Fat Burning Favorites

Although the majority of training at Soar is dedicated to athletic performance, there are a number of adults (general fitness clients) that come to me to lose weight, burn fat and just stay in shape. For those who are just getting started and have been sedentary for months or years, I would be crazy to start them with fat burning circuits. These clients, just like my beginner athletes, need to develop a foundation of strength before we even begin to consider high intensity training. Simple strength training combined with low impact cardio will bring about some results for the adult who has never participated in a comprehensive program.

How do I know the client is ready to move on to more intense training? It is pretty simple - I just watch them workout. In the first week of training, the warm up and a few sets of DB presses and bodyweight step ups will have a new client in a full sweat. When I notice in week 3 that the client has doubled their weight in presses (going from 10s to 20s) and is doing weighted step ups, I know it is time to amp it up a bit.

So what are my favorite methods for burning fat? Phew, that is a good question. Search the Internet and you will find Crossfit training, metabolic conditioning, circuits and the dreaded P90X just to name a few.

Here is a list of various exercises and methods I use with my more advanced adult clientele.

1. Bodyweight, KB and MB circuits. A number of different movements with little rest. Pretty simple.

2. Mixing in heavier lifting days in the 4 - 8 rep range. Bench press, squats, deadlifts and heavier rows all fit in to these workouts. Remember, nobody gets stronger pressing 10lb DBs everyday. We always pair up exercises to keep up the pace. EDT training (Escalating Density Training) can also fit into this category. Google it if you are in good shape, have limited time in the gym and are looking for a new way to train.

3.Sled pushes. Pushing a heavy sled is hard work. Hard work burns fat. Period.

4.Farmers walks and other carries. Have you ever walked through the mall with heavy shopping bags in each hand? Sucks doesn't it? Well, if it sucks, it probably burns fat too. Plus, farmers walks are great for the core and the shoulder.

5. Running 50, 100 and 300 yard shuttles. This is for those who can handle the impact of sprinting. Although I don't discourage my long distance enthusiasts from doing what they love, I do highly encourage some sprint intervals. Again, sprinting is hard work and hard work burns fat.

As always, quality movement trumps quantity every day at Soar. If you struggle to do an exercise right in a rested state, then trying to do it in a fatigued state is a terrible idea. Build your foundation, slowly up the intensity, then start to get nuts!