3 reasons why you should not mix cross fit with circuit training

Everyone gets ready, we are going to a have fight here. I am more than sure! This is a topic that comes across often during workshops, industry discussions or the opinion sharing. Cross fit has become a very popular sports activity, which awakens mixed emotions all around. You can freely say that cross fit exercises have as many diehard fans as opponents. However, anyone who had the opportunity to be more interested in a subject and has bit broader knowledge could see that at first sight exercises of this type look very much like those offered by classic circuit training. Some may ask is cross fit just a fancy name then?

The similarities between typical circuit training and cross fit exercises are just what they look like. Some sports lovers believe that the only visible change is that in cross fit training our own body is used as weight function while circuit training is carried out with the help of a bar and a dumbbell. This is not true - general-purpose training is usually a supplement to the strength training, while the cross fit is a full-time, targeted training. The differences can be seen mainly in the technique and the methods of an exercise and therefore it is worth to say right away: cross fit does not have much to do with circuit training.

The first noticeable difference is the way the exercises are composed – cross fit is based on the combination of various forms of activity, by mixing, for example, bodybuilding  with aerobic exercises.  The circuit exercises are much poorer in this matter and target a specific goal or muscle part. The difference is also in the pace of exercise. Cross fit is known to force a very fast pace and the basis for the effectiveness of such training lies in the dynamics and speed of doing all the exercises in the series. The circuit training, on the other hand, gives you time to pause and take a breath as interruptions are made between individual circuits and also with the lesser load.

Functionality or as other call it more precisely mobility, is also very important - movements exercised in the circuit training are usually focused on tightening muscles and exercises themselves are chosen in order to isolate particular body parts. Cross fit is completely the opposite - movements are natural, muscles should work with maximum functionality and joints with maximum mobility. Even if you try to find a common denominator by saying that in both of the training we are dealing with a series of strength exercises it will soon become apparent that this is not the case. Obviously, cross fit uses typical bodybuilding exercises, but usually these are different sets and most valuable exercises for improving muscle strength are rupture, squat or drop, whereas in the circuit training the emphasize goes rather on stretches or lifts - so even in this case you can see clearly the separation between cross fit and the circuit.

The last of the important differences is the time of exercise. Cross fit is famous for a quick but very intense pace, as typical training can end in a few minutes or up to half an hour. On the contrary, the pace of the circuit training is slow, the passages are fluid and all the repetitions are counted.

Why , as a gym owner or manager, you should care at all and know such things? First of all, you are professionals and you should be aware of all issues  and trends in the fitness industry. You can always give great advice to your staff and customers and be their role model. Knowing such nuances of each training helps you organize your premises better starting from training rooms, equipment through staff and group class schedule. Every piece of information can be transferred successfully into PerfectGym management system and used for your advantage successfully.