Coulee Region Bootcamps

Traditional resistance training workout specify one exercise at a time.  We call this “straight sets”.  Your start with one exercise and perform a certain number of reps and then rest for a certain amount of time depending on your goals. Rest periods are shorter for fat loss and longer for building strength and/or power. Then repeat the process for that exercise and move to another and do the same thing.

You might say “What wrong with that?”  Well, straight sets are simple to understand and have been utilized for many years by some very strong people.  However, they are very inefficient.  If you walk into any commercial gym on Monday (international chest day), you’ll see someone perform three sets of 10 reps on the bench press.  They do their 10 reps, go to the water fountain, check themselves out in the mirror, pretend to watch Sportcenter highlights while trying to get the attention of that cardiobunny on the treadmill, and then finally wander back to do another 10 reps.  This takes 3-5 minutes each time meaning 3 sets might take up to 15 minutes.  This is only one movement.  Performing four movements take an entire hour! 

Using alternating sets would make this workout more effective and efficient.  Perform one exercise, take a short rest, perform a different exercise that is non-competing with the first, rest again and repeat.  By working two different areas of your body, you are allowing for proper rest between sets and increasing your workload.  As a results you get increased training economy and density.  Increasing the training density allows you to perform more work in less time and is crucial to any fat loss program.  Alternating sets can be structures as shown below:

 1.)     Supersets: Alternate between two different non-competing exercises (e.g. upper body and lower body such as pull-up and squats)

 2.)     Trisets: Alternate between three different exercises (e.g. push, pull, and lower body such as push-ups, rows, and lunges)

 3.)     Circuits: Alternate between four or more different exercises

Supersets and trisets are great options, but I believe that circuits are the most effective option every time. To demonstrate, let’s examine one of my favorite circuit training templates using timed set intervals:

The 50-10 Five Exercise Circuit: You will alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for all five exercises in the following 5-minute circuit:

Exercise#1- Squats

Exercise#2- Dips

Exercise#3- Single-Leg Hip Extensions

Exercise#4- Pull-ups

Exercise#5- Leg Raises

Perform this circuit up to four times for a 20-minute total body fat burning workout.

So instead of only completing the bench press in 15 minutes, you performed three sets of five exercises!  The intensity stayed high due to getting 4 minutes before repeating an exercise.

The key for fat loss is to create the optimal hormonal environment.  This is done by performing high intensity exercises with minimal rest in order to get as much work done is as little time as possible.  The best way to accomplish this is with circuit training.  It stand alone for gaining lean mass and maximizing fat loss.  Use the following template I use with my boot camps for some killer, yet simple fat loss circuits:

Exercise#1- Double-Leg

Exercise#2- Push

Exercise#3- Single-Leg

Exercise#4- Pull

Exercise#5- Core

I’ll be sharing some great circuit training workouts from my boot camps in the weeks to come

 Anthony