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:
Hi Joel
Many thanks for all the info, but I would like have more details re: metabolic resistance training – EXAMPLES PLEASE!!!
Will it be my strength workout but with really short (30 sec) breaks between sets?
I am up to interval but not fit as good yet to do whole 20 minutes, but I am getting there :)
Thanks
Katie
Always interested in more workouts.. dropped 10kg in the last month with Joels techniques already!
Really great article but like others I would appreciate more explanation of what is meant by Metabolic Resistance Training.
I’m doing MRT already. Very true about the afterburn affect! I also do 2 days of HIIT training. Wow! talk about effective. Please post on my ideas on MRT! Thanks, I’d love to see some examples not involving equipment too. Thanks!
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.
Thanks for this information. I know it works but convincing others isnt as easy so thanks for studies to back it up. Looking fwd to the sample workouts!
hey joel,
im guessing what u mean my met res training is combining body wt training w/ cardio intervals…? as i read ur other readers’ comments, i see a lot of ppl who are seeing results w/ intervals and body wt workouts…maybe u can solve my puzzle then: two years ago i started doing tae bo every night, plus pilates nearly every day, and lost 8kg in less than 3 months…my entire body shape changed, and the abs i thought i’d never shift actually shrunk (tho didnt flatten entirely, that requires patience and more work i realise); of course i was also watching my diet….i dropped 2 sizes, and by keeping up the exercise (tho not always daily, it did fluctuate) i was able to maintain my form for a whole year…then something awful happened in my life, i sank into depression and within two months of not exercising i gained it all back despite still being good with my diet…now, tho ive been doing intervals and wt training for months, i cant seem to change my body shape, and the wt isnt budging either…im being so good w/ my diet too, so i dont understand what on earth is going on…??? have u ever seen anything like this with ur clients? any clues about this insufferable mystery?
Dear Joel,
Bravo! The Afterburn is where it’s at! Can’t wait to see your future posts!
Thank you!
Dave
Hey Joel
If I were to do MRT 3 days a week say Mon-Wed-Fri, should I do HIIT on off days such as Tue-Thu-Sat, or is it better to do the the interval training on the same day as MRT directly after that workout, and then use the other days as “off” days?
And what should the lifting tempo be when performing MRT so that you get the cardio effect?
Thanks :)
top shelf stuff mate, you’ve always said it, afterburn is one of the key factors
” lost NINE TIMES more body fat” . thats freaky
Sounds amazing! I want to here more!
Can’t wait….. I’m anxious now…
Rightly said.
Thats exactly how I work out and if definatly brings great results but Im always after new workout ideas so love to read your next article!
Awesome….but it is fine if we are performing metabolic resistance training and interval training for 5-6 days a week ? or does it result in overtraining ?
This is so exciting !!! My PT makes me do interval training all the time and it’s so fantastic to keep reading the same stuff here ! Learning so much from you at the moment….please keep up the good work ! Hitting my goals in half the time right now…thank you !! Vikie
Just wanted I need to hear at 5 am when I was about to do some cardio.
Thanks and eager to hear more.
ive done quite a bit of interval training in the last few weeks and noticed a big difference. would love to start metabolic resistance training too, a sample workout would be ideal!
I’d love to read some examples of this kind of training…more please!!!
Joel – Can’t wait to hear more! I’m one of those individuals that used to spend hours a week jogging and eventually burning out. Now you tell me I can get the best possible results with a lot less time but more intensity? I’m excited that finally there is a way to speed up the process without increasing the amount of time I’m required to spend!!
i ve read alot about HIIT training and believe it to be a sound way to train. especially if you are doing such things as sprinting in the high intensity part as that can build explosive power as well.
what sort of routine would you recommend for metabolic training? would circuit training such as press ups, pull ups, kettlebell swing, heavy bag work count?
also, if you increased your carb intake to have the energy for such high intensity work, would that slow the fat loss???
You are so right Joel! Just take a look at a sprinter’s physique and then a marathon runner’s. Almost the same body fat percentage but huge difference in shape and athletic performance, guess why…
Definetaly would love to see some sample exercises
This is so true, I do a boot camp class 2 times a week with a guy who is a former college ball player so it is alot of drills, running, stations, hills, stairs etc and my leg are dripping with sweat at the end…then i do some cardio throughout the remainer of the week with a yoga practice as well….my cardio varies from long to short intervals and i always change it up. I am in the best shape since i started and diet matters too…with the one cheat a week it is amazying my results….this site has changed my body…thanks
Wow. Thank you. Joel
Great Article.
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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...read more