Which Workout Is Better for Fat Loss: Bodybuilding or Circuit Training?

Bodybuilding

• Bodybuilders are artists of sorts, striving to showcase the aesthetic attributes of the human physique by maximizing their potential for muscle size and definition. They are dedicated to their quest, and the gym is their mother ship. Most would rather be working out than doing just about anything else. A 2008 study of obese laboratory mice published in "Cell Metabolism" found that the fast glyolytic muscle fiber that results from the type of heavy lifting performed by bodybuilders helps to reduce body fat and reverse obesity. Another study, published in the "Journal of Applied Physiology" found resistance training to be effective for reducing abdominal fat and decreasing total body-fat percentage.

Circuit Training

• Circuit training is designed to work all the major muscles of the body in a sequence that typically alternates between opposing muscle groups. For example, an exercise for the muscles of the chest is immediately followed by an exercise for the back muscles, and so on. Circuits are intended to be done in quick succession with minimal rest between exercises, to save time and maximize caloric burn. High-intensity circuit training, or HICT, intersperses bouts of high-intensity cardio between muscle training exercises, and is highly effective for reducing body fat. Circuit training is unlikely to yield the muscle size and definition attained by bodybuilders, but it will give you toned, lean muscles and a lower body fat percentage if performed consistently over the course of several weeks.

BB versus HICT

• Bodybuilders typically spend between 60 to 180 minutes per workout, four to six days per week, working different muscle groups each day. Weightlifting sets are performed slowly, with one to two minutes of rest between sets. In addition to weightlifting, most bodybuilders do several cardio sessions per week to help reduce subcutaneous body fat. High-intensity circuit training, on the other hand, combines aerobic exercise with weight training, and addresses all the major muscle groups in one workout. The typical HICT workout lasts from 30 to 45 minutes, and should be performed every other day, three to four times per week.

Making the Choice

• Your personal goals, time constraints and personal preferences are important considerations when choosing which type of exercise is right for you. Both bodybuilding and circuit training are effective for reducing body fat. But ask yourself if you are willing and able to invest the time and muster the dedication that bodybuilding requires. And do you want the mass and definition of a bodybuilder, or would you be happier with a more subtle, toned physique?
  Regardless of your choice, it's clear that a long-term exercise program that combines both endurance and strength training will help you reduce body fat and improve your overall health.