It’s time to face the muscle music guys. You need to burn calories to get lean or ‘toned’.
This means intensity and duration need to be two key aspects that govern what exercise you are doing. Could you be doing it wrong? We sit down with the a personal trainer and the founder of Paramount Recreation Club to find out.
Why Your Gym Sessions Are Failing
During the week your sessions need to fit in amongst work so shorter and more intense workouts are best. The best examples of this include boxing, the rowing machine, and high intensity free weight circuit sessions.
On the weekend, however longer endurance style training such as rowing, running, and swimming as well as combinations or ‘brick’ style training is the best way to get lean fast.
Now brace yourselves for the truth. The fact is, only losers make excuses.
Designing a routine that fits within your lifestyle to make it as accessible and as accountable as possible is something that needs to happen if you are to shed what you’ve been fed.
Showing up is 90% of the results, so no matter the variables that affect your scheduling there needs to be non-negotiables when it comes to getting your sessions done.
Understanding the likely variables that contribute to you missing sessions is key in the right routine. Typically we see inadequate rest which leads to the use of stimulants, excess calorie consumption whilst decreasing the likelihood of making your sessions.
Whilst consistency with your sessions is key, so too is bedtime and adjusting your schedule to meet you goals.
The Easiest Solution
Below are three sessions that will help lean you up in no time.
Boxing Session
- 20 squats, 20 push-ups and 20 sit ups
- 1-minute shadow box
- Dynamic stretches (moving while you’re stretching, i.e. lunge twist)
- 3-minute rounds of different combinations
- 1-minute rest
- 10 sets
Followed It Up With…
- 1 minute of sit-ups
- Max chin ups
- 1-minute rest
- 4 sets
High Intensity Free Weight Session
- 5 minute rowing machine warm up
- 12 deadlifts at 70-85% of body weight
- 12 chin-ups (use machine if necessary)
- 1 minute skipping
- 20 gymnastic ring push-ups
- Repeat 5 sets as fast as possible
Brick Training
- 30 km cycle (substitute for 5km road run if you don’t have a bike)
- 500m swim
- 4km soft sand run
- 500m swim
And there you have it. Three sure-fire ways to get leaner, faster. Make it a priority to sort it before the festive season binging kicks in.
Jordan Ponder is the founder of Transform Health in Sydney, Australia. TransformHealth has been created to inspire habitual health and improve performance.