Back to the Basics: A Guide to Circuit Training

Circuit training is a great way to teach children to improve their skill in
a specific fitness area or sport. Stations teach isolated movements and
help children have specific and timed practice in a certain skill area.
Skills challenge different parts of the body as the child goes from one
station to another station practicing their skill.

Circuits teach strength, power, speed, endurance, agility, and flexibility.
The stations can be conducted indoors or outside and only require a small
space for each station. They can be as few as six and go up to twenty
different stations. Stations alternate with push and pull motions of lower,
the core, and upper body muscle exercises. Exercisers at stations should go
clockwise or counterclockwise in doing each of the stations.

Stations can be free or fixed. Free stations have no time limit but may
allow students to do the stations that they enjoy doing and avoid stations
focusing on the skills that they may need to practice. A fixed station has
a specific time limit. It may vary from fifteen seconds to five minutes
depending on the age and ability of the child. Stations should have evenly
divided groups of students allowing students the maximum amount of
practice. Three rotations of stations are considered a full practice time
for circuit training.

A group instructor must take into consideration the following steps in
composing a circuit. What equipment is required and how much supervision is
to be used in observing the circuit? What skills need to be taught in the
circuit? What are the ages of the children participating in the circuit
training?

Stations must be clearly marked and explained to the exercisers. Signs
often help. A sketch of the circuit is also helpful. Instructors must also
demonstrate each exercise and make sure that the children are practicing it
in perfect form. It is more essential that students do a station a few
times correctly than many times with bad form. Instructors must continually
supervise stations and stop students to correct or modify form.

If a student cannot perform the activity for the specific amount of time,
have they run or jog in place until the time for the station is complete and
students move on to another station. Have students make the activity more
aerobic but walking quickly or running to each station in-between circuits.
Circuits are a great way to teach skills that will last for a lifetime.

Upper Body Stations for Circuit Training

This article contains specific exercises for a various muscle parts in an
upper body circuit. Exercises should vary with push and pull motions. For
example do a triceps exercise followed by a bicep exercise. You can direct
the students to various stations with a whistle, drum, or specific signal
that tells them to go to the next station.

It is essential to start with a five to ten minute warm-up. General
calisthenics work well for this purpose. Other great overall body
activities include jumping jacks, skipping, and jump roping, and running in
place or a small area. An easy run at a slow pace or 50% of a student’s THR
is for a warm up is generally recommended.


1. Pushup

Assume a front leaning rest position with the hands placed comfortably
apart, the feet together with the body forming a generally straight line
from to the ankles. Keeping the body straight throughout the exercise lower
the body until the upper arms are parallel to the ground. Then push
yourself up to the initial position by completely straightening the arms. A
push up works the back, the shoulders, and the triceps.

2. Crab Walk

Lower your body to a supine position with the back to the ground and hands
out to the side eight to ten inches to a crab position. Move forward,
backward, sideward with both arms on the ground and legs stretched out to a
walking position. A crab walk uses the arms, shoulders, and stabilization
of the back.

3. Crab Kick

Position your body on the floor the same as in the crab walk position with
the body supported on the hands and feet and the back parallel to the
floor. The knees are bending at the right angles. On all crab positions
keep the back up and avoid body sag. Kick the right leg up and down and
then move to the left. The crab kick uses the same muscles as the walk
except that it also focuses on the gluteus and the legs.

4. Triceps Dips

Use a step platform or sturdy chair to raise the body from the ground.
Place hands out securely over the edge of the platform/chair as you lower
your body. Maintain control and do not allow your upper arms to go lower
than parallel the ground. The dip uses the triceps but also uses the back
and shoulder.

5. Arm Circles

Do forward, backward circles with arms and vary the size and length of the
circles. Arms circles not only use the arms but also the trapezius and the
rhomboids.


6. Burpee

Start in a standing position with feet close together, squat, and put the
palms outside and slightly forward of your feet. With weight supported by
your hands, thrust feet backward so that you are in the "up position" for a
standard pushup. Do a pushup and return to the up position. Immediately
after the pushup, pull feet up to your hands in one movement, and stand up
to the original position.
These are just a starting point for your upper body relay exercises. Be
sure to vary push and pull muscles when doing a circuit station with upper
body stations. Get into the groove and try fitness.

Leg Exercises for Circuit Training

Students need to develop their quadriceps, hamstrings, gastronemus, and
calves. This article shows how students and teachers can add leg exercises
to their circuit training program. These leg exercises are all compound
muscle exercises and any variation of them would be an excellent addition to
your lower body circuit-training program.

1. Jumping Jacks or Jill’s

Stand at attention. Jump slightly while moving legs more than
shoulder-width apart, swinging arms overhead, and clapping palms together.
Jump slightly while swinging arms sideward and downward, returning to
position of attention. Repeat and use a moderate cadence. Variation: While
jumping, move legs forward and backward instead of to sides

2. Cross-Country Skier

Assume a position of attention. Jump slightly in the air and move to the
left foot forward and thru right root backward landing with both knees
slightly bent. At the same time, move there, right arms upward and forward
to should height and the left arms back as far as possible. Jumping
slightly into the air and move the right foot forward and left foot
backward. At the same time move the left arm upward and forward to the
shoulder height and the right arm back as far as possible.

3. Cone Slalom

Dribble a ball in a slalom fashion around a series of cones. Include
several directional changes that involve forward, backward, and lateral
slalom dribbling

4. Flutter Kicks
Lie on your back with hands beneath the buttocks the head raised and knees
bent. Alternate raised and lowered legs, keeping that knees slightly bent
and the feet elevated six to sixteen inches above the floor. To do a
flutter kick to cadence, do one repetition per count. Use a moderate
cadence.

5. Swimmer

Lie prone on the floor with the feet together and with the arms together and
extended forward in front of the body. Keep the arms and legs straight that
at all times during this exercise. Move the right arms and left leg up.
Return to the staring position. Move the left arms and right leg up.
Return to the starting position. Continue in an alternating manner.


6. Jump-Turns

Jump and turn in the air so that you are facing the opposite direction.
Repeat four times on the left and then turn and do four jumps on the left.

7. X-Jumps
Place your hands on your hips feet wide apart. Jump and cross your feet
right over left; jump and cross your feet left over right.


8. Squat Bender
Stand with the feet shoulder width apart, hands on the hips and thumbs in
the small of the back. Elbows should also be back. Bending the knees lower
yourself to a half-squat position while maintain balance on the balls of the
feet. With the trunk inclined slightly forward to the arms forward to
shoulder level with the elbows locked and the palms down. Recover to the
starting position. Keeping the knees slightly bent, bend forward at the
waist, touching the ground in from of the toes. Use a moderate cadence and
recover to the starting position.

9. The Engine

Stand with the arms straight and in front of the body. The arms should be
parallel to the ground with the palms facing downward. Bring the left knee
upward to the left elbow. Return to the starting position. Be sure to keep
the arms parallel to the ground throughout the entire exercise. Use a
moderate cadence.

10. Jumping Rope

Use a variety of jump rope jumping with two-foot landings, one-foot landing,
arm crossovers, and side-to-side jumping.

11. Lateral Hop

Hop over low cones or boxes in a specific area. Cones can be placed in a
lateral or zig zag position.

12. Step to it

Step up on an aerobic box with one foot, both feet and in a vertical and
horizontal direction. You can also vary the motion by tapping with your
various feet and slowly stepping front and backward on the step. Advanced
learners can take both feet and hop up and down the step.

13. Mule Kick

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Jump up repeatedly while kicking
heels toward buttocks. Repeat and Use a moderate cadence.

14. High Jumper

Stand with feet about shoulder-width apart with knees flexed. Bend
forward at waist, aligning arms with torso and hips. Keep arms straight at
all times with palms facing. Keep head and eyes to front. Jump slightly
while swinging arms up to shoulder level and back to start position. Jump
strongly while swinging arms to overhead position while briefly looking
skyward. While descending, return arms to side, head, and eyes to front,
and flex knees. Repeat and use a moderate cadence. Lower body training is
not only important for teaching specific sports but also for everyday
living. So get into the circuit and enjoy life!



Core Circuit Training 101

It is essential with circuit training that your train the core hard and
strong. Students that develop strong backs will have less back pain and hip
problems as adults. A little minor uncomforting work of doing abdominal and
back work is worth a future of a strong and healthy lifestyle. Core
exercises are great for the back, abdominals, and the obliques.


1. Tummy Tightener

Sit in the long-sit position. Lean back slightly and pretend to climb a
rope overhand. This is a great exercise for the abdominals and the upper
back.


2. Curl-ups
Elbows are next to body and chest. Keep feet flat on floor. Curl up and
move elbows to knees. This is another great exercise for the upper
abdominals.

3. Supine Bicycle

Assume a supine position with the hips and knees flexed. Place the palms
directly on top of the head with the fingers interlaced. Bring the left
knee upward while curling the trunk upward, and touch the right elbow to the
left knee. Repeat with the other side of the body. Do it with a slow
cadence. This exercise works both the oblique and the lower abdominals.

4. Prone Stabilizer

Start on your stomach and raise yourself into a modified push up position
with all your weight balanced on your forearms and toes. Keep your back as
straight as possible. Slowly raise your left leg until it lines up with
your back. Hold this position for four seconds then lower the left leg and
repeat for four seconds with the right leg. This exercise helps strengthen
and straighten out the back.

5. Fire Hydrant or Mule Kick

Start on your hands and knees. Maintain a 90-degree angle of your left
knee. Lift up your left leg until the thigh is parallel with your upper
body. Hold for four seconds and then lower. Repeat the same motion, but
this time continues it by forcing the knee and thigh as far to the left as
possible. Hold for four seconds. Now move your right leg, repeating the
sequence alternating the left and right legs upward, and out. This works the
back but also is great for the inner and outer thighs.

6. Side Stabilizer

Lie on your right side with your right elbow under your shoulder. The left
foot is resting on the right foot. Press down with your forearm and foot
until your lift your body off the ground. Keep your body as straight as
possible, and do not allow your hips to sag. Hold for thirty seconds and
repeat on the left side. This works the lattisimus dorsi muscles but also
the anterior and posterior deltoids.

Circuits allow excess energy to be used but and allow students to focus on
specific skills. Practicing these skills can even show strengths and
weaknesses for specific sports interests or talents. The love of sports
early can translate into physical education participa