I would love to read what you would suggest for interval training. I’ve been adding this more and more to my fitness routine and always look for new ideas.
In the last update I talked to you about the massive shortcomings of “slow-go” aerobic exercise for fat loss and began to briefly touch on the benefits of something much more effective – short duration, high intensity exercise.
Simply put, if you are looking for the fastest fat loss results, high intensity exercise is a MUST.
Short duration, high intensity exercise comes in two major forms: metabolic resistance training and interval training. Today, I want to take a DEEP look into the benefits of each.
First up, metabolic resistance training:
As mentioned in my previous post, metabolic resistance training is simply “cardio with weights”, and when speaking of the most effective form of exercise for the fastest possible fat loss, this is it.
A couple of studies to support this that my buddy Alwyn Cosgrove dug up:
Schuenke MD, Mikat RP, McBride JM.
Effect of an acute period of resistance exercise on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption: implications for body mass management.
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2002 Mar;86(5):411-7. Epub 2002 Jan 29.
In this study a 30-minute circuit style metabolic resistance training session was put to the test. The result was a 38 hour increase in metabolism – massive AFTERBURN.
Let’s put this in perspective: Say that you worked out at 8AM on Friday. By way of metabolic resistance training, you’d still be burning calories from that workout while out at the movies on Saturday night.
You want to burn calories by watching Wolverine? Now you can.
Here’s another:
Kramer, Volek et al.
Influence of exercise training on physiological and performance changes with weight loss in men.
Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 31, No. 9, pp. 1320-1329, 1999.
This study showed that those who added metabolic resistance training to a reduced calorie diet burned up to 44% more fat than those who dieted alone.
Don’t get me wrong, diet is the NUMBER ONE component of the fat loss puzzle, but once you’ve got that down, metabolic resistance training can really take your results to a whole new level.
And here’s one more:
Bryner RW, Ullrich IH, Sauers J, Donley D, Hornsby G, Kolar M, Yeater R.
Effects of resistance vs. aerobic training combined with an 800 calorie liquid diet on lean body mass and resting metabolic rate.
J Am Coll Nutr. 1999 Apr;18(2):115-21.
This study compared “slow-go” aerobic exercise to metabolic resistance training and found that the resistance group lost significantly more fat without losing ANY lean muscle even at an extremely low calorie intake (not so for the aerobic group).
In fact, believe it or not, while the aerobic group experienced a decrease in metabolism (and lost muscle), the resistance training group actually increased overall metabolic rate.
THAT’S the power of metabolic resistance training.
Convinced that metabolic resistance training flat out WORKS? Good. Next up, interval training:
Interval training is simply a form of high intensity cardio in which you alternate back and forth between periods of high effort and periods of active recovery.
For example, you may run very hard for a period of one minute and then follow it up with walking for one minute, repeating 8-10 times for a less-than-20-minute workout.
Does it work?
Tremblay A, Simoneau JA, Bouchard C.
Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism.
Metabolism. 1994 Jul;43(7):814-8
Are you sitting down? If not, take a seat.
You want to know what happened when this research group compared 20 weeks of endurance training vs. 15 weeks of interval training?
While the aerobic/endurance group actually managed to burn more total calories during exercise, the interval training group lost NINE TIMES more body fat. NINE TIMES.
Nine times more fat loss in half the time? The clear choice for fat loss is interval training.
And it all comes down to elevated metabolism after your workout is completed – the afterburn.
Are you experiencing the afterburn?
Give me at least 700 comments and I’ll be back tomorrow with some sample interval training workouts and a post you won’t want to miss!
Talk to you in the comments section!
Joel
P.S. Every so often, something crosses my desk that’s just too good not to share with you. Well, my buddy and uber nutritionist Kyle Leon is at it again:
==> Metabolism trick to OVERCOME your genetics (actually works)
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Great information Joel! Enjoying every article. Keep it up and massive thanks!
Yes, would love some sample interval training workouts. I’ve heard about the benefits for a while now, but I’m not quite sure where to start. Great article, thanks Joel!
I’m very interested to hear about the interval training workouts and the metabolic resistance training workouts – my wife has been struggling with weight loss for years even though she goes to the gym 3 or 4 times a week. Obviously, she’s not doing to right type of workout, and I would like to provide her with some effective workout plans…
Could I get a definition of “metabolic resistance training”?
Thanks
I am interested in interval training and ways that I can mix it up and keep exercising fun.
Hi Joel,
After a very long time of losing weight very slowly (never more than a pound a week), I tried a metabolic resistance workout 2 times with a couple days off in between. It was a real challenge for me but I understand the power behind it. I lost 3.8 pounds that week!
Thanks!
So can you elaborate on what a “cardio with weights” session might look like? I’m assuming lighter weights with higher reps, little rest between sets?
Keep it going, Joel! The word is slowly getting around about the benefits of interval training, but there are still too many people in too many gyms/health centres persisting with slow/steady state cardio. Perhaps it should be the instructors/trainers who need to listen and learn!!
Have a good weekend.
I’ve done some interval training. I agree it is the fastest way to lose fat I have seen, especially if you’re 40 or older. Looking forward to finding out about the metabolic resistance training.
Great post Joel! I am a actor/athlete/model/trainer and when I need to get in cover shape metabolic resistance and intervals are the only way to go to achieve the ultra lean look. Check out my last post on my Vlog Smitsbrothers.tv called “Glorious Day: Tempo Runs”. This is basically intervals at its best! I trained with the Canadian National Bobsleigh Team and this is one of my workouts that I would perform in between my intense lifting days!
Chris Smits
I have been doing intervals for the past year and love the results I’ve had! I actually look forward to getting on the treadmill and knowing that I don’t have to be on there for an hour to work up a good sweat and have great results!
I’m always looking for new ways to do HIIT. I would love to have your routines.
What is metabolic resitance training?
i love interval training! especially since it’s so quick and so effective, i actually feel like i’ve worked out when i’m done, i could walk for hours and not break a sweat, i am interested to find out more about this metabolic resistance training, sounds like a combination of intervals and resistance, so could effectively make my workouts even quicker by combining them?….i am watching this space…
I do 25min on the elliptical. Level 8. 2min warm up and than 1 min at 85-90 rpm, 1min30 “rest” at 45rpm to 50 and I alternate that 1 min between doing it fw and backwards.
Joel;
I loved this little article, and am looking forward to reading about how your metabolic resistance training went. I am amazed by how much fatloss I’ve experienced since going to interval (HIIT) training, rather then hours of slow-go cardio. It’s hard to get used to, but once I conditioned my body, I get greater satisfaction from the HIIT workouts, and it’s over faster, so it’s not interrupting the other parts of my life, and never boring. Please post your metabolic resistance training suggestions as soon as possible so we can try it and comment on our results!
I also would like to know ideas about interval training. I use the speed interval programme on the bike at the gym- as well as some subsetting of body weight exercises such as squats, push ups etc.. is this sufficient?
Sometimes I do 20 jumping jacks then the exercise then repeat this again for 3 sets.. again is this sufficient?
wow, interval training does seem to be the way to go. Hey I was just wondering, not only do I want to lose body fat but I also would like to gain muscle.. how would you propose I do that?
Very interesting! Can’t wait to hear more!
Been doing this for a while now, with kettlebells, suing swings, snatches and complexes in interval style. The change in my body composition is remarkable, despite the fact that I am 55 years old and already have over 30 years experience with endurance and resistance training, so it isn’t just a novice “training effect”. I will through some HIIT in there every so often as well, as a change-up, but , along with sound nutrition, I am convinced by my own experience, that this is the way to go.
I want to get that “afterburn”. I’m sick and tired of exercising for years with no real results.
Joel, I love how you explain everything so clearly. I think that I’ve been doing it all wrong because I never got it before. No one explained it in plain ENGLISH! I love reading your comments….they motivate me so much that I want to exercise right after I’m done reading. :)
Thank you soooooo much.
You have really changed my knowledge to this cliche phrase “Exercise is more important than what you eat. Exercise hard and eat whatever you want. You’ll burn what you ate.”
Yeah, right!!!
I do interval training now but what is metabolic resistance training?
wow! I knew that quite some time ago and I can tell you that what joel say is definitely 100% the truth.
Anyway,great stuff Joel, will be following you always ;) thanks for showing everyone that slow cardio SUCKS! :D
interval training really does make sense and a great plus is that it takes any monotony out of it – time flies!
would love to hear more about metabolic resistance training, what exactly is it – a “sample” workout would be great! thanks!
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Hey, it’s Joel! So you want to know a little more about me, huh? Well, I’d be happy to oblige :-)
I guess it all started back in 2001 (my freshman year of college) when I was just a “skinny fat” 19-year old kid. At the time, I was spending close to 2 hours a day in the gym (now my workouts last about 30 minutes), and despite my efforts, you’d probably never guess I worked out a day in my life by looking at me...