Playing the Circuit : Many people focus on aerobics or weight training, but some clubs recommend a combination for cardiovascular conditioning and body strengthening.

There are those people--the weight lifters--who exercise to increase strength and muscle tone. Then there are those--the aerobic class devotees--who exert themselves to improve their cardiovascular conditioning.

And then there are the people who wisely do it all. They circuit train.

The circuit workout offered at some area clubs provides cardiovascular conditioning and body strengthening in an hour session by alternating intervals of aerobic activity and light weight training.

“Many people who just take traditional aerobics classes don’t realize that they aren’t getting a complete workout,” said Harlowe Kvale, a certified aerobics instructor who teaches circuit classes at Family Fitness Center in Orange. “You need to do cardiovascular work and full-body resistance exercises. The circuit class combines both.”

Combining resistance work with aerobic conditioning speeds up your fat metabolism and lowers your percentage of body fat, said Melane Barney, aerobics coordinator at the Sporting Club at Lakeshore Towers in Irvine, which has a circuit class.

“A recent American College of Sports Medicine study showed that you need to do resistance work at least three times a week,” she said. “You must work every major muscle group, doing no less than two sets of 12 repetitions for each area.”

The circuit workout gets results, Barney says.

“People who take the class soon notice more muscle definition and body tone than they previously got from a traditional aerobic workout,” Barney says. “Circuit classes won’t build big muscles--you can only do that if you lift very heavy weights for short repetitions--but the class does build muscle endurance, which leads to a long, lean, toned look.”

Aerobics instructor Wendy Watson of Villa Park started in the circuit class when it was introduced 1 1/2 years ago at Family Fitness Center.

“The class has definitely helped me tone,” she says. “I’ve had many comments on how much more definition I have. I’m also a lot stronger now.”

Although some area clubs have recently started offering circuit classes, the concept is nothing new.

“Circuit training is used in almost every sport,” Kvale says. “Runners will sprint 100 yards, then walk 100 yards, and then repeat the process. This tones their muscles and develops endurance, which is what the circuit class is also designed to do. It enables you to stay in good shape by taking just three classes a week.”

Evenly working out all of your muscles also keeps your body balanced and promotes good posture. Circuit class workouts exercise muscles in the chest, back, biceps, triceps, legs, buttocks and abdomen.

The circuit class at Family Fitness Center is 75 minutes long and is taught by two instructors. It starts with 10 minutes of aerobic warm-up and five minutes of low impact. Some then switch into a high-impact workout, while others continue the low-impact workout.

After five minutes of aerobics, participants go to one of 13 weight stations around the room. They perform that exercise for one minute and then return to the center of the floor for another minute of aerobics. This pattern continues for 26 minutes, until all stations have been completed.

Depending on the muscles being worked, stations contain weights from 2 1/2 to five pounds, exertubes (rubber tubing used for resistance work), hard body bars (bars with attached rubber tubing also used for resistance work), mats and steps.

While one teacher stays at the front of the room continually performing aerobics for those who don’t wish to visit stations, the other instructor helps anyone who needs weight training assistance.

Once participants have completed each exercise once, they do a “circuit blast,” quickly returning to each station for 30 seconds each. The class ends with some light leg, arm and abdominal work, a cool down period and stretching.

Barney’s class is set up differently. It runs 55 minutes and uses steps instead of traditional aerobics for cardiovascular work.

There are six stations that contain five steps in a row with a weight station at the end. After six minutes of warm-up, participants walk up and down on one of the steps for a minute, then move to the following step for another minute, until they reach the weight station.

Once at the weight station, they perform that particular exercise for a minute and then move to the beginning of the next row. This procedure is followed until everyone has completed all of the rows, which takes 36 minutes. There is then five minutes of cool down, five minutes of abdominal work and three minutes of stretching.

“At all times there is an aerobic instructor on the step and two personal trainers on each side of the room cheering participants on and offering assistance whenever necessary,” Barney says.

Her class uses 3- to 15-pound weights and exertubes at each station.

When participating in a circuit class, it’s critical to keep moving at all times. “It’s important to jog to the stations, not walk, because when you stop suddenly your heart rate drops too quickly and that isn’t healthy,” Kvale said.

Kvale said that the class is especially helpful for women, who tend to be bashful about lifting weights in the weight room.

“Many women often have no idea how to lift weights and are afraid to ask for help,” he said. “The circuit class gives them valuable knowledge and confidence. After attending some classes, I’ll see some women lifting in the weight room and trying out the machines.”

The class is also beneficial for men, Kvale said, but usually for the opposite reason. “Many men don’t realize that a cardiovascular workout is just as important as building muscles,” he said.

Perhaps the best part about the circuit class is the group atmosphere.

“Many people come to the class because it’s fun,” said Kvale, who usually has a crowd of 30 to 40. “Unlike a regular aerobics class, where there’s no opportunity to socialize, you get to briefly talk with people at the stations.”

“The class really makes weight training enjoyable,” agreed Watson, who finds weight machines “boring” and prefers the motivation that a class brings. “It’s really fun, and you leave feeling great because you got a full body workout.”