Help design a circuit
Discussion
While my ankle is on the mend and most lower body stuff is off the agenda, I figured I may as well just focus on strengthening upper body
I've realised that traditional weight lifting isn't really for me, it just doesn't keep my interest. Circuit type training does do though
I'm looking for a circuit that hits most of the upper body and can be performed 3-4 times a week
I've got the equipment to do pretty much anything and was thinking something like:
1) Push ups using bars and feet raised
2) Wide grip pull ups
3) Dips
4) Inverted rows
5) Overhead Press
6) Some type of curls or chin up
7) Kettlebell swing
Repeat 3 times. Does that look ok?
I'm unsure on what to do reps wise? Should I go to failure on each exercise or be looking to hit failure on just the final set?
Does it make sense for the first set to be wide push ups, second set to be normal and third set close grip. Same goes for the pull ups. Or is it best to do the whole circuit wide grip, whole second circuit of the week normal and third circuit of the week close grip?
I've realised that traditional weight lifting isn't really for me, it just doesn't keep my interest. Circuit type training does do though
I'm looking for a circuit that hits most of the upper body and can be performed 3-4 times a week
I've got the equipment to do pretty much anything and was thinking something like:
1) Push ups using bars and feet raised
2) Wide grip pull ups
3) Dips
4) Inverted rows
5) Overhead Press
6) Some type of curls or chin up
7) Kettlebell swing
Repeat 3 times. Does that look ok?
I'm unsure on what to do reps wise? Should I go to failure on each exercise or be looking to hit failure on just the final set?
Does it make sense for the first set to be wide push ups, second set to be normal and third set close grip. Same goes for the pull ups. Or is it best to do the whole circuit wide grip, whole second circuit of the week normal and third circuit of the week close grip?
When I used to train with a mate from work, we devisd a full-body circuit to do in our lunch hour.
The upper-body portion was similar to the exercises you've listed; a push and a pull in both directions plus crunches and raises on the Roman Chair.
Instead of doing reps / sets, we'd just aim for as many reps as possible within a minute and do the whole thing twice through.
You could modify it and aim for as many reps as possible wihtin 30secs x3 and then do a few KB complexes or something!?
The upper-body portion was similar to the exercises you've listed; a push and a pull in both directions plus crunches and raises on the Roman Chair.
Instead of doing reps / sets, we'd just aim for as many reps as possible within a minute and do the whole thing twice through.
You could modify it and aim for as many reps as possible wihtin 30secs x3 and then do a few KB complexes or something!?
roboxm3 said:
When I used to train with a mate from work, we devisd a full-body circuit to do in our lunch hour.
The upper-body portion was similar to the exercises you've listed; a push and a pull in both directions plus crunches and raises on the Roman Chair.
Instead of doing reps / sets, we'd just aim for as many reps as possible within a minute and do the whole thing twice through.
You could modify it and aim for as many reps as possible wihtin 30secs x3 and then do a few KB complexes or something!?
Cheers. What was your progress like with that? Did you see noticeable improvements on how many reps you could do in a minute?The upper-body portion was similar to the exercises you've listed; a push and a pull in both directions plus crunches and raises on the Roman Chair.
Instead of doing reps / sets, we'd just aim for as many reps as possible within a minute and do the whole thing twice through.
You could modify it and aim for as many reps as possible wihtin 30secs x3 and then do a few KB complexes or something!?
I never know how many reps to do and what I'm supposed to be lifting so I just do 3x10 of everything and if it's too hard I take some weight off and if it's too easy I put some weight on.
It's not very scientific like but it's easy to remember and saves strutting around the gym with a clip board and a calculator.
It's not very scientific like but it's easy to remember and saves strutting around the gym with a clip board and a calculator.
Juanco20 said:
Cheers. What was your progress like with that? Did you see noticeable improvements on how many reps you could do in a minute?
To be honest we only did it for a few months a couple of times per week but initially the progression, in terms of reps / minute, were really good.It got to a point where tactics plyed as much a part as strength / fitness i.e. do you go hard to failure, rest for 10 secs then go again or do you try to pace yourself throughout the minute but I think that helped keep our interest.
In terms of strength / fitness / shape it was a great routine because we were genuinely working to failure...and then squeezing out a few more before the minute was up...then going back and doing it all again.
If you're looking for something that doesn't take forever and gives good overall gains, a max reps Vs. time routine worked well for us.
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