Author: Timko Ilya - the ruler of the entire site and fitness trainer | more details >> Rod. 1984 Trained since 1999 Trained since 2007. Author and creator of the site tvoytrener.com. CCM in powerlifting. Champion of Russia and South Russia according to AWPC. Champion of the Krasnodar region according to IPF. 1st category in weightlifting. 2-time winner of the Krasnodar Territory championship in t/a. Author of more than 700 articles on fitness and amateur athletics. Author and co-author of 5 books.
Place in the author rating:
out of competition
(become an author)
Date:
2014-03-11
Views:
157,926
Rating:
5.0
| All articles by the author >> | Medals articles >> |
Articles are loading...
| Article medals: | more than 100 thousand views |
Why medals are given to articles:
| Bronze medal: | |
| 1. The article is in the TOP 100 2. The article has more than 3. The article has more than 100 | |
| Silver medal: | |
| 1. The article is in the TOP 50 2. The article has more than 3. The article has more than 500 | |
| Gold medal: | |
| 1. The article is in the TOP 10 2. The article has more than 1 3. The article has more than 1,000 | |
Hello. From my articles you already know that strength exercises can be done using the split method, supersets and the circuit method. But, in addition to this, strength training can be mixed with cardio exercise. This article will be about how to do this and what it gives.
In the narrow sense of the word, combined workouts in the gym are those workouts in which strength exercises and cardio exercises alternate.
Here are a few training plans for example: Combined workouts in the gym for girls Combined weight loss workouts for men
Now, I hope you understand that the essence is quite simple: we alternate these two different types of physical activity within each workout. It turns out like a “vinaigrette”. Half strength, half cardio workout. But what does this give us? Why, for example, not do strength training first, and then go run for 30 minutes on a treadmill?
The benefits of combined training
1. Such workouts significantly increase the intensity of your workouts, which contributes to better fat burning. If you perform separate strength exercises in a combination workout, the intensity is roughly equivalent to a regular strength workout with supersets. And if you perform such a workout with supersets, then this is already equivalent to strength training using the circuit method. That is, the combined method increases the intensity of your training by an order of magnitude.
2. Sometimes the room is so filled with people that not only in circles, but also with supersets you can’t really work out. Since all the simulators are busy. In this case, combination training (provided you have a free cardio machine) can be an excellent solution. You simply do one strength exercise in a split method, and then go for 5 - 10 minutes on the treadmill. And so on.
3. A treadmill or elliptical is perfect for cardio exercise in the gym. You can also use an exercise bike, but it is less effective. At home: jump rope, home cardio equipment or bodyweight squats, as in this complex. Well, or anything else that your imagination can tell you. I know examples of people running up and down the stairs of their entrances. Also an option.
4. Combined training is quite possible even for beginners. Let's say, almost every unprepared person can do 3 sets of some strength exercise, and then walk along the path for 5 minutes.
5. The total training time is reduced. For a good effect, 60 minutes is enough. During this time, you will have time to run for about 30 minutes and do 4–5 strength exercises. And with 3-4 workouts a week, this is quite enough.
Correct technique
- Take a gymnastic stick in your hands, place it behind your head on your shoulders, grab it with a grip wider than your shoulders - the wider the better, you can grab the very edges.
- Straighten up, bring your shoulder blades together, pushing your chest forward, bend your lower back slightly - let your spine take its natural position. Then the exercise will affect not only your muscles, but also your posture.
- Perform body turns to the right and left due to the efforts of the lateral abdominal muscles to the widest possible amplitude.
This is what it looks like:
What effect should you expect?
1. As you may have guessed, such activities are great for general weight loss. Moreover, there are a lot of options for both complications and relief of such a plan. You can increase the time and intensity of work on cardio equipment between strength exercises. And do the strength exercises themselves in supersets. You can either take rest between strength exercises and cardio, or remove it or reduce it to a minimum. In general, the flight of imagination is quite extensive.
2. Combined workouts are also good for maintaining the body in the achieved shape. When you no longer want to lose weight. It is enough to train like this 3 times a week for 60 minutes at medium intensity and not exhaust yourself with diets. That is, you can maintain your shape with minimal time and energy costs.
3. As for increasing strength or muscle mass, combined training is clearly not suitable for this.
After all, to make your muscles grow, you need to concentrate on one or more muscle groups. And alternating with cardio exercise will scatter your efforts and interfere with muscle growth. Comparison of training methods
| Method | Intensity | Fat Burning | Muscle gain | Strength growth |
| Separated | Low | Doesn't fit | Perfect fit | Perfect fit |
| Supersets | Average | Fits | Fits | Conditionally suitable |
| Alternating Supersets | Average | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Combined | High | Perfect fit | Doesn't fit | Doesn't fit |
| Circular | Very high | Perfect fit | Doesn't fit | Doesn't fit |
A set of exercises for circuit training
We described in detail the benefits of circuit training in our previous article. Therefore, let’s talk about specific examples of exercises for circuit training for different muscle groups
I. Abdominal muscle training program without the use of additional equipment:
The basic exercise of this complex is the “climber” exercise, a cardio exercise that actively works the abdominal and upper body muscles.
- "Climber".
Starting position lying on the floor, then rise with emphasis on your hands and toes. Take turns bringing your bent knees closer to your body. Do it 25 times.
- "Plank".
An exercise to work all the major muscles of the arms, legs, abs and back at once. Starting position – lying on the floor. Lift yourself off the floor, focusing on your outstretched arms and toes. The body line should be an elongated diagonal. Continue to hold this position for 1 minute.
- Repeat the climber exercise 30 more times.
- Push ups. There are several methods: classic push-ups are a more difficult option. A lighter option is push-ups with support on your knees. For advanced athletes, you can use a fitball or bosu platform as a support. Complete 20 reps.
- Repeat the mountain climber for another 35 repetitions.
- Raising legs from a lying position.
Lying on the floor, raise your legs to the ceiling and try to push your legs up with your pelvis and abdominal muscles. Such lifts must be done 15 times.
- Perform the mountain climber exercise for 40 repetitions.
- "Side bridge"
Starting position lying on the floor on your side. We lean on the floor with one hand, bent at the elbow, and place the other on our waist. We lift the body up using the abdominal muscles. Do not swing while performing the exercise. Make the movement by working your muscles.
- Again the “climber” exercise. This time 35 repetitions.
- "Bike".
Starting position – lying on the floor. Bend your legs at the knees and lift them up. Perform twisting movements, trying to touch the elbow of the opposite hand to the knee.
- "Climber". Reduce the number of repetitions to 30.
- "Fold".
Exercise for the abdominal muscles. Lying on the floor, try to simultaneously lift your upper body and legs up, connecting them at the top point. We lift while exhaling.
- The final exercise of the complex is the “climber”. 25 repetitions are performed.
To get a visible result, it is enough to perform even 1 round of such a complex 2-3 times a week.
ll. A complex of circular training for the leg muscles for the gym:
The complex is performed in the form of a triset, that is, three exercises in 1 circle, followed by a two-minute rest between circles.
1 triset:
- Squat.
It can be performed both without weights and with a barbell. Weight is selected individually. A total of 20 repetitions. To perform a triset, we first squat with a weight, then without it.
- Walking with lunges.
We walk with our feet wide forward. When performing a lunge step, the weight of the body rests on the forward leg. Perform 15 steps on each leg.
2 triset:
- Raising bent legs in the simulator, from a lying position, face down.
A total of 15 repetitions. If there is no such exercise machine in the gym, then you can use a fitball for weighting. - Romanian cravings.
It can be performed in two variations: with a barbell or dumbbells. Weight is selected individually. The exercise is performed with 15 repetitions. - Reverse hyperextension.
It can be performed both on a simulator and using a fitball. Complete 15 reps.
3 triset:
- Split squats using dumbbells.
The weight of dumbbells is selected individually. Typically, for beginners, the weight should be no more than two kilograms. Maintain a 90 degree knee bend angle. You need to perform 15 repetitions on each leg.
- Set-ups with a barbell.
Simply put, stepping onto a platform with a barbell on your shoulders. 15 reps total.
- Set-ups without weights.
Climbing onto a platform without using additional weights. Perform 15 steps.
If you alternate the performance of these two complexes, then you will use the muscles of the upper and then the lower part of the body to the maximum. This way, you will be able to work the muscles of your entire body most effectively.
A few more nuances
1. It is better to start such combined workouts with cardio. At the same time you will warm up. But it doesn’t matter what you finish with: cardio or strength training.
2. The less concerned you are about preserving your muscle mass and more focused on overall weight loss, the longer your cardio workout should be. Approximately 10 - 15 minutes. But no more. If you just keep fit, then 5 minutes is enough.
3. The average heart rate during cardio should be approximately 130 – 140 beats per minute. That is, there is no need to run as hard as you can on the treadmill and then take another 10 minutes to walk away after it. We went for a run, took a 1-2 minute break and went for some strength training.
4. For those who like to organize training marathons (train for 2 hours or more), this will be just the thing. Since such workouts are more varied and allow you to stretch your strength a little longer (with the right approach).
We pump up the press at home
It often happens that a small tummy and drooping sides prevent a woman from feeling attractive in her own eyes. This makes her self-conscious and embarrassed about her body.
However, you can easily get rid of this problem by performing simple exercises for the abdomen and sides.
Twisting the body
- Lie down on the floor, bend your knees, press your lower back and heels firmly to the floor
- Place your hands behind your head, spread your elbows to the sides
- Raise your body, lifting only your shoulders off the floor
- When lifting the body, we exhale, when returning to the original position, we inhale.
- We don’t press our chin towards ourselves, we look at our knees
For a better understanding of the actions performed, pay attention to the photos of exercises at home that are presented in our gallery.
Lifting the body
We take the starting position the same as in the previous exercise. Exhale and lift the entire body, including the lower back.
When lifting, we stretch our arms forward, as if helping ourselves. Do not press your chin to your chest. We return to the floor and inhale
Bike
Lying on the floor, clasp your hands behind your head and spread your elbows to the sides. Press your lower back tightly to the floor
Exercises in the gym - tips for choosing the best set of exercises. Recommendations for beginners and tips on how to practice correctly (85 photos)A set of exercises for gaining weight - basic exercises and recommendations for selecting weights for exercises
We perform squats with dumbbells - a description of the technique of performing the exercise. Subtleties and secrets of squats for girls (125 photos)
We perform alternate twists, touching the knee of the opposite leg with the elbow. The other leg should remain suspended parallel to the floor, without touching it.
Exhale with each new twist
Complex exercises
Finally, we will provide a set of exercises at home, which is perfect for both women and men. It is simple in its implementation, but gives very noticeable results.
Squat with finger raises
We place our feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale and bend your legs to a 90 degree angle. We extend our arms parallel to the floor. We exhale and, stretching upward, stand on our toes.
Reverse push-ups
We sit on the edge of the chair, holding the seat with our hands. Inhaling, lower your pelvis down parallel to the chair. As we inhale we rise back up.
boat
We lie down on the floor. We place our arms straight in front of us. Exhaling, we raise one arm and the opposite leg. As you inhale, lower them down and repeat the same on the other hand.
Lunge Arm Press
We place our feet shoulder-width apart and take a small step forward. Bend your elbows, knees slightly bent.
Inhale and squat, touching the floor with your knee. At the same time, we reach up with our hands. We exhale and return to the original position.
This is how, with willpower, perseverance and performing the exercises presented above, you can easily achieve the figure of your dreams. It's never too late to get in shape and love your body!
How are training programs different?
Training program for girls who want to lose weight
Combine strength and cardio training. The latter will allow you to burn more calories, and strength exercises will pump up your muscles and help your thin body look even better.
- How often to exercise. To reach your goal, set aside time each week for 3 strength training sessions and 2 cardio sessions. The latter can be of two types: 30–60 minutes on cardio equipment or 20–30 minutes of intense circuit training if you are not ready to go to the gym five times a week.
- How much exercise to do? Unless otherwise directed, do 5 sets of 6–12 reps.
- How to eat. Create a calorie deficit: spend more than you consume.
Training program for girls who want to build muscles
If you don't have extra pounds, eliminate cardio exercises and focus on strength training.
- How often to exercise. Plan 3 of these workouts per week with at least 48 hours of rest in between.
- How much exercise to do? Unless otherwise directed, do 5 sets of 6–12 reps.
- How to eat. Add more protein-rich foods to your diet or buy protein powder. To build muscle, you should consume 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
Training program for girls who want to be in good shape
You need both cardio and strength training. The first will help you become more resilient, pump up your heart and respiratory system. The second will make you stronger.
- How often to exercise. Count on 3 strength training sessions per week. At the end of each session, exercise on cardio equipment for 15–20 minutes.
- How much exercise to do? Unless otherwise directed, do 3 sets of 6-12 reps.
- How to eat. Try to eat a healthy diet, eating more vegetables and fruits and at least 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
If you have cardiovascular or musculoskeletal problems, consult your doctor before going to the gym. If you have old injuries, problems with the spine, or joint pain, it is better to find a good trainer.
What muscles work during crunches?
The ab crunch exercise works the entire abs, but certain parts of it can receive different loads. To fully work out all the abdominal muscles, it is better to alternate different variations of crunches.
Depending on which version of crunches is performed, you can work the rectus, oblique and transverse abdominal muscles. In some exercises, the work includes shoulders, arms, hips, and so on. Despite this, the abdominal muscles still receive the main load, since the exercise is aimed at ensuring that the abs work 100 percent. The remaining muscles should participate minimally.
