Can Circuit Training Build Muscle?
September 11th, 2009
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by admin · Filed Under: Announcements · Articles · Strength Building · Underground Strength Show · Videos · Zach's Workouts · muscle building
Many people equate circuit training with conditioning or fat loss.
Not so. I use circuits frequently AND with heavy weights with my own workouts, and they DO pack on muscle and strength.
The fast pace does boost conditioning as well, which I love, but, take a look at how I crank a circuit below with HEAVY weights. I wanna hear your thoughts when you’re done watching.
Notice I didn’t mess around with light, sissy type weights.
I was performing the military press with 150 lbs.
Deadlifting with 365 lbs.
Sprinting….well, that’s NO joke when you haul ass, it’s an amazing way to improve conditioning, add leg muscle and improve lower body speed and power.
I do the same with Kettlebells when I train with them. I perform circuits, complexes and something called Kettlebell ladders, which is a form of Hybrid Kettlebell Training, where you perform a few exercises for 1 rep each, then 2 reps each, then 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
It will crush you and unleash some bad ass workouts like this in my Hybrid Kettlebell Course which you can find HERE.
I’ll get into the Kettlebells more during the next show, BUT, I wanna get 40 comments minimum and I’ll be unleashing some sick, sick, kick ass Underground Strength Training Secrets next time!
Peace Bruddahs!
–Z–
PS: I have stocked up some amazing footage for you guys during my travels through the states in the past few days. The more you comment and the more you tell me what you want, the easier it is for me to hook you up.
PPS: Tonight is your last chance to get my Hybrid Kettlebell Course as a Bonus at 50% off, 6 weeks worth of workouts to develop brute strength, full body conditioning and fat loss ==> Click HERE.
35 Responses to “Can Circuit Training Build Muscle?”
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I’m not an athlete, but like you say, I train like one. Circuits for strength and conditioning have been my MO for several months now and I’ve NEVER been stronger or in better shape. What has amazed me is how well resistance-based conditioning has translated into other areas. Examples: I ran my PR in a 5K after not having done any running for a couple months leading up to the race (aside from sprint intervals). Also, we just started playing pickup hoop again after a couple month layoff. Literally, all the other guys were dying the first night and I felt great (played horrible, but felt great!) All that while my strength levels go up? Yeah, I’ll take that.
Can’t wait to work in some kettlebell stuff!
Confused about “your” Hybrid Kettlebell Course. I’m guessing this is just affiliate marketing (which is cool), but to be clear it’s Chris and Craig that developed the course, right? Or did you have a hand in it, too?
Hey Zach,
Good point! I’ve been doing circuits and I just started doing some complexes recently and they have been kicking my A$$! I figured as I continue to increase the weight that they would help to build muscle as well (given a caloric surplus.) Right now I’m burning some fat so I’m in caloric deficit, but I can still feel/see that my body is definitely changing and growing stronger.
Keep posting the good stuff, bro!
Brandon
HardgainerMuscleBuilding.com
Jesse ur kickin ass on the court and the weight room bruddah, nice!
The Hybrid Kettlebell Course is a Bonus I gave them, it’s a 6 week course, mixing bodyweight and kettlebells, so YES, I created the course.
It’s a Added Bonus to their TT Kettlebell Workouts Course.
Hope that clears it up bruddah!
Brandon – keep me posted on your success w/the calorie cycling your doing, I prefer cycling carbs (which still cycles calories) but I feel better when eating less starchy carbs , more fuits and veggies!
Looks like your back is doing better man!
Now add some weight to that bar SON!!
Zach – your sick bro! way to kick some weight – these videos are great to motivate me in the morning to get me going in the gym with some adrenalin running. keep on keepin on bruddah – I used to live in Staten Island so I know dirty Jersey bro, miss that shit though – Texas is a different ball game. Thanks for all your support.
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Gotta love circuits. Real time savers and are very training economy friendly! I actually did a bar complex yesterday with 110 lbs and it was brutal! Took me 23 minutes to complete…
**Completed the following for 4 rounds, best time***
Deadlift x 6
RDL x 6
Bent Row x 6
Power Clean x 6
Front Squat x 6
Push Press x 6
Back Squat x 6
Good Morning x 6
Jump Rope x 100 skips
I gotta try the press/deadlift/sprint circuit though, looks tough!!
Nice work, coach; Keep up the good work!
Zach,
I love what you’re doing!
Where did you get the bar you were doing the push presses with? I like the neutral grip. I haven’t seen too many of those around. I’ve also heard it called different things.
Omar
Another great post Zach!
dig the style of training and the intensity. Always wondered about doing circuit style training like that….so it’s good to know you can still pack on the slabs of muscle that way.
I’ve been doing squats and deads on the same day recently and love it! How often would you cycle them in together like this? Always? Once every couple months?
Love the passion…keep it up!
Matt
Love the intensity!
I’ve been doing circuits like this too incorporatiing heavy weights, they are BRUTAL! but what i do after heavy deadlifts or squats is do about 10 jumps front and back and side to side…these are just a killer! got any toughts on that?
also i noticed that on the military presses you used your hips to drive more power, im guesssing you do this to build more functional strength as opposed to the typical bodybuilding strength wich requires “perfect form”…i would appreciate it you expanded on this….anyway
keep tearing up the weights!
-Luis-
yea yea yea Z!!!!
Love the heavy lifting. Rounds with that heavy sh*%t is sure to test you. When you train hard like that you get in the zone. For me it’s when time seems to stop and it’s just me and the gym. I have no thoughts except of cruishing iron and getting freaking huge. It takes a few minutes, but I can feel myself start to turn green. Ha Ha!
YES YES YES Zach!!!
I started using circuit with heavy weights couple of months ago and I am getting freakin strong. I am not one of the “big guys”
I actually stopped doing any seated workout like
shoulderpress, lat pull down etc.
I have to use a bit less weight though doing the workouts standing but it has improved my core strength and my overall strength big time.
I recently got a nice big Tractor Tire.
Looking forward to flip it & hammer it with the sledge!!
Thanks for all your clips bro.
KEEP GOING…KEEP GOING!!
best of luck
from Ireland
-Silvio-
PS: will visit you next year. Have to meet and see your place. freakin awsome…cant wait!
Tom, yo bro, niiiice! Staten Island to TX is a nice move!
Thnx for rockin the blog!
–z–
John those barbell complexes KILL!
Not even funny dude, those are pure brutality!
–z–
Omar, thnx bruddah, you can get the swiss bar from http://elitefts.com or get the log trainer bar from http://sorinex.com
they both rock BIG time!
–z–
Matt
squats and deads in same workout for me is prob too much
i will prob alternate one from the other every week to keep my back healthy and avoid overuse of same movements.
that works for me, you gotta find how u respond best bruddah!
Luis
that was a push press
you can also do a strict press, which is VERY tough!
They build serious upper body strength!
remember when doing the mil pressing, tension of entire body, especially w/out the push press!
peace bro!
–z–
Joe! congrats on the gym opening!
I’m here in Louisville chillin with Big T!
You guys are gonna crush it w/your gym and amazing knowledge!
LOVE IT!
–z–
Silvio, thnx 4 the message all the way from ireland bruddah!
you are gonna be a beast now that you’re minimizing the sitting / lying down movements
keep us posted bruddah!
–z–
Yeah nice one Z.,
I’ve been doing Barbell complexes as part of a circuit now for a couple of months. I’m surprised I’vegot the energy to type – but I’m loving the workouts.
I took advantage of your promotion of the KB REvolutions course and opted for the Deluxe version which was supposed to include your hybrid KB course but the download didn’t include it. Any ideas?
cheers
Vito
thanks coach Z for keeping me fired up. yours in sweat. troy
i love that type of training but im a little confused what the difference between a circuit and a complex
Vito, u da man, i’m gonna e mail Chris and let him know asap w.your e mail cc’d!
–z–
Good stuff. keep ‘em coming.
Zach may God bless you and your family a million times over for sharing your training knowledge. I’ve used several of your workouts and I’ve definitely seen improvements in my general strength and also in my grip. Your workouts have also worked really well for my combat athletes. You are a great human being and I wish you the best in every endeavour.
Hey coach, glad to see you rocking the deads again. Are you still sprinting to that “other gym”? Thats some serious wrokload … how long do you try to go for or how many rounds?
Thanks a lot Z.,
Got your KB Hybrid course in the email this morning – gonna read it tonight. I’m psyched already.
Just finished my workout today – BB Complex (same one as John C. above – although I got it from T-nation) followed by some deadlifts, then a few supersets of BB Floor Press / Pullups and finishing off with some intervals using KB snatches and skipping. Job done.
laters
Vito
Coach Z,
F#CK!I love it! One of my fav tunes of all time in the background too – “Just Another Victim” by Helmet and House of Pain…best is around the 2:28 mark gets me crazy amped! Love the push-pull complex with the military press and deads! With that sprint in the mix it is a perfect cocktail of ass-whooping!
Great workout simple and brutal BEAUTIFUL *tear* hahahahaha
AGE QUOD AGIS
Christopher
keep up the good work brother
Hey Zach,
That is an awesome workout, very simply but very brutal. I was wondering do you use some of principles from Controlled Fatigue Training. I recently purchased Ori Hofmekler’s e-books on controlled fatigue training and Super Muscle Training and was wondering do you train to create Hybrid Muscles? Thank you for your input.
Z-Man!!!
What up brotha!! Circuit Training is killer for Muscle Building and staying lean at the same time! I incorporate that into my PreContest Training Program ALL THE TIME! Gunna work some circuit training into me and my bruddah’s program when he gets in! Teach the Sgt. whats up! Gotta step my game even another level! He’s a UNIT! Circuit Training Helps my Bowling game too! haha
TE
Nice video!
Your were doing it with great intensity. Definitely you will have a great body structure very soon.
Heavy circuits and/or complexes are my staple when for when I have to get scary!
Nothing gets you in better all round shape, strong, powerful and enduring.
As I said, Scary.
Just what a fighter needs