Circuit training with Brian

Yesterday I decided to do circuit training with Brian, one of the MMA dudes at the gym.

I usually train alone  and I've gotten used to doing it this way.  Now when I try to train with partners I sometimes find them to be more of a hindrance then a help.  That's not always true, but really good training partners are hard to find.

Still, there are some places it's best not to go it alone and circuit training is one of those places.  For most types of workouts I recommend listening to what your body is telling you.  Circuit training is the exception to this rule.  Your body will tell you to stop, tell you it can't possibly do one more rep, tell you maybe you shouldn't have had that grilled cheese sandwich an hour ago.  It is lying. (Except about the cheese sandwich.  What were you thinking???).

You can always go a bit faster and do one more rep.  For circuit training it is helpful to have a partner to remind you of this fact (aka. yell at you when you start slacking).
Though I was very happy with the circuits I was doing, I joined Brian for his circuit training on Monday.  I was a little bit terrified of what he would come up with.  Sometimes it's good to be a little terrified before a workout.

Monday's Circuit

All of the exercises were done with a set of dumbells that could be used for all exercises.
Here's what we did:

Part 1:

Sets of 12, 10, 8, and 6.  Each exercises was done for the specified number of reps and then we immediately did the next exercise.  One minute of rest between circuits.

• deadlift
• bent over rows
• overhead press
• firemen with a pushup (it's like a burpee, but with a pushup and no squat jump at the end)

Part 2:

All exercises done for 15 reps.  No rest between exercises.  We allowed almost full recovery between circuits.  We performed three circuits.

1. bicep curls
2. bent over rows elbows in
3. upright rows
4. overhead press
5. bent over rows elbows out
6. squat to press
7. deadlift
8. left leg static lunge
9. right leg static lunge
10. good morning
11. left leg step up
12. right leg step up
13. firemen (like a burpee, but with no squat jump at the end)
14. pushups
15. dumbbell swing

Overall this training session took about 30 minutes.

I think this workout looks crazier written down than it actually is.  The first part was not very hard.  The second part was definitely challenging on the third time through and would have been a lot moreso had we rested less between circuits.

It was kinda fun to have someone else telling me what to do for a change but Brian completely failed to deliver on his threat to make me puke.   ...I think I'm mostly okay with that.  In fact, I felt extraordinary about an hour after the workout.  And my whole body felt unusually loose and mobile this morning.  Not the quite the effect I was looking for, but I guess I won't argue with it.

Our next circuit session is Wednesday. Stay tuned!...

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