Question:
How do you discover the best metabolic boosting/ fat burning exercise for you?
A: This is a great question and is also unique in that it's asking about specifics pertaining to an individual.
I would say if your goal is to boost your metabolism/burn fat then you would want to start with these 3 questions in mind:
What physical activity do I like to do?
For some people it is agility training, for others it is throwing around kettlebells. Continue to discover exercises that you like to do. This is really the first step to building a sustainable exercise regimen.
What areas do I want to be strong?
This means focusing on areas that you want to excel at and put more emphasis on. For example some people desire strong arms so they would need to find specific exercises that target the arms and are at an intensity & skill level that is appropriate for them.
You can also choose to pursue athletic goals. For example a person who wanted to improve their ability to balance on a single leg would work with exercises specific to that athletic goal.
Decide what area you want to improve. Find exercises that you enjoy doing while working the target area you are trying to improve.
What’s been shown to be effective?
This one involves doing some research to make sure you are following valid training principles. This will save you from doing low value exercises pertaining to your goal.
Here is a great example specific to metabolism/weight loss:
ACE fitness performed a study with individuals using kettlebells to test the effectiveness of this exercise modality.
https://www.acefitness.org/certifiednewsarticle/3172/ace-sponsored-research-study-kettlebells-kick-butt/
Twice a week, the subjects participated in an hour-long kettlebell class led by a pair of certified trainers. Each class began with a 5-minute active warm-up before moving on to 30 to 45 minutes of kettlebell exercises, including one- and two-handed swings, snatches, cleans, presses, lunges and Turkish get-ups. Each class concluded with a 10-minute cool-down period. At the beginning of the study, the trainers encouraged participants to use a kettlebell weight that felt manageable and then progress to heavier weights as they felt more comfortable with the movements.
The Results
In addition to the predictable strength gains, kettlebell training was also shown to markedly increase aerobic capacity, improve dynamic balance and dramatically increase core strength.
“When most people think of resistance training, they don’t think of being able to increase the aerobic capacity,” says Dr. John Porcari, head of the University’s Department of Exercise and Sport Science. “Yet, we saw a 13.8 percent increase in aerobic capacity.”
The most dramatic increase in strength came in abdominal core strength, which was boosted by 70 percent. Meanwhile, dynamic balance (in the posterolateral direction) showed a significant improvement.
In all, compared to the control group, those subjects who completed the kettlebell training showed significant improvements in VO2max, leg press, grip strength, dynamic balance and core strength.
Kettlebells are a good example of high value exercises for metabolic boosting/fat loss.
Other training methods that are great for metabolic boosting are kickboxing and speed, agility, quickness training.
Here is a great article about kickboxing for metabolism:
SAQ article.
The common factor for these exercises are full body repeated rapid movements. Whether you are punching, doing body squats, swinging a kettlebell, or skipping (SAQ); you want to make sure that you are involving multiple muscle groups simultaneously at a fairly rapid pace. This increases the heart rate and challenges your cardiovascular and respiratory systems causing a strong metabolic response.
Using one or all these exercise types in a workout is a good way to start to increase metabolism/burn fat efficiently. Over time you will find the exercises you like the most and that also work well with your body.
Sample Routine:
Metabolism boosting workout focusing on strengthening glutes, hamstrings, chest and triceps. Adding in boxing for fun, and agility for coordination.
Quick Warm-Up: 3-5mins
Toe Touch overhead- 2 sets of 15 reps
Active Heel Reach- 2 Sets of 10 each leg
Body Squat w/ Calf Raise- 2 sets of 10
Workout:
*Set a timer for 10-15 mins. and do the following until time is up:
Walking Kettlebell Swing- 20 reps
Push-ups- 10 reps; any variation you want.
Shadowbox- 1-2-3 Repeat combo 20x * exhale sharply as you punch
Agility- Carioca/Grapevine 10 steps each leg- 5 times total
Active Recovery- light Jog or Walk 45-75sec.
Cool-down:
Seated Hamstring stretch- 2 x 30sec.
Calf Stretch- 2 x 30sec.
Overhead Lat Stretch- 2 x 30sec.
Chest stretch- 2 x 30sec.
This is a great workout that does not take too much time and will provide great results in boosting metabolism and enhancing other athletic qualities.
Remember that as your exercise intensity increases your duration will have to decrease and this is great example of that.
Give it a try and message me with any questions or feedback!
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