Well it’s that time of year – bathing suit season. Pause for a moment and don’t scream. Having dealt with this for years I have uncovered a few simple ways to electrify your workouts to get faster results in the next 6-8 weeks before full-fledged summer arrives.
Here are 5 things to know and do in your workouts:
#1 - Reps & Sets
To build fat burning muscle you need to ensure you are working within the correct repetition range.
- 1 - 6 for strength
- 7 - 15 for muscle
- 16+ for endurance
So to build muscle that will rev up your fat burning engines you need to ensure that every set challenges you between 7 - 15 reps. Challenges means you fatigue and can’t do another rep in proper form. Key here is your form.
If the weight is too heavy then you will build strength and tire out before 7 reps and if the weight is too light you will fly past 15 reps and build endurance instead. You want Lean Mean Fat burning muscle. Remember it’s all about quality not just quantity.
#2 – Fat Burning Exercises
Not all exercises are created equal. If you want to build muscle that torches fat then you need to focus more on the "grind" based exercises... Full body – total body movements
- Squats
- Lunges
- Rows
- Deadlifts
- Total body burpees
- Battling Rope circuit series
You will know when you are using a "Grind" based exercise because you will get a pump in the muscles and when done right it will have you breathing hard and your heart rate elevated. It’s a total body effect.
#3 - Efficient Programming
The simplest way to get fit and burn fat is to perform an exercise properly in a proper sequence, rest for 30 seconds to 1 minute and then repeat for 2-3 sets before moving on to the next exercise or next group or circuit of exercises.
You can become time-efficient and burn more if you do supersets or giant sets of exercise, for example:
- Exercise 1
- Exercise 2
- Rest and repeat 3 times
Providing you use 2 exercises that target different movements it is possible to get twice as much done in half the time.
Plus, you will increase your heart rate considerably and get some great fat burning in!
#4 & 5 - Rest and Nutrition
Muscle tissue needs time and good nutrition to regenerate. "You can't build a solid house with rotten wood"
Focus must be placed on eating proper foods sequenced in a supportive manner. When one eats properly they stimulate a fat burning environment and effect. For example, good quality protein should be consumed at every meal to help regenerate muscle tissue and promote new growth.
Also fluid levels are critical – especially with the hotter weather. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water and replacing lost nutrients with smoothies and other sources for proper nutrition and support.
On the recovery side it is critical to limit hard intense exercise to 3-4 times per week so you have time to recover. Too much heavy lifting will be counterproductive and cause your body to shut down and protect itself. One must get plenty of sleep – 7 to 8 hours every night and try to get into a rhythm. This drive our systems, so stop the late nights and crazy social schedule. Make your health and fitness results a priority.
So next time you perform your workout; think about the above points and see how you can perform your workout differently if you want to add some serious fat burning muscle this year. If you need more help and guidance just ask us and we will get you with a fitness professional to set up and guide you to the best summer ever.
