What is circuit training and what are the benefits of it?

Monday, September 14, 2009

Circuit training is a style of training meant to target fat loss, muscle definition, and strengthen the heart and lungs by doing a combination of high intensity aerobics training and resistance training. There are many different ways circuit training can be performed. Circuit training usually consists of anywhere from 7-12 different exercises meant to be a full body work out, with minimal rest in between sets and exercises. Usually the only resting time that you get is the amount of time it takes you to go from one exercise to another. Exercises can consist of machines, hydraulics, free weights, bands, calisthenics, or you can combine them all together.

You can perform your exercises based on reps or time. If it is reps then you ideally want to keep the reps high shooting for no less than 20 reps per station and ideally between 25-30 reps. If it is time then you would want to shoot for anywhere from 1-2 minutes per exercise then immediately go to the next exercise. You should not stop between sets to rest; instead you want to stay constant and the intensity high.

One of the conveniences about circuit training is that you can perform it anywhere. You can easily do it in a gym, at home, at a park, or even at the beach. You can design it so that all of your exercises are laid out in a circle for better convenience or you can jump around from exercise to exercise however it is laid out in either the gym, home, or park setting.

It should be noted that circuit training is well designed for aerobic endurance, fat loss, and muscle definition but if you are looking to bulk up and put on more muscle and get stronger then this is the wrong style to perform. This is geared for more fitness and health than it is for bodybuilding.

Circuit training is also a very good form of exercise to perform if you are limited on time. You can get a full body work out in and do it in the least amount of time. Perfect for the person on their lunch break who can only get about 30-40 minutes in and still have time to wash up and even get a light lunch in afterwards.

What are amino acids

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. They band together in chains and form peptides or polypeptides (more than one peptide). The kinds of amino acids determine the shape of the proteins. This is the process on how proteins are formed.

There are 20 different kinds of amino acids and they can be divided into two kinds. Ten of them are classified as essential amino acids, meaning that the body does not synthesize them and they have to be taken in from food sources, and the other ten being classified as non-essential amino acids which can be produced within our body.

Here are the 10 non essential amino acids:

Alanine
Asparagines
aspartic acid
Cysteine
tyrosine
glutamine
glutamic acid
glycine
proline
serine

Here are the 10 essential amino acids:

Phenylalanine
tryptophan
Valine
Arginine
Histidine
isoleucine
Leucine
lysine
Methionine
threonine

Tryptophan is probably one of the best known essential amino acid due to its multifunctional purposes for humans. Some of the purposes are, it aids in the induction of normal sleep, reduces anxiety, artery spasm risks, and depression. It also helps to build a stronger immune system.

The human body does not store excess amounts of amino acids like the way it does carbohydrates and fats. If you don’t consume enough amino acids on a daily basis it will result in protein degradation. Amino acids are essential for almost all bodily functions and they make up 75% of the human body. Amino acids and the proteins that they form play a vital role in every chemical reaction that occurs within your body.