Web Doctor Articles

When looking to shed those excess pounds people generally turn to cardio activity as their main fat burning exercises. This normally takes the form of lots of running and walking or getting on the cross trainer and rower in the gym.

For fat burning these exercises can be effective, however are they really the best way to do it? 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 result of this is people who are thin but don’t have much lean muscle. This lack of muscle can make them very prone to weight gain should they eat normally again or stop training.

Another reason why moderate intensity cardio training is not as effective is that after doing this exercise your metabolic rate is only kept high for possibly 1-3 hours after you finish. This leads to a limited fat burning window in what can be called the “after-burn” of exercise.

After examining this information we can conclude that for a more stronger and longer fat burning post exercise state focus on exercises that build muscle performed at high intensity. This means having a high proportion of free weight exercises as part of your fat burning plan. If must be noted that not all of these kind of exercises are suitable. For a more effective workout focus on multi joint movements that use lots of muscles and therefore lots of energy.

The key 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 examine further to get more ideas.

To make these exercises burn lots of fat keep the intensity high throughout your workout. 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. Another highly advised technique is to perform supersets to maintain intensity. Supersets involve a pair of exercises being performed without rest as on rep. That would be classified as one set. A great example of this is 10 reps of bent over rows then performing 10 reps Shoulder presses right away. This does work better if you use opposing muscle groups in your exercise choices.

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.