They call it “The New Science of Fat Loss”. Okay so technically theyprinted it first, but I have been working out with a team of guys for the last 3 years and we have been doing this technique the WHOLE TIME.
The fact is this kind of training will completely blow you away. Weather you are looking to lose fat or gain muscle, this type of working out is simply the best you can get. It’s not only the best use of your time (normally 20-30 minutes 3 times a week) but it’s the best use of your efforts: we perform workouts that are easily 3 times the volume of most 45 minute sessions in the gym – this quadruples the speed of results.
One of my guys used to marvel at how he could work out only one day per week and still see gains. The proof is in the pudding and Men’s Health (December 2009) tells us why:
Dr. Volek from the University of Connecticut performed a study of 3 groups of people over a 12 week period. All three groups went on the same diet. Group (1) performed NO exercise. Group (2) performed aerobic exercise like walking, running or biking. Group (3) performed some aerobic and some weight lifting exercise (equal in TIME to the aerobics-only group). The results: each group averaged the SAME amount of weight loss, about 21 pounds. Equally as interesting: though the weight loss was the same, the lifters shed 5 extra pounds of fat but gained 5 lbs of muscle. This equates to an increase fat loss of 40% in the lifting group.
Dieting alone kills fat AND muscle. The more muscle you have, the higher you resting metabolism, so you don’t want to kill muscle. Plus it’s cool to use for stuff like walking and catching your 3-year-old. Fat doesn’t seem to help with this.
Men’s Health explains that new research is beginning to show what body builders have known all along – lifting weights burns a lot more calories than previously thought. In fact an 8 minute circuit of near-continuous activity can burn 160-230 calories. That’s a lot considering when jogging you only burn around 250 calories in 30 minutes (for a 150 lb person).
The magazine stops there but the facts go on. Lifting high intensity circuits boost growth hormone, trains your heart better and increases your blood’s ability to hold oxygen. It’s also nice to be done in 20 minutes and work out from home.
Lifting intensely also increases power. “Power” is not even on the radar of most fitness professionals but it is like the comparison of a runner who can do one mile in 12 minutes versus a runner who can do it in 4 minutes. They both burn the same number of calories (if they weigh the same) but how do you measure the difference? Simply put, “Power” is calories divided by time. Perform the same effort in less time and you have improved. Perform more effort in the same time and you have improved.
In summary, focus your workouts on “Events”: intense, varied circuits which work the whole body. Your lean muscle will grow; your fat tissue will shrink. Your body will thank you, your fat cells will hate you.
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