Ya know those online workouts where you do a lot of exercises and don't rest?

[jademonkey]

On the one hand, I thought, maybe these are good for someone who doesn't want to get big and strong, or get super good cardio fitness, and just wants the best bang for the buck all 'round 45 minutes.

On the other hand, when my wife did these things at the gym, she didn't get strong and didn't get fit.

Now she spends 30 minutes running and another 30-45 minutes lifting with proper rest and increasing weight/reps when possible. This is only 1.5 to 2 times per week, and she usually doesn't even do full body each time. She's only been doing this for a year or so, off and on, including a 3 month break in Baja.

Despite the limited frequency, she is way more fit than she's ever been. She can run 3 miles. She can row 45 lb dumbbells or curl 20s for reps. She deadlifts 225 for 2. She's not insanely strong, or insanely fit runner. But she's the fittest she's ever been and fitter than most people who do the 45 minute continuous online video crap with 15 lb dumbbells, and I'm super proud of her.

No real point to this except maybe motivation to stop doing continuous circuits without rest.

[air2fakie]

Depends on your goals. Plus IF you can increase loads with that style of training you can still get a pretty good physique.

Also, if you’ve already built a muscular base and switch to that type of training you can maintain/sculpt a lean muscular build pretty well. Also good for CrossFit and other hybrid style competitions.

[GrouchyUSMC]

It depends on your goals. A 45 minute AMRAP session can increase work capacity, endurance, and even strength over time. Here's a workout that would slaughter most BB.com folks in under 45 minutes. 210 strict burpees and 800 push-ups.



I prefer the time format myself for many workouts just because I'm limited on time in the morning so I try to squeeze out as much work as I can. I often include cardio with strength movements just because that's the style I like and works well for my goals.

Today, for example. In under 45 minutes I did 4 rounds of sandbag squat cleans x1 minute with 80#, dropped it and ran 800m, then came back and knocked out 20 strict push-ups before my mandatory rest period. So I got 35-40 sandbag squat cleans, 2 miles of running on hills, and 80 push-ups in that time. Not a bad day's work. Now I'm trying to see if I can fit in 5 whole rounds.

[BeginnerGainz]

Density IS a component of strength training.

Just an overlooked and often misused one.

[SuicideGripMe]

Like the above posters said, circuits work when used properly. Most (not every) training style works to some degree when applied correctly.

Hell, the original Bill Starr's 5x5 was completed in a circuit style. The Nautilus circuits were highly effective at getting a base of conditioning. The Humane Burpee by Dan John is a great example of another strength/conditioning tool.

The main issue with most online circuit people is they do ridiculous movements with no sense of progression or purpose. I forget who said it but its the difference between working out and training.

[jademonkey]

OKAY YA'LL!

Lol I admit a continuous circuit MAY be OK for those who know what they are doing. Not optimal, but not horrible compared to nothing. But these online workouts I'm talking about don't have progressive overload or even a coherent exercise selection. If there is a burn and a sweat, that's the goal of these things, and many people think a burn and a sweat means muscle and weight loss, or even worse, "tone" (same thing but still).

IF you have already built a muscular base, you most likely understand basic stuff like... work all your muscles and work them hard. If you haven't, these online "workouts" seem to be just slight calorie burns and not much else.

Crossfit... don't even get me started on that cult lol. it's a conglomeration of basic exercises chosen from other disciplines and smashed together in competition format. Top crossfitters don't train continuous circuit style all the time the same way any top athlete doesn't train non-stop at their sport. They train in more productive ways for strength and endurance, and put it together for competition just like any other athlete. A gymnast won't just work routines non-stop either, because they won't build the strength and endurance that way.

[air2fakie]

OKAY YA'LL!

Lol I admit a continuous circuit MAY be OK for those who know what they are doing. Not optimal, but not horrible compared to nothing. But these online workouts I'm talking about don't have progressive overload or even a coherent exercise selection. If there is a burn and a sweat, that's the goal of these things, and many people think a burn and a sweat means muscle and weight loss, or even worse, "tone" (same thing but still).

IF you have already built a muscular base, you most likely understand basic stuff like... work all your muscles and work them hard. If you haven't, these online "workouts" seem to be just slight calorie burns and not much else.

Crossfit... don't even get me started on that cult lol. it's a conglomeration of basic exercises chosen from other disciplines and smashed together in competition format. Top crossfitters don't train continuous circuit style all the time the same way any top athlete doesn't train non-stop at their sport. They train in more productive ways for strength and endurance, and put it together for competition just like any other athlete. A gymnast won't just work routines non-stop either, because they won't build the strength and endurance that way.

I personally hate circuit training and/or continuous supersets & agree that most people (especially beginners) who do them don't make much progress. My point was that just because your wife "didn't get strong and didn't get fit" doesn't mean that it can't be used to accomplish a specific goal successfully.

If you have a purpose for doing a continuous workout, and a proper plan of execution, it can accomplish one's specific goals - and at some level make one strong & fit. That's true with most styles of training.

[jademonkey]

I personally hate circuit training and/or continuous supersets & agree that most people (especially beginners) who do them don't make much progress. My point was that just because your wife "didn't get strong and didn't get fit" doesn't mean that it can't be used to accomplish a specific goal successfully.

If you have a purpose for doing a continuous workout, and a proper plan of execution, it can accomplish one's specific goals - and at some level make one strong & fit. That's true with most styles of training.

To an extent, sure. I doubt most people following online continuous circuit plans with 10 lb dumbbells know what they are doing or why.

I do continuous stuff, usually at the end of a workout to cram in several isolations after spending over an hour on a few compounds. Just yesterday I went continuously between hamstring curls, bicep curls, tricep press down, and lateral raises, just to hammer all these before leaving. And I don't think that final 10 minutes was a waste of time at all.

I just think most people following an online dumbbell circuit, using the same dumbbells and doing side lunges, rows, curl to press, and nothing for chest or hamstrings, don't get a good enough workout to stimulate any significant muscle growth and don't get enough cardio to improve their ability to hike or run or do anything except a 10 lb dumbbell circuit.

I think a lot of people don't know what they want - they just know they want to be "fit" and/or "toned" but don't know what that means. I know my wife didn't realize it until she started proper lifting with me and after a year of sporadic lifting is pointing out muscles she didn't know were there.

[jademonkey]

On a side note about women suddenly noticing they have muscles, what's the deal with traps?

I personally think all muscle on women looks sexy, but my wife noticed her traps bulging and was concerned about it. I personally said it looks good, but just want others opinions on whether this in particular is a sign of anything - poor form, too much focus on something, etc. I bring this up because she notices muscles on her arms and traps mainly, and traps seem to be growing fastest. Legs are of course harder to tell and take longer to see due to being bigger muscles and more fat held there on women. Perhaps upper traps just show up more easily due to less fat?

She does the following with about equal frequency:
Deadlift, DB bench press, DB rows, DB Arnold Press, pull downs or assisted pull ups, leg press.
She also adds in as she feels:
Tricep press down, hip thrust, and bicep curls.

[air2fakie]

I think a lot of people don't know what they want - they just know they want to be "fit" and/or "toned" but don't know what that means.

At least on these forums, most posters seem to fall into one of the following:

1. I want to lose as much fat as possible while building as much muscle as possible.

2. I want a jacked upper body. I don't work out legs because they're already huge naturally.

3. I need a 6-pack for my vacation in 6 weeks.

4. I want to look like Brad Pitt from Fight Club.

On a side note about women suddenly noticing they have muscles, what's the deal with traps?

I personally think all muscle on women looks sexy, but my wife noticed her traps bulging and was concerned about it. I personally said it looks good, but just want others opinions on whether this in particular is a sign of anything - poor form, too much focus on something, etc. I bring this up because she notices muscles on her arms and traps mainly, and traps seem to be growing fastest. Legs are of course harder to tell and take longer to see due to being bigger muscles and more fat held there on women. Perhaps upper traps just show up more easily due to less fat?

She does the following with about equal frequency:
Deadlift, DB bench press, DB rows, DB Arnold Press, pull downs or assisted pull ups, leg press.
She also adds in as she feels:
Tricep press down, hip thrust, and bicep curls.

Some women who lift are afraid of looking less feminine or too manly, with traps being a main culprit.

Some of your wife's trap growth is probably genetic, but she could easily be doing a lot of those exercises with biased form/ROM that's engaging her traps more. This is true for lots of exercises, even unrelated isolations.

[jademonkey]

4. I want to look like Brad Pitt from Fight Club.

LOL

Some women who lift are afraid of looking less feminine or too manly, with traps being a main culprit.

Some of your wife's trap growth is probably genetic, but she could easily be doing a lot of those exercises with biased form/ROM that's engaging her traps more. This is true for lots of exercises, even unrelated isolations.

I mean that's what I'm wondering, are there form issues on these lifts that can cause that?
OTOH, I watch her form and looks good to me, but I'm not a personal trainer, I just suggest the main 6 movements and watch to see if it looks OK. I do think she grows muscle pretty well, so I'd like to keep her motivated!

The main trap things I can think of are deadlift and OHP. Can pull downs overwork traps if shoulders roll too much?

Though to be fair, she's likely her own worst critic. It's harder to see pecs on a woman, and back can't be easily seen in the mirror. So upper traps, arms, and shoulders tend to be the main visible things. It's likely they are just noticed more and are not in fact over worked, just wanna rule out anything bad. I wonder if working side delts directly might help balance things out visually. It is also tough being a trainer for one's wife - On the one hand she wants me to help her with the bodybuilding part of her workout, but on the other hand I don't want to come off as telling her what to do in a bad way lol.