Tags:
Fat Loss Training
Bodybuilding
When designing a weekly plan for your training, consider how different
styles of training affect different systems and thus affect recovery. You need to
allow for some "space" between different kinds of stressors such as nervous
system stressors, joint stressors, spinal compression, and metabolic
stressors.
When trying to burn fat, you should rotate between different types of
alactate (without lactic acid) conditioning that consists of short, intense work
and lactate (produces lactic acid as a byproduct) conditioning that consists of
longer duration work.
Want to lose body fat quickly and keep it off? Stop following those mainstream
fitness workouts designed for your granny. Real fat loss training should build
calluses on your hands. Here are eight rules for effective fat loss training, plus
a sample workout plan that puts them all into action.
1.Prioritize Nutrition
Yes, this is a training article, but nutrition is the single most important thing for
fat loss. If you're serious about stripping off body fat, you must make time for
grocery shopping, cooking, meal prep, doing dishes, and keeping a food
journal. If you don't have time for this, make time. Cut down on time wasters
like social media, web surfing, playing on your cell phone, or TV.
If you truly have eliminated every possible time waster and are still pressed for
time, train less to have the time to take care of your nutrition. That's right, train
less! For example, in my fat loss programs, I have Tuesdays and Saturdays
as shopping/meal prep days. You can still train on these days, but if you're
truly pressed for time, sacrifice your training on these days to take care of
your top priority for fat loss your nutrition.
As far as what to eat, there's no rule that says you have to perfectly follow a
particular diet. You probably already what foods are getting you into trouble.
However, certain aspects of certain diets are worth emulating. For instance,
you can take aspects of the paleo diet (natural, single-ingredient foods, meats,
fish, whole eggs and vegetables) without unnecessarily restricting other foods
that are not paleo but still support your training goals, like quality supplements
such as fish oils, BCAA's, protein, peri-workout nutrition and some starchy
carbs such as rice).
3.Get Stronger
While most people understand that getting stronger is important for building
muscle and enhancing performance, its relevance for fat loss is often
overlooked. When your goal is fat loss, you want to burn as much fuel as
possible. To do this, you want your body to be as fuel inefficient as possible.
One of the huge problems with cardio for fat loss is that the more you do, the
better you get at it and thus the more fuel efficient you become. With
resistance training the opposite is true. The better you get at strength training,
the more weight you can lift and the more it takes out of you. Spending some
of your training time getting stronger allows you to do all your other forms of
training (e.g., metabolic resistance training, conditioning) at a higher/faster
level and this makes them even more effective for getting rid of unwanted
body fat.
4.Build Muscle
Virtually everyone trying to lose body fat should gain some muscle. Most
people know this, but it bears repeating again and again. Even a few extra
pounds of lean muscle means a lot more calories burned each day.
6.Schedule Wisely
When designing a weekly plan for your training, consider how different styles
of training affect different systems and thus affect recovery. For example:
Joint stressors:sprints, high impact jumps, heavy barbell training
Spinal compression:heavy squats, deadlifts, farmer's walks.
Nervous system stressors:speed/power training, heavy, low-rep training
(especially >90% 1RM), training to failure
Metabolic stressors:lactate work (i.e., doing things that last about 30 seconds
to 3 minutes and produce a lot of lactic acid. Great for fat loss, but harder to
recover from).
Allow for some "space" between different types of stressors. For example, if
you stress something one day, do a lighter session or work a different type of
stress the next day. The sample plan at the end will show you how to program
this.
7.Rotate Strategies
As with any goal, following an effective program will only work for so long
before you hit a plateau. Too often people trying to lose body fat just use
intense metabolic resistance training and HITT (high intensity interval
training). While these are excellent, they won't work forever. With fat loss
programs, switch as needed to different strategies such as the following:
Metabolic resistance training:Use moderate weights for moderate reps while
alternating upper/lower body exercises or doing whole body circuits.
Strength training:Use more traditional strength training methods to allow you
to lift more weight when you return to metabolic resistance training.
Bodybuilding:Focus on building lean muscle to raise metabolic rate and
doing brisk walking to burn a few extra calories.
Strength plus conditioning:Focus on getting stronger in the weight room and
doing challenging forms of conditioning to boost EPOC (that after-burn effect).
The trick is to not only periodize your training, but to periodize your diet, too.
When some people try a lower-volume strength training program, they find
they gain fat. This isn't because of the training. Obviously, strength training
doesn't cause fat gain. However, if you switch from higher volume training
(think typical fat loss metabolic stuff) to a lower volume training (think
powerlifting program) and don't drop down your carbs and total calories, you'll
gain fat.
8.Get Outside
We're made to be outdoors. While it's not always practical to haul a whole
barbell set outside or train at Muscle Beach, look to do something physical
outside. Run sprints at the track, find a hill and do sprints, push a Prowler or
pull a sled. Grab a sledgehammer and try to beat an old tire to a pulp. Also,
consider bringing minimal equipment like kettlebells to a park and having an
outdoor session. Or, do what I do, which is train with barbells in my basement
gym and then do farmer's walks up and down the sidewalks of my
neighborhood. Also, doing some other activities such as sports or outdoor
recreation is great to not only burn a few extra calories, but also to have fun,
reduce stress, and enjoy the benefits of the finely conditioned machine you're
building in the gym.
Warm-Up
Do what you need to do to get warm and ready. Foam rollers, dynamic
mobility, and corrective exercises are all fine here, but don't get carried away
with these. Five to ten minutes should be fine for most, unless you're a real
mess. Including a few short sprints, jumps, or medicine ball throws to excite
your nervous system is also a good idea.
Monday
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest
2-3
3-5
2-3 min.
3-5
1 min.
B2 Weighted Chin-Up
3-5
1 min.
2-4
30 yd.
2-3 min.
Farmer's Walk*
How to do them: Find a soccer field. Starting in one corner, sprint diagonally
across the field at about 75% of your max speed to the opposite corner. When
you get there, walk across the width of the field to the corner on the other
side. That is one set, repeat for 8-15 sets. This will help improve your
conditioning while facilitating recovery so you're ready for the next day's hard
training. If you don't live in Brazil where there are soccer pitches everywhere,
improvise. A park will do. Pick two trees instead of corners.
Wednesday
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest
3-5
8-10
45 sec.
A2 Kettlebell Swing
3-5
8-10
45 sec.
3-5
8-10
45 sec.
3-5
30-40 yd.
45-60 sec.
Thursday
Tempo runs (same as Tuesday) or 30-60 minute brisk walk.
Friday
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest
A1
4-5
3-5
1 min.
A2
4-5
3-5
1 min.
A3
4-5
3-5
1 min.
Alactate Conditioning Same idea as what you followed Monday, but you can
use a different option than you did the previous time. For example, if you did
40-60 meter sprints on Monday, do Prowler pushes, stadium sprints, or
sledgehammer.
Sets
Reps
Rest
8-10
10 sec.
12-15
90 sec.
8-10
10 sec.
8-10
10 sec.
8-10
2 min.
8-10
10 sec.
8-10
10 sec.
8-10
2 min.
3-5
8-10
90 sec.
8-10
60 sec.
* These tri-sets are based on Charles Poliquin's method. The third exercise in
the tri-set is a return to the first exercise, only you use less weight when you
come back to that exercise.
SundayLight Activity
A brisk walk or leisurely bike ride.