We all know that weight training is great and cardio is great. Most of us know that cardio combined with weight training is one winning combination. This is because cardiovascular activity combined with weight training will result in much more effective fat loss. Cardiovascular exercises will raise muscle metabolism during the activity and for a short time after the exercise session. Weight training will raise your muscle metabolism during the exercise session — and for a long time after the exercise session. In some people, metabolism can stay raised for even days!
Performing adequate weight training exercises should limit your repetitions anywhere from 1 to 20 (more or less). Such resistance on muscles will make their tissue leaner and stronger. The muscle development will take place during the rest period following the resistance training. Therefore, rest periods are essential.
Whether a person’s goal is to tone or build muscles, I think it’s extremely important to always let my clients know exactly what happens during the muscle training process. When you lift weights, muscle tissues are torn apart (at the microscopic level) from the stress, and it’s in the recovery period that your muscles become stronger and, therefore, able to support the extra stress. Usually the recovery period needed is 24 to 48 hours after the lifting takes place (this is why you should never weight train the same muscle on back to back days!) When you combine weight lifting with cardiovascular exercise, this will stress muscles in a complementary way to increase the total fat-burning effect.
There are many people who are cardio junkies because they are all about seeing the number of calories burned on a machine. They may not be inclined to weight lift because calorie for calorie INSIDE the gym, it can burn less calories to the blind eye. It is outside of the gym that your body is put to work after a weight training session. Your body will continue to burn about 25 calories an hour after a higher intensity weight training session. Combining a weight lifting routine with a good high intensity cardiovascular workout to increase muscle metabolism and total fat burning AND cut down your total workout time!
Blast Fat Workout
15 Full push ups
high knees (30 seconds) Butt kicks (30 seconds)
16 reps total: Lateral and front raises (8 each)
Straight arm Jumping jacks
15 hammer curls
15 Jump Lunges
10 Floor triceps dips, Lift 1 leg and perform 5 more, lift the other leg, perform 5 more
Floor Mountain climbers (40 seconds)
Plank Punches (high plank position, alternate punching hands out at ear height)
15 Plie squats with a vertical Row
Sprint in place 30 seconds
16 reps total: rear delt fly, Back row (8 each)
20 Squat with leg lift alternating sides
Repeat 2X
Ab Blast Circuit
Low plank and alternate feet off the ground (30 seconds)
Russian Twists (30 seconds)
Scissor abs (30 seconds)
Bicycle Crunches (30 seconds)
Toe taps (30 seconds)
Side Plank dips (10 dips each side)
V-up (12 reps)
Repeat 2X
