Interval Training: How Does it Burn Fat? (The Answer Totally Makes Sense)

Traditionally, we have been told by many so called experts that if we wanted to burn fat then we need to train in the “fat burning zone.”  According to these experts, training in the fat burning zone is the only way to burn fat when you exercise.  Well, they are right.  If you want to burn fat during your workout, do some long boring cardio in the fat burning zone.  But, if you want to triple the amount of fat that you burn, do interval training workouts.  Some basic physiology tells us how interval training burns fat long after you finish your workout.

High intensity interval training exhausts your supply of immediate carbohydrates that are stored in the muscles.  This supply is known as glycogen.  The phosphocreatine system and the glycolytic system are dependent upon glycogen stored in the muscles and the liver.

Interval training demands energy so quickly that fat stores are not able to provide energy rapidly enough to keep up with demand.  Interval training requires carbohydrate stores, glycogen to be specific, to supply the fast energy that is needed.  During your recovery period and the hours after your workout when there is plenty of oxygen present and the demand for energy quickly has slowed down, your body utilizes your fat stores to convert that fat into glycogen for the next time you workout with a high intensity.  This process of replacing the fast energy stores that you used up during your interval training workout may take hours to completely restore the glycogen stores.

So, the secret to burning fat is to not burn fat during your workout.  Burn for hours afterwards by exhausting your glycogen stores.

interval training

A study, published in The Journal of Physiology, shows that short bursts of very intense exercise — equivalent to only a few minutes per day — can produce the same results as traditional endurance training.

The Study:
Subjects:  16 college-aged students

Protocols:
- Interval training group:  4-6 sets of 30 second “all out” bouts with 4 minutes recovery for 2 weeks.
Total training time = 2.5 hours
- Moderate-intensity group:  90-120 minutes of continuous cycling for 2 weeks.
Total training time = 10.5 hours

The Results:
Similar improvements were demonstrated in both groups for exercise performance and muscle characteristics associated with resistance to fatigue.

“The most striking finding from our study was the remarkably similar improvements in muscle health and performance induced by two such diverse training strategies,” says Martin Gibala, an associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster University.

“Our study demonstrates that interval-based exercise is a very time-efficient training strategy,” said Gibala. “This type of training is very demanding and requires a high level of motivation. However, short bursts of intense exercise may be an effective option for individuals who cite ‘lack of time’ as a major impediment to fitness.”

Blackwell Publishing Ltd. (2006, September 18). ‘No Time To Exercise’ Is No Excuse. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 12, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2006/09/060918142456.htm

Want to know how to implement an interval training program.  My friend Craig Ballantyne is offering a discounted trial period for those who want to fire up their training program.  Check it out at Turbulence Training.

Fat Burning Bodyweight Circuit Exercises

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training for Fat Loss

When you travel, you worry about missing your workouts and eating poorly…So you must plan ahead for both (apples and almonds for planes, trains, & automobiles)…and bodyweight circuits for “no-equipment fat burning”.

And while I have bodyweight exercises that are just as hard as the bench press and barbell squat in one of my bodyweight workouts, today we’ll focus on replacing intervals with bodyweight circuits.

To do a bodyweight circuit…

a) Pick 3 lower body exercises

b) Pick 3 upper body exercises

c) Alternate between a lower and upper body exercise without rest, till you are done all 6 exercises

d) Rest a minute.

e) Repeat 2-3 more times until you are done 20 minutes

For example, this is a great circuit that doesn’t need any equipment

1) Prisoner Squat (12 repetitions)
2) Elevated Pushups (8 reps per side)
3) Single-Leg Deadlift (10 reps per side)
4) Close-grip Pushups (As many reps as possible)
5) Jumping Jacks (30-60 reps)
6) Cross-Body Mountain Climber (12 reps per side)

Whew. That’s pretty advanced…for a beginner, we’d slow it down like this and take some breaks between exercises…

1) Wall Squat (8 reps)
2) Kneeling Elevated Pushup (5 reps per side)
3) Lying 1-leg Hip Extension (8 reps per side)
4) Plank (30 second hold)
5) Jumping Jacks (5-10 reps)
6) Side Plank (15 second hold per side)

Safe travels, and of course, always check with your doctor before beginning a fat burning bodyweight circuit exercise program.

Advanced Bodyweight Circuit Workout

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit Turbulence Training for Fat Loss

Interval training burns fat and improves fitness more quickly than constant but moderately intensive physical activity, according to research by a University of Guelph researcher.

The study included moderately fit women in their 20’s and borderline sedentary subjects.  Subjects trained every other day for 2 weeks alternating between 4 minute work periods and 2 minute rest periods for a total of 10 sets.  They trained at 90% intensity.

So what were the results?

- Increase in fat usage.
- Increase in aerobic capacity.  This means that a person is better able to sustain prolonged activity.
- Increase in muscle enzyme activity.  These are the chemicals in the body that help make reactions happen faster.  This may help to make the body more efficient at producing energy in the muscles.

The bottom line is that the interval training study demonstrated that this interval training program elicits faster and improved fat burning potential and greater overall fitness.  Talanian concludes that the introduction of an interval training program into your exercise routine once or twice a week can be beneficial.

Want to know how to implement an interval training program.  My friend Craig Ballantyne is offering a discounted trial period for those who want to fire up their training program.  Check it out at Turbulence Training.

This study can be found at:
University Of Guelph (2007, June 29). Interval Training Burns More Fat, Increases Fitness, Study Finds. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 12, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2007/06/070627140103.htm

Tabata Training 4 minutes of Intense Training for Fat Loss by Joe

Tabata Training is a very intense form of Interval Training. The idea is you do as many reps as you can of an exercise in twenty seconds you then rest for ten seconds and repeat. The ultimate goal is eight total sets.

When training for fat loss the key is to kick up your metabolism. Fat Loss comes from keeping your metabolism elevated hours after your workout is over.

Weight Training has been proven to be the best form of exercise for keeping your metabolism raised for up to eighteen hours after your workout is over.

In Bodybuilding and hardcore training gyms dumbell thrusts and barbell front squats are thought to be the two best exercises to do Tabata Training.

My opinion is there are a multitude of exercises that can be done Tabata style. Yes dumbell thrusts are one of my favorites for Tabatas but there are more.

Tabata’s can be done with Kettlebells, Bodyweight exercises and Medicine ball training. As an example the Kettlebell swing ( which can be done with a dumbell if you don’t have a Kettlebell) is known as one of the best total body exercises there is.

So if Kettlebell Swings are a total body exercise why not do them Tabata style?

As I said earlier Tabata Training is an intense form of Interval Training if fat loss is what your looking for this is the way to go.

Along with a sound and clean nutrition program. You are eating clean aren’t You?If your not your really kind of beating your head against a wall. There is a saying in fitness circles ” You can’t out train a lousy diet” Enough said.

For the everyday person looking to lose fat, build some lean muscle and get in condition cardiovascular wise get some form of Tabata and Interval Training into your exercise program.

Tabata Training is a more advanced form of Interval Training. Someone in top condition who has been training regularly should be doing Tabata’s to keep lean.

Someone just starting an exercise program looking to get in shape should start slower with some Tabata- Interval complexes.

As a beginner try doing a bodyweight complex:

1) Squats

2) Pushups

3) Jump Rope

Starting out pick a rep range of say 8-15 depending on your conditioning. Do all three exercises one after the other ( take a rest in between exercises till you get in a little better shape) Once you have done the three exercises that’s one complex.

About the Author

There is no majic to fat loss it takes work and dedication. Tabata Training, Interval Training and weight training along with proper nutrition will get you there faster than you might think If your motivated and dedicated.

High Intensity Interval Training-the Scientific Approach to Weight Loss.

Okay, I am pretty sure you have read most of the material you could get your hands on concerning dieting and weight loss. Chances are, you even attempted dieting and cardiovascular training at some point in order to shed some of those unwanted pounds. The question is, did it work? If it did work, how long did your new body last? A matter of weeks? A matter of months? Chances are, if you are reading this article, you weren’t completely satisfied with the results of your last attempt to lose weight, and you are hoping there is something out there that can give you the edge. There is something out there that can give you the edge when climbing toward your weight loss goals, but you have to be willing to work for it. That something is called high intensity interval training, or HIIT.

What is the difference between HIIT and your run of the mill cardio, and why will it help you lose weight faster and more effectively than your average dieting and cardio scheme? The answer is in the science behind it all. In order to understand why HIIT works, you need to understand how your body loses weight in general, and how your body converting fat to energy determines how much unwanted body fat you shed after a given bout of physical exertion. In other words, you need a bit of back ground to thoroughly understand why HIIT is superior, and what it can do for you.

Okay. In order to lose weight, you need to either sweat off weight in water, or burn off weight in fat. I am sure that you are most interested in the latter. Burning off weight in fat is relatively simple in theory, but extremely difficult in practice because most people with extra fat have it because their body is highly efficient in its use of energy. In other words, the genes that make you predisposed to fat during these sedentary times are the same ones that gave your ancestors the edge when we had to hunt and fight for each and every meal. Fat burning for energy occurs when your body’s source of glucose and glycogen are depleted, thus forcing your body to convert stored fat into usable energy. Your body will utilize fat in any situation that requires energy when you no longer have glycogen and glucose on hand. This means that yes, cardio will burn fat, but not as efficiently as HIIT. Why? Because HIIT is much more intense and requires a much higher amount of energy to sustain. This increased amount of energy requirements is the same thing that leads to more fat burning. But this is not the only reason HIIT is superior to normal cardio. HIIT has been proven to increase basal metabolic weight for a substantial amount of time after you are finished training. This means, in layman’s terms that your body will continue to use more calories than usual for energy, even after you have stopped training. Even if you sit down on a couch or sleep after your training! How does that sound?

Now for the good stuff. How can you apply HIIT today? HIIT is exactly like what the name suggests. High intensity means you will be working at or above %80 of your maximum heart rate. Interval means that you will be alternating between these bouts of high intensity and bouts of average intensity cardio or work. Training, well, we all know what that is-hopefully. Now, lets say you want to give HIIT a try. You would start by jogging at a comfortable pace for 3-5 minutes. Then, you would increase the pace to a run for a minute. Don’t kill yourself at first, just increase the intensity to a point that you really have to focus to finish the minute. Now, relax for a couple of minutes by jogging at an easy pace. Then repeat the burst of running again. Do this cycle a few times, aiming for twenty minutes at first. This cycle can be applied to almost any apparatus, be it stair stepper or elliptical trainer. You can even utilize bleacher running for a brutally effective workout.

Now, if you want to attempt HIIT, you should always remember to warm up before hand. In order to maximize the benefits of any weight loss plan, healthy eating is a must. With a bit of discipline and perseverance, you too can reap the rewards of scientifically applied training protocols.

About the Author

Steve Hochman is the founder and CEO of Next Level Fitness, home of the innovative 3-in-1 workout- O.C.’s fastest way for you to get fit. Personal Trainer Orange County Ca, Irvine Personal Training, Weight Loss Personal Trainer Orange County Ca, Irvine Personal Training, weight Loss.

Anaerobic exercise: fast fuel

Anaerobic exercise is when you are exercising at a rate that requires your body to use energy systems that do not require the use of oxygen to produce energy from within the muscle.  That’s not to say that you are going so fast that oxygen is not being used.  Some people error in suggesting that we get to a point where our body doesn’t use oxygen.  That isn’t the case.  What it means is that the primary source of energy being used at that particular moment is not dependent upon oxygen to produce energy (ATP) to keep you going.

The problem with anaerobic pathways is that they cannot be maintained for a long period of time.  When the energy demand exceeds the rate at which it can be produced, you hit the wall and slow down.  Slowing down allows for the oxygen dependent system (oxidative or aerobic) to produce more energy and hopefully catch up.

Another myth about anaerobic exercise is that lactic acid creates muscle failure and burning.  The fact is that lactate (not lactic acid) can be useful in serving as a bridge between the aerobic pathway and anaerobic pathways.

The point at which the muscle is no longer able to clear out lactate fast enough to be used in aerobic pathways is known as the lactate threshold or anaerobic threshold.  This measurement can be used to determine an athletes fitness level just as the maximum amount of oxygen that can be used by the muscle (VO2max).

Currently, there is a considerable amount of research to determine what relationship exists between VO2max and lactate threshold.  Both characteristics are important for high level athletes.

Anaerobic threshold can be improved through high intensity interval training.  Other sports or activities that require high levels of anaerobic threshold include basketball, soccer, hockey, lacrosse and racquetball just to name a few.

These types of workouts and activities are effective for improving lactate threshold because they tax the body’s ability to clear lactate out of the muscles and become more efficient.  High Intensity Interval training (HIIT) routines help achieve this. HIIT allows you to exceed your anaerobic threshold for a period of time by alternating high intensity activities with periods of rest and recovery.