Actually that is how I had been doing it without realizing that was actually a method. I just need to increase how many days I do this though. Thank you!
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
@Mary Jo –
Quote from the article:
“As mentioned in my previous post, metabolic resistance training is simply “cardio with weights”, “
Hi Joel recently I was doing workout with moderate weights with a short rest period (no more of 30 seconds) combining two pairs of exercise one inmediately after other for the mayor bodyparts (chest, back and legs) and three consecutive exercise when I work arms and shoulder. I do set of 8 reps. can I consider this way of workout some similar to Metabolic resistance training?? Thank you from Venezuela
Joel,
How much afterburn do you get from a traditional resistance training workout? I usually perform the lifting of 8-10 reps in 30 -45 secs and rest for 30 sec to a minute. Isn’t that a similar to doing intervals? I know especially on leg days my heart rate is pumping.
hi joel i do HIIT training 3 days a week along with ab work & weights on those days & do cardio on 3 days,(running,cycling & rowing)so i know it works well,looking forward to hearing more what you have to say.cheers
Joel, I’m looking forward to your interval training samples very much. Thanks for all the great information! Ina
I would be most interested in some samples of each kind of workout. At present, I am doing a 10 min warm up with an hour of weight training, then a 15 to 20 min interval – rest one minute (15 min pace), then sprint for 1 min (7 min pace – which is a sprint forme:) it does indeed get the metabolism up –
Thank you SO much for referencing the research studies in this post! These are so good to have when talking to those who balk at changing their familiar exercise habits to try something new, even when the old way isn’t working.
Hi Joel.. I learned about interval training about a year ago and that’s all i do now. I ride the bike, 4 mins at 70 RPM, then rotate every other minute from there at 100 RPMs. about 7 intervals. By then I’m pooped! I couldn’t imagine doing slow cardio ever again. It’s so nice to be done with cardio in 20 mins.
I am also really interested to hear more about metabolic resistance training. So I look forward to hearing your thoughts after your workout with your guru friend.
I have a question about your treat your way thin program. The first week and a half is low carb. What exactly is low carb? Can we eat any type of carb, but just not much, or none at all?
Hi,
I’m working with a trainer and working like crazy but still not getting the results I want! Love some more tips
Jules
Cool, thanks for sharing. I’ve been trying to burn an average of 5,000 calories a day, not quite there yet though – Been doing it through walking everyday and the gym 3x a week.
I really love to swimm, i might say that´s the only exercise I enjoy…
Is it possible to make either metabolic resistance training or interval training in the swimmingpool?
Thanks!
Originally Posted By JohnOK . . . good article . . . but as always . . . balance and perspective are important.
STUDY RESULTS MEAN NOTHING. You really have to read the actual study AND the opinions of those who criticize it . . . not just the glowing accolades of someone who is using the study to prove a point.
AFTERBURN MEANS NOTHING. Afterburn, smashterburn . . . who cares? It’s all about calories in versus calories out. If you get that 38 hour afterburn but also get a huge case of the munchies and overeat . . . good bye benefit.
The mind is the strongest muscle. Use it.
Why do you keep coming here if you are not interested in hearing someone elses views but your own?
Everyone knows that “The mind is the strongest muscle” and that’s exactly why we come here…..to learn! We’re smart enough to have an opened mind and willing to learn something new.
I’m here to hopefully finally see some results and to hopefully no longer have a problem with will power, which is my biggest problem!
Enough said!
I certainly need some new ideas when it comes to metabolic resistance training. I find this to be the most challenging type of workout and now I am confident that it will pay off.
It would be nice to rotate between routines to combat boredom and plateaus. =D
Thanks for the info, Joel! I am very familiar with the interval training and have heard about the increased fat loss as a result of using IT. But I am less familiar with “metabolic resistance training.” Can you give an example? Several years ago I did an aerobic workout that used weights (3 to 8 lbs), but then I read that such a workout placed too much stress on the joints and that the use of weights during an aerobic routine was not controlled enough and could lead to injury. Perhaps that is something all together different. Look forward to hearing more about it and getting some sample routines! THANKS! Cathie
Great update. Is there any more recent studies that are withtrained athletes?
Keep up the good work. BTW what do you think /comment on the Zone diet? Any thoughts on how this fits in with you work? Plus and minus???
Thanks again
JR
Nine times. That is freaky.
“Cardio with weight” is the perfect way to describe it!
Here is a short description of how I do this for myself and clients:
I don’t drop weight and add reps, i’m trying to keep the intensity high! it’s all about this “Active Rest” thing… you do a high intensity set of biceps and your next set (and by next, i mean no rest) is jumping squats. Guess what? You’re “activley resting” your uppper body while doing a lower body (and cardio) set. I usually alternate between upper/lower body and opposing muscle groups. This is not an easy workout! But you can get so much more done and actually sustain a hard workout for a longer period of time by breaking it up like this… and the research supports the results!
Here is an example: (this probably wouldn’t even take 10 min)
1 set bicep curls (front)
1 set tricep press
1 min jumping squats
1 set hammer curls
1 set dips
1 min jumping split squats :)
1 set bicep curls (natural turnout)
1 set skull crushers
1 min step ups (30 sec each side)
If you want to increase the intensity, you could do 1 min of the same or similar exercise between each upper body set. If you need to decrease the intenstity, you could do 30 sec instead of 1 min.
An additional benefit of interval training is that it builds the heart muscle, as compared and contrasted to chronic aerobics, which are catabolic.
Also, if you were training for an endurance run, it’s a paradox, but short cardio with sprint intervals would be better preparation.
I’m 54 (with some atherosclerosis), yet sail through exercise ECG-stress-tests.
I incorperate at least 20-30 mins of interval cardio in every workout and yes it does work
Love the effects of interval training. Been doing it for a while now, and works out great.
Can slow-go cardio be done on rest days just to burn a few extra calories or should rest days really be rest days?
There is always great information in every one of your articles! Thanks!
I read about interval training but what exactly is metabolic resistance training? Weights with cardio? I would love to find out more.
@Brittain Cephas – Your entirely welcome.
As you increase frequency of roller-blading in high to lower intensity range. Addition of free weights on off-aerobic days can be used in same manner for leg,core-upperbody work as well. Best on your attainable goal training..
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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...