Your weekend workout: The cardio strength circuit

November 14, 10:47 AMMinneapolis Fitness ExaminerMalia Frey

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This weekend's workout is perfect for the busy multitasker. An embedded workout, sometimes called a circuit, is a variation of last week's interval workout, but instead of alternating between brief cardio segments, you alternate slightly longer segments of aerobic and strength training activity. Like the interval workout, the benefit of a circuit is that the time goes by quickly. But this is also a particularly good workout for people who don't like lifting weights because the segments are brief and easy to tolerate.

If you have access to a health club, this is a simple workout to put together. The entire workout should last 45 to 90 minutes. After a 10 minute aerobic warm up, simply alternate seven minute intervals of cardio and strength training exercises. While the cardio segments can all be done on a single machine, try to move around and use as many as possible to make the time pass more quickly. The key is to keep your heart rate elevated to approximately 70-75% of your max. For a review of heart rate, check out Your weekend workout: walk this way. 

During the strength segments, your heart rate will drop, but your goal is to keep it at the bottom or right under your aerobic range, at 65-70%. Keep the weights light, the sets quick, and the breaks short. The embedded workout can not be your major weight training workout for the week because it does not allow for the longer recovery periods between sets that are necessary for lifting substantial weight. The goal of this circuit is to keep it moving. Try doing two sets each of one lower body and one upper body exercise then hop back on a cardio machine. You'll notice that the lower body exercises, which engage larger muscle groups, do a better job of keeping your heart rate elevated.

If you do not have access to a gym, this is still a great workout. Combine aerobic activities from Weekend Workout articles, stair climbing, walking and intervals, with basic strength training exercises such as push ups, squats, walking lunges, and ab curls. While these exercises are not new and don't require any fancy equipment, they are still extremely effective. In addition, all of these exercises have variations that will keep you busy for the duration of the workout.

Next week, look for part one of my five part series on Yoga. Other upcoming articles to look for include: How to Set Up A Low Cost Home Gym, Workouts with kids, and Three reasons to hire a personal trainer and three reasons not to.

Click here to return to the complete list of interval workouts