Remember when....
Remember when workouts alternated between long, grueling cardio stints on the treadmill coupled with a few boring trips to the gym to lift some weights? I can't tell you how many people have found this to be an unfulfilling and boring way to try and stay fit. Some people may thrive in that environment....but not me! I need variety and energy and I want to see real results for the time and effort I put in. Well, this perfect combination has a name....it's called Metabolic Training!
Metabolic Training Defined
A metabolic training workout is a fast-paced combination of high-intensity cardiovascular exercises coupled with resistance (strength) training. The cardiovascular work will work you in short bursts with some (but not a lot) of recovery time between timed sessions. The resistance training you do will be heavy enough to require real effort, but not so heavy that you can't get through the workout. The idea is to create a very high-intensity workout, one that burns fat as it adds muscle tone.
Metabolic Training Benefits
What makes metabolic training so great? These fast, challenging workouts provide the following major benefits:
- Shape and tone your body
- Increased cardiovascular efficiency and capacity
- Improved strength
- Significant calorie burning
Who Should Do This Workout
Metabolic training is a real winner when your goal is weight management or fat loss as it not only burns a significant amount of calories in a relatively short period of time, but also builds lean muscle. More lean muscle increases our Basal Metabolic Rate which means that we burn even MORE calories each day just by breathing! But even if your goal is just to boost your fitness program and get in better shape, there are no better, more well-rounded, and more efficient ways to do so than through Metabolic Training. As I mentioned earlier, this is personally my absolute favorite type of workout and in fact Metabolic Training is the foundation of our fitness programs and classes at Empowered Fitness
Metabolic workouts are not for everyday use, but 2 - 4 Metabolic Training sessions interspersed with 2 - 3 days of stretching or yoga provide an excellent program to follow that will very efficiently maximize your time working out while keeping your body strong and flexible.
Example Metabolic Training Session
Here is a simple example of a Metabolic Training workout that you can do at home, on the beach, or practically anywhere with no special equipment.
---Cardio Circuit--- (complete this circuit 3 Times with 10 seconds rest between exercises)
15 Burpees
30 Mountain Climbers
40 Jumping Jacks
Rest 1 Minute
---Resistance Circuit--- (complete this circuit 3 Times with 10 seconds rest between exercises)
20 Push ups
20 Dips
15 Squats
This seems like a simple set of exercises (and it is!) but believe me, if you were to do this routine consistently 3 - 4 times per week, you would see AMAZING results in the shape of your body, your strength, and your cardiovascular fitness.
I encourage you to explore Metabolic Training further and incorporate some aspect of it into your fitness routine if you've not already done so. It is simple to do, it's a lot of fun, and it can make a significant difference in the results you see and the way you feel!
What are your favorite workouts? I love hearing about how others get themselves feeling healthy, strong, and energetic so let me know how YOU do it below!
