Metabolic Circuit Purpose - The purpose of the metabolic circuit is to increase muscle mass.

This program has been used by the University of Nebraska Strength program for the past 15 years with great results. t is recommended that it be done by athletes who have at least two years of lifting e!perience. This insures proper lifting techni"ue within the time restrictions utili#ed by the metabolic circuit. $lso% the intensity of the metabolic circuit can result in psychological overtraining% because of the psych re"uired to withstand the pain incurred. &ounger lifters take notice of more advanced lifters doing the circuit and may want to do it themselves. 'y making them wait one to two years insures greater effort when the time comes to do the metabolic circuit. The circuit works best when e!treme effort is used. That effort must be tempered with patience. The purpose of the metabolic circuit is based on the research done by 'ill (raemer% )h*.% on the release of anabolic hormones in response to heavy resistance using different training protocols. +e found by manipulating the acute program variables ,choice of e!ercises% e!ercise order% e!ercise load and rest between sets- had an on the neuroendocirne responses and metabolic adaptations% hence the title of metabolic circuit. The following are the basic results of his research. 1. .reater testosterone release when using large muscle group e!ercises ,e.g. the s"uat% leg press- with heavy resistance. 2. .reater serum growth hormone release when doing / 0 11 as compared to / 0 5. 3. .reater serum growth hormone release when utili#ing a 1 minute rest as compared to / minute rest between sets. . Exercises and Exercise Order Station 21 S"uat or 3eg )ress - works thighs% hamstrings% hips% lower back Station 24 'ench )ress or 5hest )ress - works chest% shoulders% triceps Station 2/ 3at )ull down or 5hin $ssist - works lats% biceps% forearms Station 26 3eg 5url - works hamstrings Station 25 Shoulder )ress - works shoulders% triceps Station 27 3ow 8ow - works lats% biceps% forearms Station 29 3eg :!tension - works "uads Station 2; Triceps )ushdown - works triceps Station 2< $rm 5url - works biceps $. Start with multiple =oint e!ercises and finish with single =oint e!ercises. Exercises utilizing larger muscle groups release more testosterone. $lways start the circuit with the s"uat. S"uats are preferred over leg presses.

This gets testosterone release early in the circuit. Then later in circuit the testosterone can be driven in isolated muscle groups. '. $lternate leg% chest% and back e!ercises to allow for greater recovery of muscle groups. 5. t is better to do slow movement e!ercises during the circuit and not e!plosive >lympic movements for safety purposes. Load - Use a weight that allows / sets of 11 repetitions. More growth hormone is released when the number or repetitions are ten repetitions as opposed to doing five or fewer. .radually build into three sets of ten over the course of three weeks. Then gradually add weight each of the succeeding three weeks. Wee ! - 1 set of 11 reps done two days per week. Wee " - $dvance to two sets at each station before moving to the ne!t station. Wee # - Three sets at each station before moving to the ne!t station. ?eek 6 @ $dd weight ?eek 5 @ $dd weight ?eek 7 @ $dd weight f the athlete cannot complete all / sets of 11 repetitions on any e!ercise then do not increase the weight the following week. $est Period % $llow only 71 seconds of rest when moving from one e!ercise to the ne!t e!ercise. &reater serum growth hormone release when utilizing a ! minute rest as compared to # minutes rest. >ne e!ception is the s"uatA a heavy set of 11 on the s"uat will normally take longer than 41 seconds. So allow as much time as needed to do a set of ten on the s"uat. Then allow 71 seconds of rest. $ wall clock or watch can be used to time the recovery period between sets on the s"uat. t is best to use a circuit timer with the rest of the e!ercises. Set the timer at ;1 seconds. $llow 41 seconds for 11 repetitions. Bor most e!ercises each rep will take about 4 seconds so 41 of the ;1 seconds will be used for the work interval and the remaining 71 seconds will be used for recovery in between sets. Periodization - This type of training should not be used year round. Bor athletes the program should be used during the base phase to develop lean muscle. The metabolic circuit should not be done by young athletes that do not possess ade"uate strength to body weight ratio that allows good techni"ue. The metabolic circuit should be done twice a week. Cost programs utili#e an upper body lower body split. ?ith the metabolic circuit both upper body and lower body are trained on the same day. ?hen doing the metabolic circuit one

day of the split can be an e!plosive day doing the >lympic lifts and the other the metabolic circuit. t is also recommended that one of the days lighter weights are used and the other day heavier weights. $bout a 11D difference is a good rule of thumb. Conday @ :!plosive Tuesday @ Cetabolic circuit ,3ightThursday @ :!plosive Briday @ Cetabolic 5ircuit ,+eavyt is recommended not to do the metabolic circuit for longer than si! weeks at a time. The metabolic circuit should be done no more than twice per year% to prevent overtraining.