Having written one article on circuit training, here is another which adds to the perspective taken in the first article and concentrates on using the steps which can be used very conveniently in sports stadiums or at home.
Further reflections on the benefits and aims of circuit training
Circuit training is not only used in training long distance runners, but also in many other sports because it is easy to adapt to the needs of each sport. In the case of running it improves general stamina and muscular strength by using the principle of overloading and supercompensation illustrated in the diagram below. The overload can be graduated according the athlete's initial stamina (see test in Part 1 of this two part article), and increased in steps as the athlete's stamina improves.
This type of training is not a substitute for running, for running is the major means of training as the schedule below shows.
Circuit training is as an important complimentary system of training to running which enables the athlete to confront and recover from the training in both the 8 - 10 week 'Anaerobic Endurance' and the 4 - 6 weeks of specific 'Speed Sharpening' phases of the annual training structure:
So a long distance runner is looking to do circuit training twice a week from October to about the end of January.
The aims of circuit training are not only to develop general stamina and improve the strength of specific muscles, but also cardio-circualtory stamina/resistance, or your breathing! This can only be achieved by carrying out the exercises without a break at a submaximal intensity which is - a little below your maximum - so as to obtain a high level of cumulative stamina building.
Preparation of a circuit - strength, stamina or cardio-cirulatory workout
In preparing a circuit the following elements must be considered:
1. Type of exercise
2. Number of stations
3. Number of repetitions for each individual exercise
4. Duration or the circuit
5. Recovery time allowed between each circuit
The key point is that these five elements must be amalgamated in such a way as to develop the physical properties uniformly.
Thus a circuit of light exercises and a large number of repetitions will only improve cardio-circulatory ability. So the number of repetitions needs to be 30 or less to guarantee that they are carried out properly.
If you want to design a circuit to improve upper body strength, strength can be developed at the expense of stamina through a circuit with slow speed of execution and high load to overcome using weights (subject of a future article).
