Traditional vs. Circuit

I recently received an email from Gold's for a free PT session, so I went in today to use it. I wanted to see if I could learn anything about using the weight room and performing exercises using free weights. However, like the last trainer I worked with, he showed me how to do a circuit. He assured me that it would burn fat quicker than doing traditional resistance training, which involves doing 2 or 3 sets, then moving to a different exercise. As in the circuit that the previous PT demonstrated for me, this circuit involved small bursts of cardio. I'm sure I would have appreciated this more...had I not already done 25 minutes on the elliptical prior to the PT appointment. We did about 8 different exercises, doing one rep of each, moving quicking between each exercise, and did the circuit 3 times.

Overall, he was helpful, and did show me how to do a barbell squat (though I had to ask him), but I still really wanted to work more with the free weights and learn how to do traditional resistance training. I don't really see anyone in there doing circuits on their own, so are circuits truly where-it's-at? It makes me wonder if the trainers are supposed to tell all the free clients the same thing, then maybe cater more to their requests once they become paying clients. Or maybe I'm just thinking about that too hard. Conspiracy!

Anyway, I've been reading a couple of resistance training books geared towards women. The first, New Rules of Lifting for Women, gives you specific exercises to do in specific stages. The other book, Sculpting Her Body Perfect, recommends three different stages, but gives you a number of exercises to choose from in order to design your own routine. You do your whole body three times a week, using one exercise per area of the body. At the moment, I'm leaning towards Sculpting to get started, and maybe continue on with NROLW when I become more comfortable in the weight room.

I'm visiting my parents in the town where I grew up, so I'll get in a couple of runs on FLAT ground, which will be nice. I'll also get to run through our neighborhood, which is always an adventure, and kinda nice. And maybe, after these runs, I'll announce something BIG! Whoosh! Such a tease...