Circuit training, Yay or Nay?

Steveston

Steveston

Lion's Den
Platinum Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2013
Messages
5,239
Reaction score
224
I would like to supplement circuit training to my MMA/BJJ training, I'm not sure if it's the right protocol to follow when compared to others workouts that can benefit Martial Arts.
What do you guys think?
Thanks.:)
-UniqueSteez.
 
circuit training is very important, good intense circuits with tough stations done properly are an extremely important part of a fighters conditioning
 
I remember seeing this barbell complex a few years ago. It looks horrible to me now, especially the "nice good deep" (half) squat into (behind the neck) push press.

Randy claims this "will make you tired". So will burpies or sprinting but without the sketchy mechanics.

 
cable guy said:
circuit training is very important, good intense circuits with tough stations done properly are an extremely important part of a fighters conditioning
Click to expand...

I disagree entirely.
 
Complexes are probably better than circuit training for general conditioning purposes.

At the very least, holding onto a barbell for that long starts to really eat away at your mind in my experience.
 
magick said:
Complexes are probably better than circuit training for general conditioning purposes.

At the very least, holding onto a barbell for that long starts to really eat away at your mind in my experience.
Click to expand...

I want to agree with you, but this article has four complexes in it 3 of which include a deadlift variation.
https://www.t-nation.com/training/screw-cardio-four-complexes-for-a-shredded-physique

Maybe it's me, but when someone says you should deadlift a light weight to get shredded or increase cardio I have a hard time taking them seriously.
 
Circuit training done a certain way for a short block or phase is an exceptional way to develop muscular endurance, as part of an overall annual plan.

Just don't confuse it with strength training, or attempt to replace one with the other.
 
Circuit Training can be used in a method for building lactate capacity and power and also aerobic power if done at lower intensities below AnT. Personally, I do not use them, but if used with certain principles, it can have some benefit.

I don't think the circuit training that you see at most gyms and boxes are ideal, though. IMO, they do too much volume and do not utilize rest properly.
 
If you know what specific quality you want to train, and can structure a circuit so that you can actually target that quality well, then a circuit could be useful, although not necessarily more so than other training means. If you're just doing a circuit or complex, or whatever, because it's hard, but it's not really training some specific quality, then there's more effective uses of your time.
 
Last edited:
I took a circuit training class in college, it was ridiculous. It was just like 12
Weight machines, and you would go balls out on them for about a minute then switch to another machine and keep going for like
30-40 minutes.
 
ironwolf said:
I took a circuit training class in college, it was ridiculous. It was just like 12
Weight machines, and you would go balls out on them for about a minute then switch to another machine and keep going for like
30-40 minutes.
Click to expand...

That's useful if you're a gym owner and you want to get the people who actually make use of their memberships in-and-out of the gym in 30 minutes.
 
Tosa said:
That's useful if you're a gym owner and you want to get the people who actually make use of their memberships in-and-out of the gym in 30 minutes.
Click to expand...


Yeah I think most planet fitness places have like a 30 minute express workout area.

The class I took though was through a university back in like 2000. If I remember correctly the teacher was a masters degree student in the exercise phys department.
 
ironwolf said:
If I remember correctly the teacher was a masters degree student in the exercise phys department.
Click to expand...

From what I know about exercise physiology, kinesiology, or any similar program, completing those courses doesn't necessarily mean you have any idea of how to train for anything. In order to really get something out of those sorts of programs, I think someone needs to actually spend some time seriously training for something. Then combine that with what's learned in class, and hopefully have the intellectual curiosity to take things a step farther and learn things on your own.
 
Tosa said:
From what I know about exercise physiology, kinesiology, or any similar program, completing those courses doesn't necessarily mean you have any idea of how to train for anything. In order to really get something out of those sorts of programs, I think someone needs to actually spend some time seriously training for something. Then combine that with what's learned in class, and hopefully have the intellectual curiosity to take things a step farther and learn things on your own.
Click to expand...


I agree and that was sort of my point. Just doing circuit training like that might be ok for somebody who wants to start exercising or lose weight or something but it's hardly practical for bjj or other martial arts. Some of the lamest gym stuff I've ever witnessed was done by ex phys students....squatting on bosu balls, stuff like that.

Even in the weight training classes in the university, the ex phys student teachers did very little, they mostly walked around, worked out and then made students turn in a workout plan that could be anything as long as it was turned in. sad thing is that my university supposedly had/has a very solid ex phys program.
 
Box jumps have no place in circuit training. Do jumps to improve power. Train power with an appropriate amount of rest.
 
Circuits can have their place. Are they essential? No. Many many fighters from different disciplines got by fine without them in the past. Great thing about combat sports is that your specific training also helps with conditioning. Do you need more than just pads? Yeah. Do you need to do Fight Gone Bad or the 300 workout? No.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
1,254,444
Messages
56,647,296
Members
175,332
Latest member
inox40000

Share this page

Back
Top