By Dr. Francesca Fanolla
The type of card that I most frequently find myself preparing in the gym is essentially the "slimming / toning" circuit board, especially for women who seem to have, in 80% of cases, their goal to lose weight (alas, often localized .. .) combined with a general toning.
So I had to give space to the imagination and devise new and different types of Circuit Training, of which we know the advantageous results in terms of fat loss, especially on the female user.
Below I illustrate an example of what I have defined "DIFFERENTIATED CIRCUIT TRAINING" which essentially consists in "running, after an aerobic warm-up of 15" minutes 2 mini-circuits in a row, repeating each from 2 to 3 times before moving on to the next .
It is a circuit that can be proposed as an initial muscle and aerobic reconditioning to be carried out 2-3 times a week for at least 2 weeks without excessive variations to people who have not practiced physical activity for some time.
It follows the principle of PHA (Peripheric heart action) by activating in a consecutive way muscle groups very distant from each other and thus stimulating capillarization (the number of capillaries increases), blood and peripheral lymphatic circulation (main objective of the reconditioning period and of the slimming).
Naturally in the 1st circuit we will be able to insert the exercises that will have priority based on the objectives to be achieved.
In the following 2 weeks, changes will be made to the number of series and repetitions, perhaps by proposing a system of "compound series" for the same exercise of the type
2nd week: 1x 10 + 15 (slightly increase the loads compared to the previous week, reach 10 repetitions, download by 30% and continue for another 15 repetitions)
4th week: 1x 10 + 10; or, again to obtain an increase in intensity, it could be necessary to perform the two circuits 3 times each instead of 2.
Regarding the aerobic stations we could implement the following changes in the weeks:
Or increase the minutes of aerobic work out if your main goal is weight loss
Or break them down as follows:
of 8 "total run: 3" at 65% Fcmax + 1 "at 70% Fcmax + 3" at 65% Fcmax + 1 "at 70% Fcmax
I always recommend:
conclude the work with at least 5 "cool down on simple cardio machines such as the Reclined bike (one of the best stimulants of the capillary circulation given its cyclic forward thrust movement) by gradually decreasing the HR to normal values,
to perform stretching for at least 2x30 "each position and to conclude everything by having the subject lie on the ground on a mat, in supine decubitus, with legs resting on a bench for 2x40" to favor blood flow "pushed" downwards during the workout.
Precautions:
I NEVER propose to overweight subjects at the beginning of the programming very demanding exercises at the joint level Squat or Leg Press which, due to the bending of the legs and the flexion of the pelvis on them, occlude the saphenous veins (located approximately between quadriceps and groin) main responsible for venous and lymphatic stagnation in the legs.
Exercises like the Step up-step down instead, with their upward thrust movement favor the functionality of these veins and turn out to be very simple by simulating a very banal and daily climb of stairs.
I also exclude specific exercises for biceps and triceps that could be inserted from the 3-4th week, focusing more attention on complex exercises that in any case activate a greater number of muscle groups being multi-joint (such as lat pulley, chest press, etc. .. .) favoring a safer and less drastic anatomical adaptation.
Good circuit everyone !!!
