Bodyweight Circuit Training For Muscle Density And Fat Burning?
Bodyweight Circuit Training that's for the aerobic's crowd from the 70's isn't it?
How is it possible that doing a bodyweight circuit training workout can get you results in lean muscle gains, muscle density and fat burning?
"This isn't for me. I'm an old school guy. Barbells, Dumbbells and Kettlebells are the way to go," right? If your not lifting something heavy your really not working out right?
Or So I used To Think
Let me just step back a second......
Now I've been a weight training guy for almost 40 years now. I grew up on the lift big and get big philosophy. I was 13 saw a bodybuilding magazine while I was at the Jersey shore and was hooked. I lifted with the idea of gaining as much muscle as possible.
A few years back my ideas about training and how I wanted to look changed. I decided I was getting a little older so I wanted a more lean muscled athletic look. Increase my muscle density and burn more fat. I started reading about bodyweight circuit training and interval training.
But You Don't Lift Anything With Bodyweight Circuit Training?
Do You? I didn't think so. See I didn't consider bodyweight exercises as resistance training.
I figured if I wasn't lifting anything how could I keep lean muscle while dropping body fat and increasing my muscle density?
Could A Bodyweight Workout Like This Add Lean Muscle And Burn Fat?
Jumping Jacks
Push - Ups
Squats
Burpees
Mountain Climbers
Lunges
Now typically with a circuit training workout what you do is one exercise after another, rest about 1 minute and continue for 3-6 circuits. Do this 3-4 times a week. The workouts should take no more than 30 minutes.
So as I said this is a few years ago before interval training and these circuit training workouts started showing up online. Now many years ago bodyweight exercises were very popular in the fitness and bodybuilding circles. But with the advent of aerobics and all the shiny machines they were forgotten. So here was my problem the years of heavy weight training added muscle but also some fat.
What Should I do?
At the time the consensus was running. Jump on a treadmill run for an hour or so 5-6 day's a week. I hate to run. So this idea didn't sit well with me. So anyway as I said I started reading about interval training and these bodyweight circuit training routines like the one above.
Let me tell you I thought this won't work it's too easy. Boy was I wrong.
I barely got through the circuit twice. So right from that first workout the way I was huffing and puffing trying to get through that circuit twice I knew okay there is something to these bodyweight circuit training workouts. And I could do them at home was another added bonus.
And they take half the time of those marathon cardio workouts that were all the rage.
How is it possible that doing a bodyweight circuit training workout can get you results in lean muscle gains, muscle density and fat burning?
"This isn't for me. I'm an old school guy. Barbells, Dumbbells and Kettlebells are the way to go," right? If your not lifting something heavy your really not working out right?
Or So I used To Think
Let me just step back a second......
Now I've been a weight training guy for almost 40 years now. I grew up on the lift big and get big philosophy. I was 13 saw a bodybuilding magazine while I was at the Jersey shore and was hooked. I lifted with the idea of gaining as much muscle as possible.
A few years back my ideas about training and how I wanted to look changed. I decided I was getting a little older so I wanted a more lean muscled athletic look. Increase my muscle density and burn more fat. I started reading about bodyweight circuit training and interval training.
But You Don't Lift Anything With Bodyweight Circuit Training?
Do You? I didn't think so. See I didn't consider bodyweight exercises as resistance training.
I figured if I wasn't lifting anything how could I keep lean muscle while dropping body fat and increasing my muscle density?
Could A Bodyweight Workout Like This Add Lean Muscle And Burn Fat?
Jumping Jacks
Push - Ups
Squats
Burpees
Mountain Climbers
Lunges
Now typically with a circuit training workout what you do is one exercise after another, rest about 1 minute and continue for 3-6 circuits. Do this 3-4 times a week. The workouts should take no more than 30 minutes.
So as I said this is a few years ago before interval training and these circuit training workouts started showing up online. Now many years ago bodyweight exercises were very popular in the fitness and bodybuilding circles. But with the advent of aerobics and all the shiny machines they were forgotten. So here was my problem the years of heavy weight training added muscle but also some fat.
What Should I do?
At the time the consensus was running. Jump on a treadmill run for an hour or so 5-6 day's a week. I hate to run. So this idea didn't sit well with me. So anyway as I said I started reading about interval training and these bodyweight circuit training routines like the one above.
Let me tell you I thought this won't work it's too easy. Boy was I wrong.
I barely got through the circuit twice. So right from that first workout the way I was huffing and puffing trying to get through that circuit twice I knew okay there is something to these bodyweight circuit training workouts. And I could do them at home was another added bonus.
And they take half the time of those marathon cardio workouts that were all the rage.