Written by Tim Rigby, M.A, NSCA-CPTY & brought to you by PVL Supplements
It’s a brand-new year and we’re confident that if you made any resolutions, at least one of them involves fitness. Getting in better shape is the most popular resolution of all, and it’s an excellent idea for just about everyone. When it comes to weight loss – and more importantly, fat loss – you may have heard that cardio exercise is the best means to achieve this objective. While cardio provides a spectrum of health benefits, and under the right circumstances such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) it can be effective for fat loss, there’s actually an even better method: weight training.
We may never know why training with weights took a long time to gain popularity for fat loss, but studies over the last several years have arrived at the consensus that done correctly and strategically, it can be the key to your most efficient fat loss ever. Keep in mind, of course, that weight training is primarily performed for building muscle and strength; sometimes the addition of new muscle can cause one to gain weight (good weight, that is).
So, here’s a rundown on what you need to keep in mind when you apply resistance (weight) training toward your goal of fat loss:
1. GOTTA BE COMPOUND MOVES
Not all weightlifting is the same. You need to perform heavy, full-body compound moves like the powerlifting exercises of the squat, bench press and deadlift. In this way, you’ll get the greatest synergistic calorie burn from the involvement of several muscle groups acting all together. This can’t be achieved if you were simply to perform isolation moves like the dumbbell curl or pec-deck flye. Other effective movements for efficient caloric expenditure include the upright row, incline press, seated cable row and plyometric exercises like the box jump.
2. EXCESS POST-EXERCISE OXYGEN CONSUMPTION (EPOC)
Now that you know which exercises to perform, it’s good for you to understand why they work so well for fat loss. Carefully crafted strength training programs using the right exercises can cause your metabolism to be elevated for a long time after you finish training. In fact, one recent study revealed that your metabolism has the potential to be elevated for up to 38 hours after working out.
Based on the phenomenon of EPOC, it is therefore recommended (if you can stomach it) to weight train first thing in the morning before you consume any calories. By avoiding any pre-workout calories – especially from carbohydrates – you can really target the conversion of stored fat for fuel. Furthermore, if you train intensely enough, EPOC will see to it that your metabolism remains revved up all day long; this is very helpful for the digestion of each of your post-workout meals.
3. LIGHT WEIGHTS, HIGH REPS
When you think of the aforementioned recommended exercises, you’re no doubt used to performing them for at most 10-12 reps, and those who wish to develop strength and power typically perform these movements in the 3-5 rep range for multiple sets.
For our purpose of fat loss, however, we’re going to take it to the opposite end of the reps spectrum. You should be incorporating weights which you can lift for 15-20 reps per set without failing. Yes, these may necessitate using only 40-50 percent of your one-rep max (1RM), but it’s high reps which will get the fat loss job done. Also key is keeping your rest periods brief – if you perform three sets, rest no longer than one minute between sets; if you perform four or more sets, rest no longer than 90 seconds between sets.
4. TAKE THE RIGHT PRE-WORKOUT SUPPLEMENT
Especially based on our suggestion of working out on an empty stomach, it’s important for you to get the right stimulation and focus from a calorie-free pre-workout supplement. We’ve found that DOMIN8 SPORT from PVL absolutely kick starts your weight training workouts to help you burn the most calories from fat, both during and after your training session. The ingredients of caffeine anhydrous, tyrosine, beta-alanine, taurine, citrulline malate and electrolytes will maximize your training performance reliably. For the best results when you’re weight training for fat loss, use DOMIN8 SPORT from PVL.
In 2023, take the smartest steps to successful fat loss and incorporate these weight training keys with consistency – you’ll be astounded at the results!