Circuit training is increasingly gaining popularity as a technique of resistance training, which maximizes the amount of work done within a short time period. It serves as a great tool for people who want to lose weight, gain muscle mass, or improve their overall strength. Additionally, it is a brilliant way of improving cardiovascular health, mobility, and stamina. Circuit training eliminates the validity of the biggest excuse that people use for not exercising, that is, lack of time. Circuit training requires minimal time, is full of action, and doesn’t need to be carried out daily.

Circuit training involves execution of multiple exercises concentrating on different parts of the body one after the other, without taking any rest in between.  Given below are examples of some exercises that can be incorporated in your circuit training routine to work the entire body.

Upper Body Exercises: Bench dips, push-ups, bench press, and medicine ball tosses.

Lower Body Exercises: Step ups, squat jumps, box jumps, and bodyweight squats.

Trunk and Core: Back extensions, stomach crunches, and leg lifts.

Total Body Exercises: Skipping, squat thrusts, jump rope, and running for conditioning.

Bag Exercises: Punching bag workout is suitable for all people, and can be performed with relatively little gear. It is also a great way of mixing up different exercises and making the workout more practical as well as a lot of fun! Here are a few benefits of adding boxing training to your circuit:

•    It helps work out heart and lungs: Using punching bag serves as a good cardiovascular workout. Performing just a few rounds is enough to work out the body and exhausts you completely. Not only this, it is also an important part of circuit training and helps in bringing the body in top-notch physical condition.

•    Increase core strength: Punching with speed and power helps in developing core strength, which is beneficial for various other day to day activities.

•    Self-Defense: Meticulously working a heavy punching bag with the right technique will help you learn the technique of defending yourself better, in case you ever face the need to defend yourself.

An ideal circuit training session should involve working each muscle group for 30 seconds, followed by 30 second recovery. Five sets of each exercise with 3 minutes recovery time should be enough for everyone.

Identify a few exercises which can be performed with whatever resources you have available with you. I would recommend investing in whatever equipment you need to maximize your workout. Remember, purchasing equipment is a one-time cost that offers returns for as long as you use it. Try to ensure that no two exercises work the same muscle group in any given circuit. The circuit should be planned in such a way that all major muscle groups of your body are worked optimally. Circuit training is ideal for building strength and endurance for either sports or general fitness, and it can be customized for people of all ages and abilities. Find out what regimen best suits your needs, and see for yourself!

Author Bio: Ethan S. writes on behalf of BoxFit, a UK-based boxing gear company. BoxFit is your source for Rival Boxing Gear!