I`m looking forward to loosing some real fat loss i have peaked at what i`ve been doing with my workout.
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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835 comments - add yours
How about something for those with knee trouble (tendinitis)? MRT is great, but the squatting, lunging, etc. Sure takes a toll on the knees!
Hi Joel,
Could you please post some tips on how to be disciplined with the diet. I know pretty much all the stuff to do but …. I don’t do it! I want to change and I do work out and the diet is extremely healthy but I just eat that little bit extra because it feels so good and it is justified because of a good work out… so I never get ahead. I am always eating that extra bit and can’t seem to break the cycle. I can’t find the deep enough reason to be disciplined enough to say ‘no’ to the little voice that always gets its way with the extra ‘treat’ (even though it is healthy, it is still calories)
I’m enjoying your posts, but I don’t think one should dismiss the previous commenter as “irresponsible” as his underlying message had some validity, though it wasn’t made clear enough. I’m in science and can tell you that it isn’t uncommon for studies to produce contradictory results. Scientific consensus is formed when a multitude of studies coincide with the same conclusions, and while the studies you quote are a good start, most of them are 10 years old or older, so I wonder if there might be more recent studies that confirm or contradict those studies? Over time, research equipment improves, new ideas pop up, old results are re-examined, and so on.
For example, the claim that mild aerobic exercise also produces an afterburn effect was once considered an accepted truth, but according to this study featured in the New York Times, at least one recent research study has found it to be a myth:
I’m excited about the study that showed an afterburn for circuit training and I’m going to look into it thanks to you :) But at the same time, I’m going to take it with a grain of salt and keep watching those calories.
Thanks a ton for getting this information out there!
@Tim –
By the previous commentor I meant John a few posts back, and you did mention that mild aerobics produces no afterburn in your previous post…I just wanted to give an example of how more recent research can sometimes make us rethink previous assumptions. Apologies for not making that clear.
Will you share some simple examples of metabolic resistance training?
Is this basically super setting your workouts?
Hey Joel, it’s true that both interval training and HIIT are more efficient at burning fat than LSD or steady state cardio. However, I still have my clients perform LSD training 1-2 times per week in addition to interval training. The reason I do this is because aerobic training (LSD) causes an adaptation called eccentric hypertrophy (stretching of the left ventricle allowing it to hold more blood). This increase in left ventricle capacity is one of two ways that one can increase their stroke volume (amount of blood pumped out of the heart per beat). Interval training on the other hand causes the adaptation concentric hypertrophy (strengthening of the heart walls), which also increases stroke volume by increasing the fraction or percentage of blood ejected from the heart. By strengthening the heart both eccentrically and concentrically more oxygen rich blood is delivered to all of the muscles throughout the body. This increase in oxygen rich blood allows the muscles to work harder for longer. So basically without a strong aerobic base interval training will not be as effective because if used exclusively only one aspect of stroke volume will be improved instead of both as in my system. Strong aerobic base=ability to work harder for longer=longer more intense interval training=better afterburn…Do you agree?
This is what we did 40 years ago when I was a high school wrestler. Our coach knew that he needed wrestlers who could go full-blast for three two-minute periods. We did nonstop bodyweight calisthenics for what seemed like forever, but was probably about 45 minutes, until we were surrounded by pools of sweat on the mat. after each exercise we did jumping jacks or stutter running. We preceded each exercise with 10 pushups. The exercises themselves were jacknife situps, nut-crushers, reverse pushups, upside-down pushups, neck-bridging, rocking chairs, and many others too painful to recall. We never touched a weight or did any running. The only two wrestlers on the team with high bodyfat were, intentionally, our heavy weight and his B-Squad backup. Everyone else was lean and mean. And the football or basketball players couldn’t keep up with us.
Hey Joel,
Great post, I imagine a lot of people learned a lot of new things from it and other people were just reminded about the importance of the after burn affect (like me).
I was thinking about investing in a weighted vest and just doing steady cardio in it, is that as effective as interval training?
Thanks,
Travis
Great info Joel. I see there are over 300 replies. Can’t wait to read the sample workouts.
Hi Joel: I’m doing great and in a very short period of time I have begin to see results. I really feel and realize i’m doing the correct working out and have no problem at all with my nutrition. Thnaks and all the best.
Carlos
“metabolic resistance training is simply “cardio with weights””
from beginning of article..
Great post Joel as usual, looking forward to seeing some sample workouts.
i loved this blog. this one was insightful and interesting. thanks for the facts
I do cardio with weights at my gym, class called body pump. It’s a whole body weights workout set to music. The great thing is you elevate your heart rate while building your muscles. Also unlike some might think you don’t have to use lighter weights if you can cope with the increased work load. Talk about breaking a sweat!!
Interval training is a great thing also, espeacially because I don’t have time to spend on conventional cardio. If it only takes twenty minutes that’s great for me. I would rather be doing weights anyway.
I still don’t get what metabolic resistance training is. ?_?
I was telling someone just today that they would better served doing HIIT 3 days a week 20-30 mins than slow cardio 5 to 7 days a week for 1 hour each time. They did not believe me when I told them. Maybe now they will! Thanks Joel
For those of you who asked “what is MRT”, well he said right at the top: “metabolic resistance training is simply ‘cardio with weights'”.
So what does that look like? Well I imagine it’s things like HIIT with weights! I mean, ankle weights? Weighted vests? Shadow boxing with 5 pounders? Jumping jacks with stretch bands? Sprinting while tugging weight behind you? Do some cardio, and make it harder, not just longer!
I just read that doing sprints on a hill burns the most calories as compared to jogging, swimming, cycling, etc… Sprinting uphill could be considered cardio with “weights”, weight like gravity! Give it a try!
P.S. I wouldn’t try cardio with weights attached to your upper body, seems to me this would add undo vertical force on your spine. Unless we’re talking weighted push ups or something. But no running and jumping!
I ran for 30 minutes at a steady pace on Monday and today did HIIT running for about the same amount of time. What a difference! Although I only ran for about 8 minutes today, I ran FAST intervals and walked the rest, I was SWEATING like crazy and felt fantastic all day. Can’t wait to hear more about metabolic cardio.
Yeah slow cardio sucks!
I can’t wait to see the sample workouts.
I am very interested in seeing some examples. I have a fair amount of fat that I need to lose, and I would love to do it quickly.
Can’t wait to hear more!!
Fantastic post, people don’t realize the power of metabolic resistance training and interval training combined. It works so well, and i have evidence from myself to prove it. Everyone should quit the stupid aerobic training.. doing a silly one hour on a stationary bike.. Geeeezz! how boring!!?
Thank you for backing this up with great articles, really looking forward to your suggestions!
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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...