We should know by now…… the benefit of both types of exercises……..
- Resistance training
- Cardiovascular training.
Today, I am not going to argue which is best – both are essential.
I want to talk about my favourite exercises for getting your heart rate up…..and ultimately……burning more body fat than you normally would do.
1. I Luuuurrrrve Sprints!
Sprints will:
- Torch fat
- Improve speed
- Increase muscle all over the body
- Raise your metabolism
And you don’t need much equipment – just space!
The thing is – Many people are too overweight to do them straight away. Some have posture issues, and some are just too heavy or not co-ordinated due to lack of practice.
Stairs to the rescue!
These will be better choice for those transitioning……and make no mistake, thay can be super hard! While Treadmills can be useful……I’m not really a fan of them in general. I think we should be running around – not stuck in the same place.
We often use sleds or prowlers…..which are hard to do but they work really well for fat loss!
They have been used a lot on the Biggest Loser TV program (Very heavy people can use them easily)…..and When I was on a project that went on TV (Fat – The Fight Of My Life) – I used this with Leanne because the spin bikes and rower were too uncomfortable in the early stages.
You can pay more for these if you want really heavy weights – HERE or you can get cheaper ones HERE and HERE
What If you’re not ready for any running? Walking is a start……
But I like to get the metabolism going now and then for better results. (Like we do in our GROUP TRAINING SESSIONS)
So here are some other tools.
Concept 2 rower
The rower is still one of the tools I use with many clients as it’s great for record setting. Whether you are doing
- Short sprints
- middle distances 1000-5000m or longer!
The concept 2 rower is a full-body exercise that you can always improve on.
You can get cheaper rowers for a lot less, but upon talking to hundreds of people, I find they break easily and are not as accurate – and don’t feel nice! Once you have been on one – you will know !
Battle Ropes
Battle Ropes are a great tool to use because they will get your heart rate up without a persons bodyweight being a limiting factor.
Click HERE to check them out……you will want to go outside or get have a big garage!
Carrying objects are one our favourite tools in our bootcamps.
While everyone might not want very heavy dumbells lying around, you might fancy a sand bag or a power bag…….
You can
- Lift it overhead
- Squat with it
- Lunge with it
- Roll around with it
- Go for a walk with it!
Click HERE to view one and see if it’s for you.
I hope this has made you think twice about the myth that ‘running’ is the only way to lose weight. The key is finding something that you enjoy – and that you will keep on doing!
John