Strength Training Like A Fit Chick!Myth: Cardio is the key to burning fat. Fact: Strength training, and even more specifically, circuit training is the most effective way to burn fat! Yes, research shows that cardio burns about 2 more calories per minute than strength training. However, unlike steady pace cardio, your body will continue to burn calories even after you’re done. In an effort to help your muscles recover, your metabolism stays elevated. This leads to a higher number of calories burned overall. EPOC...The After Burn Need more convincing? This "after burn", better know as the post exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) in the scientific world, has long been studied by exercise physiologists. The "after burn" results after a bout of exercise as your body works to deliver oxygen to the previously worked muscles and return your body back to it's pre-workout state. In an effort to restore itself, your body burns more energy (ie. calories). However, while research shows that your body requires far more energy (EPOC levels are higher) for a longer period of time to repair itself after an interval cardio workout than any steady pace cardio workout, they also discovered that the EPOC levels are even higher (more calorie burn) for a longer period of time after intense (circuit style) strength training sessions than both interval cardio and steady pace cardio. In other words,your body will burn far more calories after a kick-butt strength training workout than any type cardio workout. As an added bonus, every pound of muscle burns about 30 calories a day at rest while fat only needs 2 calories a day to sustain its self. This essentially boosts your metabolism and enable you to burn more calories throughout the day…even when you’re snoozing’. Again, the “the after-burn”.
Do It Circuit Style Go from one exercise to the next until you get to the end of the set of exercises (usually 4-6 exercises equals one set). Then, and only then, take 60 seconds to hydrate and recover before you start the next set of exercises. Remember, according to The BIGGEST LOSER's Jillian Micheals , "When done properly, circuit training builds lean muscle and improves aerobic fitness simultaneously, making it nothing less than the most effective fatburning workout." Not to mention, this style allows us to fit in more exercises in a shorter period of time. Why would we do it any other way?!
Super What? While there are numerous ways to incorporate supersets, we are going to focus on combining two strength training exercises that concentrate on the same muscle group. For instance, chest press followed directly by pushups. I love this method, especially for women, because it allows us to overload our muscles without using large amounts of weight and increase the intensity for a greater caloric burn.
Bottom Line What are your waiting for? Pre-designed Full Body Workout Routines
Benefits of Strength Training
Oh, oh. I almost forgot. We, as women, can’t bulk. That's another myth. We don’t have enough testosterone. There you have it...now hit the weights!
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