Fat Burning Exercises that will give you the edge
When wanting to lose that extra weight most people will use cardio training as their primary exercise to burn fat. This normally takes the form of lots of running and walking or getting on the cross trainer and rower in the gym.
Yes as fat burning exercises they will work but are the results as effective as we seem to think? Recent research now suggests that too much cardio training can have a negative impact when looking to burn fat.
This is due to the fact that an over indulgence in cardio training can mean a reduction in lean muscle mass. If muscle mass is lost then your metabolism is lowered resulting in less calories (ie fat ) being burned. A common result of this is people who lose size but at the same time lose muscle. The loss of muscle results in a much slower metabolism meaning that diet and training must be consistent to stop weight gain.
Secondly when doing low to moderate intensity cardio training your metabolic rate is only elevated for maybe 1-3 hours after you have finished your session so your capacity to burn fat in the “after-burn” of exercise is very limited.
After examining these points it can be argued that the most effective exercises for fat burning are performed at high intensity with the focus on building lean muscle to produce a strong fat burning post exercise response. Therefore to burn fat you need lots of free weight and bodyweight exercises in your workouts. However for fat burning not all of these exercises are suitable. You should concentrate on multi joint movements that engage lots of different muscles resulting in more energy being used.
The chief exercises you should perform on a regular basis are:
Squats – Perform various types using free weight dumbbells and Barbells (No Machines!)
Deadlifts – Again to be performed with Dumbbells and Barbells
Chest and Shoulder Presses – No Machines if possible
Push ups- Use varying techniques to increase the difficulty
Pullups - Very difficult for most people only perform if you can do full range of movement. If you cannot do this exercise then use lat Pulldowns
Lunges – Vary between front, reverse and side.
Rows – Bent over Rows and cable rows
There are lots of variations of these exercises and I would recommend you investgate further to get more ideas.
As you perform these exercises focus on keeping the intensity high. This requires using heavier weights (weights where you can only manage 6-10 reps) and taking less than 60 seconds rest between sets to maintain an elevated heart rate. I also recommend incorporating training techniques such as super sets where you go from one exercise straight to another then rest. That would be classified as one set. An example of this would be doing 8 reps of deadlifts then performing 8 reps incline chest presses straight away. Using opposing muscle group exercises as your selections tends to have a better effect.
If you are struggling to get the desired results from your cardio routine then I would recommend starting a free weight program as part of your overall plan.
