Excellent. I was afraid I was coming to a new website, and thinking different thoughts than the resident expert, and I could hear the footsteps of the mob ready to lynch me.
Hahaha, hell no.
1. I don't consider myself an expert.
2. Only morons get lynched around here. And even then, I'd barely call it lynching. This place is tame.
If I got my squats to where I got them to using only circuit training, I would most likely qualify for the world's most gritty/tough individual, and you'd see my face in guiness as such.
Phew, ok. I was worried b/c some moron 'expert' came in here a few months back claiming lighter weight, higher volume training is optimal for increasing absolute strength.
Obviously Circuit training alone is not the optimal way to improve strength. Aside from talking about on-weight women trying to tone (A different discussion imho), it certainly has its place in increasing your gains. I generally try to do a circuit every 6-8 weeks. Back when I was pushing my legs hard, I'd dedicate a lifting day to a leg circuit. Maybe I wouldn't necessarily see immediate numerical gains from doing that as opposed to taking the time to crank out some serious deadlifts on the smith, or get in some good squatting along with the rest of a regular leg workout. But I can tell you for sure that after 2 months of lifting for size / numbers, that those circuits toughened the hell out of my legs.
From my educated perspective on the subject of stress and adaptation, this would be my take on what you are saying....
You lifted hard and heavy using the big lifts: Squats, deads, etc.
You pushed the weight up and after some time, you switched the protocol to a circuit style of training.
IMO, that's good. Back off periods are excellent. However, it wasn't the circuit that 'toughened the hell out of your legs.' It was simply the reduction in tension/intensity, which in turn, allowed for some fatigue dissipation. I've actually used circuits in this context with my own training.
You seem to be putting yourself out there as a trainer. That said, I'm assuming you are familiar with single vs. dual factor theories on training. Or better yet Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome to stress? If you understand these concepts, you understand what I'm saying.
If you don't understand these concepts, I'd gladly go into more detail.
Again, long breaks inbetween sets was not the sole qualifier. I was just giving you the example that came to my mind (there are a couple of those at my gym, so that was fresh on my mind).
Here's an excellent quote that I love wrt to retarded body part split training you see in most routines today:
"What a lot of strength athletes don't understand is that bodybuilding is totally different. A whole different type of hypertophy that requires vastly different exotic training methods that rarely get results and generally require anabolics to break 200lbs. Let me tell you all that building significant muscle mass on a Yoda-esque program using exotic rep schemes on cables and machines, days of dedicated biceps training, with an overbearing focus on trace mineral balance and insufficient caloric intake makes it really hard to put on muscle. These guys have to have it all together to show any appreciable gains.
Guys that eat and are able to rely on basic programs to increase their weights in squats, pulls, and presses doing basic exercises that strengthen the body and force it to adapt with increased muscle have it easy. They will never know what it's like to fight through moronic inefficiency to needlessly differentiate your training and alleviate worry that when you eventually do start gaining weight someday, it will be in perfect symmetry and proportion - all at 2lbs a year."
Ha! That's good shit.
I completely agree with this. However, As we don't know how a person would take the advice, and how closely they would adhere to it, I would rather they "shade" their approach towards the short-rest full body style workout to achieve her desired goal rather than push towards the opposite end of the spectrum.
Yea, I think you are still assuming I'm far on the one side of the spectrum.
Spectrum being:
Circuit training<-------------------------------------------->Max Effort Training
I'm not a fan of blanket recommendations and you'll rarely if ever see me spew any. With that in mind though.... pretty much anytime you see me 'instructing' a woman who is not significantly overweight with a goal of 'toning' my advice will be based around a core strength component. Think 4-8 reps on the major lifts. Certainly some fluff, energy expensive work can be thrown around this. But without this core of strength work (keeping in mind we are dealing with a relatively lean female) muscle loss is a very real possibility while dieting.
You can certainly see the number on the scale drop with out this core component. But IME, you won't get the most 'bang for your buck' in terms of physique and body recomposition.
