Workout Tips to Burn More Fat! (505)261-1253
Workout Tips to Burn More Fat!
There is nothing quite as frustrating as seeing your results screech to a halt. This is a common place people end up, usually after a few months on the same exercise routine. In the beginning your body responds to your routine with lost pounds and gained muscle tone, then one day it all comes to a stop.
Why does this happen? And, more importantly, how can you prevent it? Your muscles adapt quickly to any repetitive routine. Remember that the definition of ‘insanity’ is to do the same thing over and over while expecting different results. This holds true for your workouts. When your results stop, it’s time to do something new.
Muscle confusion is a way to keep your body guessing by changing your routine.
Here are four workout tips to help you burn more fat:
Tip #1: Use Drop Sets
Drop sets are often used to fight off exercise plateaus. This technique is great for increasing muscle strength, endurance and for adding to the cardiovascular benefit of your workout – which results in more fat burning. This is how to perform a drop set: When you perform an exercise to exhaustion, don’t stop there. Drop the weight by 80% and do another set. .
Tip #2: Use Negatives
Each time that you do a weight lifting repetition you are using three types of strength.
- Positive strength: lifting the weight.
- Static strength: holding weight in a contracted position.
- Negative strength: lowering the weight.
Most people completely miss the benefit of the negative in each repetition by allowing the weight to drop too quickly with little control. It is understood that the negative portion of each repetition is just as important as the positive portion, possibly more important(this is one of the most often missed workout tips to burn more fat). Focus on the negative portion of each repetition by lowering the weight very slowly. Concentrate on the negative contraction, and make each repetition count.
Tip #3: Use Active Rest
Every minute of your workout is an opportunity to increase intensity and to burn more fat. Don’t waste precious minutes with long rest periods.
While it is important to catch your breath if you feel winded, most of the time you would benefit more from an active rest. Do one of the following activities for 30 seconds between exercises and turn your regular workout into High Intensity Interval Training.
- High Knees with Alternating Punches: Alternately bring each knee high to your chest in a quick jumping movement while alternating forward punches at shoulder level.
- Burpees: Start in a sanding position and bend at the waist. Once your hands hit the floor, push your entire body back, extending your legs until they’re straight and you’re in the push-up position. Go down for a push-up, and when you push yourself up, jump slightly to bring your feet back near your hands. Finally, jump in the air with your arms fully extended over your head.
- Mountain Climbers: Place your hands wider than shoulder-width apart on the ground in a push-up position. Bring one knee to your chest and then back to the starting position, alternate each leg quickly.
Tip #4: Modify the Exercise
There are certain exercises that are considered ‘staples’ in the gym. The squat, the lunge, the chest press, the shoulder press, and the bicep curl. You get the idea…
While you shouldn’t throw these exercises out the window, find creative ways to modify the familiar motion in order to challenge your muscles. Try these exercise modifications:
- Place a weighted bar across your shoulders and do walking lunges.
- Do a full squat between each repetition of shoulder presses.
- Do a shoulder press between each repetition of bicep curls.
If you’d like tips to help break through your fitness plateau, workout tips to burn more fat, or if you’re frustrated with your current level of development and thinking about hiring a personal trainer, CONTACT US!!!
