We’ve all seen those guys in the gym wearing tight workout gear while dominating the scale at a very brutal 145 pounds. They hop from machine to machine, working their tails off yet never really moving that much weight. And, as the years pass, they never really look much different either. They don’t look worse, per se. But they don’t look better. They use circuit training (lining up multiple movements in a row) to train their full body. Their bodies reach a level of development congruent with the demand of circuit training, and they stop growing.

Should we write off circuit training as a result? Not necessarily. We can mock the level of development of these spandex giants, but if we apply our own understanding of hard work and progressive resistance to their circuit training practice, we may be able to develop a formula for successful circuit training for mass which will allow us to make gains in a very short amount of time. Let’s title this approach “Circuit training for mass” and discuss the basic tenets of this principle.

First off, it should be understood that this is full body training. For this reason, we’re going to select those 8 or 10 movements which deliver the most effective gains. We will be ignoring some isolation movements, and focusing mainly upon compound movements which deliver the most mass to the most body parts. These movements can include:

Bench Press
Deadlift
Chins
Barbell Curls
Squats
Leg Curls
Shoulder Press
Skullcrushers

You can rotate out your movements based upon available equipment, preference, and for variety. The goal, of course, is to hit your body with as many mass-building movements in as short a time as possible.

Now that you’re ready to start, you’ll need some space to train. It’s much more effective to train at home (where you have all of the equipment to yourself) or at a nearly empty gym, where you can use multiple machines without fear of interfering with anyone else’s workout.

Begin with the bench press. Complete a set, then immediately move to the deadlift cage. The only rest you should get will be the time it takes you to move from one station to the next, which should be 10 to 15 seconds. Move from the deadlifts to the chin bar. Then, complete your set of barbell curls. You’re now ready for a 2 to 4 minute break. Once you are ready to begin (the sooner the better), you should begin with squats (or another major thigh/glute builder). Complete your set, and then move to leg curls, where you train the hamstrings. From there, immediately hit your shoulders then triceps. You’ve completed two cycles now. Take a rest, and start cycle #1 again. Keep going for 6 to 10 total cycles.

This workout can be performed 2 to 3 times per week, based upon your recovery ability and available schedule. It will allow you to make muscle and strength gains while spending a very short amount of time in the gym.

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