The Army Training System - AskTOP

time, number of stations, number ofsoldiers, number of times the circuit iscompleted, and sequence of stations.These are discussed below.TimeOne of the first things to consider ishow long it should take to complete thecircuit. When a fixed circuit is run, thetime at each station should always bethe same to avoid confusion and helpmaintain control. Consider also thetime it takes to move from one stationto the next. Further, allow from fiveto seven minutes both before and afterrunning a circuit for warming up andcooling down, respectively.Number of StationsThe objective of the circuit andtime and equipment available stronglyinfluence the number of stations. Acircuit geared for a limited objective(for example, developing lower-bodystrength) needs as few as six to eightstations. On the other hand, circuits todevelop both strength and CR fitnessmay have as many as 20 stations.Number of SoldiersIf there are 10 stations and 40soldiers to be trained, the soldiersshould be divided into 10 groups offour each. Each station must then beequipped to handle four soldiers. Forexample, in this instance a rope jumpingstation must have at least four jumpropes. It is vital in a free circuit thatno soldier stand around waiting forequipment. Having enough equipmentreduces bottlenecks, slowdowns, andpoor results.Number of Times a Circuit isCompletedTo achieve the desired training effect,soldiers may have to repeat the samecircuit several times. For example, acircuit may have ten stations. Soldiersmay run through the circuit threetimes, exercising for 30 seconds ateach station, and taking 15 seconds tomove between stations. The exercisetime at each station may be reduced to20 seconds the second and third timethrough. The whole workout takes lessthan 45 minutes including warm-upand cool-down. As soldiers becomebetter conditioned, exercise periodsmay be increased to 30 seconds orlonger for all three rotations. Anotheroption is to have four rotations of thecircuit.Sequence of StationsStations should be arranged in a sequencethat allows soldiers some recoverytime after exercising at strenuousstations. Difficult exercises can bealternated with less difficult ones.After the warm-up, soldiers can starta circuit at any station and still achievethe objective by completing the fullcircuit.DESIGNING A CIRCUITpects of circuit development.Determine ObjectivesThe designer of a circuit mustconsider many factors. The six stepsbelow cover the most important as-The designer must consider thespecific parts of the body and thecomponents of fitness on which soldiersneed to concentrate. For example,increasing muscular strengthmay be the primary objective, whilemuscular endurance work may besecondary. On the other hand, improvingcardiorespiratory endurancemay be the top priority. The designermust first identify the training objectivein order to choose the appropriateexercises.The designer mustconsider the specificparts of the body andthe components offitness on which soldiersneed to concentrate.7-2