Weight Loss Circuit Training Workout

By Rick Morris

Circuit training is an excellent workout for runners since it combines a number of fitness enhancing running components with a great strength training session. As good as circuit training is for improving your fitness and running performance it may be even better at helping you get down to your running weight.

The process of losing weight isn't rocket science, no matter what the weight loss industry would like you to believe. It is a simple equation of calories in versus calories out. So if you want to lose those last few pounds that are between you and your running weight you simply need to eat a healthy diet with proper portion sizes, burn extra calories through exercise and increase your metabolism. You need to provide the healthy eating yourself, but the following weight loss circuit will give you a high calorie burning running workout combined with a metabolism boosting strength training session.

Do the following runs and strength exercises in order with no recovery between the various components. Before beginning this speed circuit warm up with 1 mile at an easy pace followed by some dynamic drills.

• Run 800 meters at 5K pace

• Do 20 push ups

• Run 400 meters at mile pace

• Do 20 one leg squats on each leg

• Run 1600 meters at 10K pace.

• Do 20 Stride Step Ups on each leg

• Run 8 x 100 meter acceleration strides. Recover between each repeat with 15 seconds of recovery

• Perform 25 meters of double leg forward hops

• Run for 1600 meters alternating between sprinting the corners and running easy on the straights.

• Perform a walking lunge for 25 meters

• Run 1 mile or 1600 meters at an easy pace

• Perform 25 meters of single leg forward hops

• Run 4 x 200 meter repeats at 800 meter pace. Recover between each repeat with 30 seconds of rest.

• Perform 20 decline pushups by placing your feet on the first row of bleachers or on a 12 to 18 inch step.

• Run 3200 meters at tempo pace

• Perform one basic core strength routine

• Run 400 meters at an easy pace to cool down.

At the end of this workout you will have run between about 7 miles at paces ranging from an easy pace to sprint pace. You will have burned somewhere around 1000 calories with your running components, an additional 150 to 200 calories through strength training and you will have giving your metabolism a calorie burning boost through strength training and high intensity running. As an added bonus you have improved your running fitness and race performance.