If you look around a regular gym, you would be forgiven for thinking the cardio machine is the best way to lose weight. After all most gyms are full of treadmills, bikes and steppers. But research has shown strength training, using free weights, is the best method of burning fat and therefore losing weight. But not just any strength training.
Let me tell you how to modify traditional weight training to burn fat faster and more efficiently that ever. Research has shown that higher intensity, lower volume and shorter duration resistance training gets rid of fat the fastest. To harness this information we must rethink how we train because some bench press followed by bicep curls just won’t get it done.
Firstly we need to train your whole body every session, using big basic movements. Each session should contain a total leg exercise, an upper body pull, an upper body push, an abdominal exercise and then a whole body movement (this is how I design all the session plans at Highlander Strength and Fitness). My favourites would be reverse lunge, pull ups, dips, grappler twist and tyre flip. We take these exercises and arrange them into a circuit, doing 1 set of all 5 before resting for 1 to 2 minutes. Aim for 5 sets of 8 reps on each exercise with as much weight as you can handle with good technique.
Training like this burns fat quickly because it uses up a lot of calories in a very special way. The circuit will only take about 30 minutes and maybe 300 calories to do but it creates an effect called “afterburn” that increases your metabolism for the next 48 hours. This means you can use up to 600 more calories than you normally would and the total energy cost of the circuit could be around 900 calories. I would have to run at 18 kilometres per hour for 30 minutes to burn that much!
I hope you’re not afraid of strength training; I know some people are. It’s not all about lifting super heavy weights. You start at the level that’s right for you, and work up. At Highlander Strength and Fitness I can coach you the correct technique so you can exercise safely, and guide you on the weight that’s right for you. Get in touch today 🙂