Improve Your Strength and Performance With This 5 x 5 Workout

Figuring out how to safely and effectively challenge your clients while helping them to achieve the results they want can be tough. Here’s a technique from the former Soviet Union you might want to consider: lifting just five reps at a time.
The former Soviet Union had the best sports scientists in the world. In the 1950s and ‘60s, at a time when coaches in the U.S. did not want athletes to lift weights because it was feared it would make them slower, the Soviets conducted research that showed that a proper strength-training program could boost athletic performance. The Soviet system focused on developing maximal muscle tension to improve levels of strength. Lifts that involved large amounts of muscle mass to create the highest levels of tension helped athletes improve their strength, which, when combined with proper skills practice, can improve sport-specific performance.
The Soviets pioneered many technical training techniques that can be difficult to replicate during a limited amount of exercise time. However, one technique that can easily be applied in less than an hour is doing exercises for only five repetitions at a time. To achieve the greatest benefits, the exercises should be compound movements involving large amounts of muscle mass, which is reflected in the workout below. The goal of each lift is to achieve the greatest amount of muscle tension possible. The Soviets were the first to recognize that using heavy loads to develop high levels of muscle tension involved recruiting more motor units and their attached muscle fibers, which led to strength gains. And, as a bonus, this technique also applies the science of muscle physiology to increase strength without significantly increasing muscle size.
Make sure that you have your clients perform a complete dynamic warm-up before starting this workout. For the best results, use a weight that is heavy enough to make the final rep extremely challenging, but it should not cause failure. In addition, resting for a second or two between each repetition allows maximal tension to be generated with each rep. Complete at least five sets of each exercise, with approximately two to four minutes of rest between sets to allow for optimal recovery. To save time, perform this workout as a circuit, with approximately two minutes of rest between each exercise.

Romanian Deadlift

One-arm overhead press

Barbell bent-over row

Split squat (with back leg on bench)

Include dumbbell press (bench between 30-45 degrees)

Know the Exact Definition of Circuit Training Workouts for Women

Circuit training workouts for women comprises short weight-bearing exercises and women needs to carry medium weights and perform many repetitions to achieve great results. 

 

 Circuit training workouts for women are composed of short weight-bearing exercises that require women to use medium weights and do many repetitions to attain great results. Each of the designed exercises is immediately followed by another set of routine that targets a different muscle group, which is also performed at a different station having 9 to 12 exercises that will make up a complete circuit. Circuit training workouts for women allow the exerciser to avoid waiting her muscles to rest between sets by changing muscle groups. The routine will allow the exerciser’s heart rate up all throughout the workout. 

Over the past years, circuit training exercises for women has become popular because of its great results for both weight loss and general self-esteem. These workouts are designed specifically for maximum flexibility by allowing women to create a resistance circuit by using free weights, exercise machines, resistance bands and even their own weight. The nine to twelve stations that complete the circuit focuses on all the major groups such as: legs, arms, chest, arms, back and abs. The workouts that complete the circuit can be performed in any order as long as the woman switches her muscle group between each exercise she performs and she does not take breaks. Some other circuit training workouts for women includes added routines that are effective in burning calories, which are usually jogging and jumping k jacks. These added calorie-burning burst is incorporated in 15- to 30-second cardio circuits that will allow a woman to attain great results. 

Since a lot of muscles are being used in every circuit, circuit training workouts for women usually have cross-training workout that will give less strain on the joints, making the workouts to have smaller chance of injury that the traditional weightlifting exercises. The program’s adherence rate is also good because it will not bore the exerciser as it has quick changes in the routine. 

However, all workouts have limitations and circuit training for workouts for women is not an effective way of building bulk muscles or increasing someone’s strength because of its design where more repetitions are done with lighter weight. That is why such program is not advisable for weightlifters who aim to increase their strength and muscles. 

 

In addition, people who wish to try these circuit training workouts and are not informed of weightlifting are more likely to injure themselves during the program than performing several programs of traditional weight lifting. An instructor will also find it difficult to emphasize form because of the quick changes between the exercises. 

In the United States, where such program is very popular for women because of its flexibility, circuit training workouts for women can be found in such titles: Muscle Work, Body Sculpt and Burn and Firm. 

Source Along Parker | AF 

 

Victoria's Secret Model Workout: 10-Minute Fat-Blasting Circuit

10-Minute Body Weight Circuit Workout

No equipment? No problem. This total body home circuit includes a variety of classic body weight exercises to work your body from head to toes. Some of the moves include plyometric jumping and other high intensity moves. Modify the exercises to fit your fitness level.
Precautions
See your doctor before trying this workout if you have any injuries, illnesses or other conditions.  This workout is for intermediate/advanced exercisers.  

Equipment Needed
A chair, bench or step

How To

• Perform the exercises for the suggested time, one after the other, with short rests in between
• Perform the circuit once for a 10 to 15-minute workout, repeating up to six times for a longer, more advanced workout
• Add extra rest periods as needed

Warm up: Light-moderate cardio for 3-5 minutes
1 min - Alternating Squats and Squat Jumps Squat low and fast for 2 reps, then do 2 squat jumps: Lower into a squat and jump as high as you can, landing back in a squat. Alternate for 60 seconds.
1 min - Front Lunges and Plyo Lunges Step forward into a lunge with the right foot, then step back and lunge forward with the left foot. Repeat for 30 seconds. Follow with jumping plyo lunges: Begin in a lunge, jump up and switch feet in the air, landing in a lunge with the other foot forward. Repeat for 30 seconds.
1 min - Bear Crawls and Pushups Squat to the floor and walk the hands out to a plank position. Do a pushup, on knees or toes, walk the hands back and stand up. Repeat for 30 seconds. Follow with 30 seconds of pushups.
1 min - One-legged deadlifts-Right LegBalance on one leg with arms straight up by the ears. Bend at the hips to bring the torso parallel to the floor while lifting the back leg straight up. Lower and repeat for 60 seconds. Weight optional.
1 min - One-legged deadlifts-Left LegBalance on one leg with arms straight up by the ears. Bend at the hips to bring the torso parallel to the floor while lifting the back leg straight up. Lower and repeat for 60 seconds.
1 min - Wall Sit with Knee LiftsSit against the wall or ball (optional), knees at 90-degree angles, weight in the heels. Holding the position, lift the right foot a few inches off the ground. Lower and then lift the left foot. Continue alternating each foot for 60 seconds.
1 min - Dips with Leg Extensions Sit on a step or chair, hands next to thighs, knees bent. Push off the step and bend the elbows into a dip. As you press up, extend the right leg, reaching for the toe with your left hand. Lower and repeat on the other side, alternating sides for 60 seconds.
1 min - BurpeesSquat and place your hands on the floor. Jump the feet back into a plank position, jump the feet back in and stand up. Add a jump at the end for more intensity, if desired. Repeat for 60 seconds.
1 min - Triceps Pushup with Side Planks In pushup position, with hands close together, do a triceps pushup. As you push up, rotate to the left, taking the right arm straight up in a side plank. Rotate back for another pushup, and then do a side plank on the other side. Repeat, alternating sides for 60 seconds.
1 min - Bridge with Leg Drops In a bridge position, straighten the right leg and drop it out to the side a few inches. Bring it back to center and repeat for 30 seconds. Switch sides and complete the exercise on the other leg for 30 seconds.

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