuitive approach and self-effacing demeanor
have lead to appearances on NBC’s The TODAY Show
and The CBS Early Show.
Currently, Charles competes
in Olympic-style weightlifting on the master’s circuit,
with a 3-year goal of qualifying for the 2009 Master’s
World Championships.
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