By Mike Mauney
Once you hop a ride on this multi-muscle workout, you’re sure to be on the right track heading toward the place called “Totally Toned Town.”
Welcome aboard the best training routine in town! This is a non-stop trip for total fitness, including muscle-toning routines combined with aerobic activity. You will be given the complete training ride of your life while passing through several different training stations but never stopping until you reach the end of the line.
First, you will pass through the twin cities of Leg and Hip Ville. Here you will complete a 12-15 repetition set of wide squats to begin toning your thighs and lifting your hips. As you complete your squats before passing through to your next destination, you will complete a set of Jumping Jacks to keep a full head of steam for fat burning.
As you enter Back Station, you will immediately begin performing a set of 12-15 repetitions of Bent-over Back Dumbbell Rows. These will ensure that you have a nice toned back before traveling on down the line! Again, without stopping, you will add more fuel to the fire by performing 15 repetitions of Jumping Jacks.
As you hear the conductor announce “passing by Shoulder Bend,” you will begin performing Upright Shoulder Dumbbell Presses to ensure your shoulders stay in proportion with the rest of your body.
Arm City will be here soon, so another quick set of Jumping Jacks must be completed quickly! Bicep Curls are always the toast of the town in Arm City, and performing a set of 15 repetitions will be the perfect exercise.
As you now enter the final phase of your trip, a quick set of Jumping Jacks will certainly prepare you for the most requested Hot Spot of the ride — Crunch City! A six-pack set of abs is closer than you think by performing 25-50 repetitions of upper Abdominal Crunches. This is by far the most breathtaking view from the Circuit Train of fitness. Last but not least, one final set of Jumping Jacks to end the perfect exercising routine of combined Muscle Toning and Aerobic training.
Circuit training is the perfect fitness training routine for people on the go without a lot of time to spend in the gym or exercising at home. The great thing about circuit training is that by going directly from one exercise to the next without stopping, you will increase you heart rate which will help you burn more body fat! Performing circuit training also cuts your training time in half, since you will not be resting the usual 30 seconds between reps. Adding the Jumping Jacks or some other form of cardio is optional.
Always remember that when circuit training, begin with the larger muscles first (legs) while you are fresh and have more energy, training your way down to your smaller muscles (arms) as you begin to tire. Keeping your energy level balanced with the size of the muscles you are training is very important. I suggest always choosing at least one exercise per body part and include three, four, or more areas of the body to target your training, such as legs, shoulders, arms, abs, etc. Finally, I always suggest training your abs last if you plan on lying on the floor to perform crunches.
Okay, I believe I hear the conductor calling “All Aboard for Circuit Training,” so I’d better run! Take care, exercise safely, and I will see you on the train to better fitness!
Always remember that when circuit training, begin with the larger muscles first (legs) while you are fresh and have more energy, training your way down to your smaller muscles (arms) as you begin to tire. |
Mike Mauney is a personal fitness trainer certified by the National Federation of Professional Trainers. Mike specializes in personal fitness training for women of all ages. For 15-plus years, he has been training dancers, models, cheer-leaders, and pageant and swimsuit contestants of all ages and competition levels (local, state, national, and international). His daughter, Michelle Mauney-Lowery, was Miss North Carolina USA 1995. Some of Mike’s training credits includes the following: Miss Teen USA 2004 Shelley Hennig, Miss USA 2003 Susie Castillo, Mrs. International 2002 Tonya Matney, Miss United States World 2001 Carrie Stroup, Mrs. United States 1999 Janice Ward, Miss Teen USA 1998 Vanessa Minnillo, and Mrs. America 1994 Keyna Baucom.
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Miss Florida Teen USA 2005 Victoria Ratliff demonstrates combining Wide Squats with Bicep Dumbbell Curls — an excellent circuit routine exercise for burning body fat and at the same time toning the arms, legs, and hips.
Bicep Dumbbell Curls and Wide Squats
1. Stand and hold dumbbells down beside your legs and position your legs wide apart, keeping knees and feet pointed in same directions.
2. Keeping elbows tucked to your sides, raise the dumbbells to your shoulders as close as possible (keep palm facing up). At the same time looking straight ahead, lower your hips down level to your knees. (Do not lower hips below your knees and do not lean forward.)
3. Squeeze biceps for two seconds, then lower dumbbells, raise hips, and return to the starting position.
4. Lower arms, squeeze your hips and hamstring very tight for two seconds, relax hips, and repeat entire movement.
A. Exhale on the way up and inhale on the way down.
B. Always keep a slight bend in the elbow when dumbbell is down beside your leg. This will keep the weight from doing damage to the elbow.
C. Keep your back as straight as possible at all times.
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