Are you bored of performing the same long continues routine on the same cardio machines? Do you want to increase your strength to help you complete everyday tasks easier while burning unwanted body fat? To find out how to do this just keep reading...
The "Norm" for weight loss
Cardio is used by the masses who go to the gym to achieve their goal of weight loss. It is the most commonly used tactic for weight loss as it is commonly known that cardio is a good method of burning calories. Most people also understand that a calorie deficit is what causes weight loss so exercise that is commonly known to burn calories is a logical and obvious choice.What most people don't understand though is that the loss of weight they may witness on the scales may not be just that unwanted fat disappearing; they may be losing muscle mass.If an individual is losing muscle mass at a faster rate than they are losing body fat (this can happen if an individuals diet does not contain enough protein to maintain lean mass) they could risk being classed as having Sarcopenic obesity (if the individuals BMI remains around 30, with a high body fat percentage).
The reason Sarcopenic obesity is a problem is that it is related partly to muscular atrophy which would reduce an individuals basal metabolic rate (amount of calories burnt at rest). Alongside a reduction in basal metabolic rate (BMR) the individual may not be losing the amount of adipose tissue (body fat) they are aiming to. Excessive adipose tissue has been shown to produce extra pro-inflammatory cytokines and adipokines which are shown to be positively associated with fat mass and negatively associated with muscle mass (they are shown to lead to an increase in fat mass and a reduction in muscle mass). Pro-inflammatory molecules are also shown to mediate some insulin resistance. Insulin is a powerful anabolic signal on proteins so resistance may cause muscle catabolism. Individuals that has a higher BMI with simultaneous low muscle strength is shown to have a higher prevalence to walking limitations or mobility disabilities.
This should demonstrate that maintaining muscle mass while looking to lose weight is of greater benefit than just focusing on the number the scales provides you. This is where strength training comes in....
The science behind strength training for weight loss
Increasing muscle mass is shown to alter an individuals BMR positively. Researchers frequently disagree on the exact number of calories a pound of muscle and a pound of fat will burn in a day. However the most frequently noted figures are that one pound of fat will burn around 2 calories per day at rest whereas one pound of muscle will burn around 5.7 calories per day. Furthermore muscles that benefit from regular resistance training are noted to burn around 7.2 calories per day per pound, a 1.5 calorie per pound per day increase over untrained muscles.
Studies have also shown that a 3 pound (1.36kg) increase in lean body mass can lead to as much as a 7% increase in an individuals BMR.These benefits to BMR are coupled with the fact that one pound of fat is around 3 times the volume of one pound of muscle meaning a change in body composition (increasing muscle mass while decreasing fat mass) although potentially not making a massive difference in actual weight loss can drastically change an individuals appearance.
If exercise is done at high intensity, when finished the body goes into a state of "paying back" the muscles the nutrients and oxygen they need to return to a resting state. This is known as excessive post exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). This process requires energy meaning calories are being burnt after you have stopped exercising. Some studies have even shown that some participants were still experiencing an increase in calories being burnt up to 72 hours post exercise due to the effects of EPOC. Although the common duration and number of calories is highly debated it is proven that there is some effect and that the higher the intensity of the exercise the higher "afterburn" effect.Resistance training also increases insulin sensitivity meaning muscles catabolism is less likely during a calorie deficit for weight loss (dietary protein levels still need to be adequate).
Effective strategies to implement
Circuits are an effective and popular choice for strength training when aiming for weight loss as they can be very time effective. Circuits can also be used to build gym confidence in beginners as they can be easily performed with simple compound movements using only 1 bit of equipment, usually a barbell).
Super sets (performing multiple exercises back to back without rest) are also a popular method as they allow more muscle activation in less time than regular resistance training. Popular methods of using supersets is to work opposite muscles back to back to ensure the intensity and weight used can be kept higher throughout (One of my preferred super sets is a bent over row combined with a bench press).
The most effective exercises would be compound exercises using free weights as this style of training will recruit more muscle fibres per exercise meaning more calories are burnt during the training session.
It can also be effective to include some traditional style strength/hypertrophy sessions, as discussed earlier an increase muscle mass can increase an individuals BMR (a bigger engine burns more fuel) as well as allowing the individual to perform circuit training at a greater intensity or with a higher weight.
Why use circuits?
As stated before circuits can be more beneficial due to them being time effective as the participant can perform more compound movements in a shorter period of time due to the shorter (or lack of) rest periods. Due to the decreased rest periods circuits are often performed at a higher intensity which would in turn increase the calorie burning effect of EPOC. They can also be performed with relative ease and minimal equipment, many can be performed with just a barbell (some can be done with no equipment at all). Another benefit of using circuit training is that it can reduce the risk of beginners becoming bored in a programme as each circuit can be made different by changing one of or a number of the exercises performed.
Example circuit
A typical circuit I like to use with clients could look as follows:
Deadlift- 20 reps
Bent over row- 10 reps
Squats- 20 reps
Plank- 30 seconds
Upright row- 10 reps
Lunges- 20 reps
Shoulder press- 10 reps
After 1 complete circuit the participant has 1 minute rest before starting the circuit again. The circuit is performed for 4 full circuits.
This circuit is useful for beginners as they can build muscular strength effectively in a full body routine.
It is best to allow at least one day of rest between performing full body circuits to ensure adequate amounts of time for the muscles to recover.
This circuit is planned to allow the participant to maintain intensity by ordering exercises so that a lower body exercise is followed by an upper body exercise. This gives some recovery time for the muscles that are worked in each exercise before they may be required again.This circuit can also be performed using just one barbell.
Supersets
Super sets can be more effective for building strength than circuits as the muscles will be able to work harder per session as it is easier to split the routines to upper and lower body or even to a push, pull and legs split.A popular method for beginners is to split the routine into an upper and lower body routine.A typical upper body routine I could use with clients may go as follows:
Superset 1:
Bent over row- 10 reps
Bench press- 10 reps
Superset 2:
Lat pull down- 10 reps
Shoulder Press- 10 reps
Superset 3:
Plank- 30 seconds
Deadbug- 10 reps
Each superset would be performed 3 times resting for between 45 seconds and 1 minute between each set.
This ensures that most major muscles in the body work during the session and can still be time effective due to cutting out rest periods between exercises. This method can be useful for beginners as it will allow them to build muscular strength and mass while lowering the risk of them overtraining particular muscle groups due to the ease of splitting the routine.
This method similarly to the circuits method allows more muscles to work in the same or less time than with a traditional weight training protocol meaning more calories can be burnt in that time.
Cardio
Cardio still has a place in any weight loss programme but it is not necessary to perform cardio at a steady speed for long periods of time to burn the desired number of calories.
We will discuss other methods of cardio later in this section.
Many people are unsure about if they should perform cardio before or after resistance training; the answer is that both have their benefits...
Cardio performed before weight training has been shown to raise the effects of EPOC higher than when performing resistance training first as well as potentially giving more benefit to improvements in common measures of cardiovascular performance such as VO2 max. Although doing the resistance training before the cardio has been shown to have an increased level of fat oxidization and a higher number of calories being burnt during the aerobic training. It is also known that aerobic training before resistance negatively impacts the intensity of the resistance training which can hinder strength and muscle mass increases.
An effective and time efficient method of cardio is known as Tabata training; this method consists of 20 seconds of all out effort (such as sprints on a bike) followed by 10 seconds complete rest. Most studies report upwards of 15 calories per minute being burnt during tabata sessions meaning this method meets the ACSM guidelines for exercise intensity and calorie expenditure.
I often use this method with clients on a bike after resistance training as it is very time efficient; as little as 5 minutes allows many clients to burn around 100 calories or upwards during exercise as well as the intensity of this exercise causing a more severe effect on EPOC
Considerations before taking part
Any medical conditions should be taken into consideration before participating and GP should pass you to perform the exercise beforehand
Performing sessions with a personal trainer for at least the first few weeks can make the sessions much more beneficial. This is because the trainer will ensure your technique is correct through the exercises as well as pushing you harder when possible.
The benefit of correct technique is that it can drastically decrease the risk of injury.
Avoiding injury is key to results as rest is necessary recovery from injury and rest means less calories being burnt and less fat lost. Fat could even be gained through inactivity caused by injury.
Recap of some key points
Strength training can help to accelerate fat loss (a bigger engine burns more fuel).
Circuits and supersets can be time effective ways of burning calories while gaining or maintaining muscle mass.
Correct technique is paramount to long term success as injury can cause large set backs.
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