By Callie Dubrow

strength training for fat loss

Hey again, Callie Durbrow back in the corner with Maverick Fitness Coach Tristan Lewis. It’s great to be able to give you all some fitness training information that you can use immediately. As much as you read, learn and absorb, if you don’t put it into action it’s useless. So get out there and work hard!

In order to effectively lose fat, and keep it off, people need to change their body composition. This does not happen overnight or with a quick fix diet. As a personal trainer in Boston I have seen many people struggle and become frustrated with their fitness programs. Losing fat is a difficult task but it can be broken down into a few simple equations.

1. Lose Fat + Gain Lean Muscle = Change in overall Body Composition

2. Strength Training + Solid Nutrition Plan = Lean Muscle Gain

3. Lean Muscle Gain + Consistent Progressions to Exercise Plan = Fat Loss and Overall Change in Metabolism

Many people rely too much on cardio and calorie restriction when trying to lose body fat, lose weight, and ultimately change their “shape.” The most effective way to do this however, is quite the opposite. You need to develop a solid strength training program, eat 5-6 small meals and snacks each day, and engage in higher intensity conditioning exercises (interval training) in order to achieve the lean, strong, and fat burning body.

Here are my Top Eight Strength Exercises for Ultimate Fat Loss:

1. Squats (dumbbell, barbell, sandbag, kettle bell)
2. Lunges (dumbbell, barbell, sandbag, kettle bell- various directions including lateral, walking, reverse, forward)
3. Chin Ups (assisted, body weight, or weighted)
4. Push Ups (modified, body weight, on bench or ball, explosive using med ball)
5. Overhead Press (barbell, dumbbell, unilateral or bilateral)
6. Turkish Get-Ups (using dumbbell or kettle bell)
7. Kettle Bell Swings (for reps or time)
8. Weighted Trunk Exercises (medicine ball sit ups, twists, back extensions)

All of these exercises recruit large muscle groups, tax the nervous system, increase the heart rate and challenge the cardiovascular system, and develop real world strength (not machine based). These movements can all be modified with variations depending on strength levels, training experience, and goals of the individual. Performing these movements as a circuit or a superset will elevate the heart rate and challenge all areas of your body.

Regardless of the design; these exercises give you more bang for your buck and you will see results much faster than smaller, isolated movements that do not tax your system nearly as much.

Integrate some or all of these exercises into your training program 2-3 days per week, along with 2-3 days per week of higher intensity conditioning for a maximum of 30 minutes, and a clean nutrition plan and you will be well on your way to a consistent change in your metabolism, an increase in lean muscle tissue, and overall fat loss.

*Try these intense workouts for real six pack abs results – abs workouts here

Ok.  There is obviously major hype right now about the ‘Twilight’ Movies.  Honestly, its not my thing.  BUT I know many family and friends who love it.  And importantly the look of a man who has added 30 pounds of muscle…no matter his age.

On Set Training With Taylor Lautner...

Taylor Lautner deserves congratulations...

For today’s post I thought we’d discuss how a 17 yr old gains around 30 pounds of lean muscle.  I smile as I started my lifting at the age of 17 – a few years ago now!

Obviously its fair to say that amounts of muscle gained will vary.  A guy in his 30′s and 40′s will gain differently to a younger guy like Taylor.  But the interesting thing to point out is the change in training stimulus that allowed – or assisted- in this impressive gain.

Typically us guys will preach all day long about the need for consistent resistance training – our ‘mantra’, with variables changed up like weight, reps, speed and volume.  Fair enough, it does not change.

But what is important to address here is the change of training ‘type’ incorporated to stimulate muscle growth.

In looking at the training regime Taylor Lautner did, and researching this discussion on the web, we can see a selection of specifics his trainer incorporated.

Obviously the first – Lift heavy weights. This is one we all know and use.  With progressive changes in variables.  To stimulate consistent response and growth.

Taylor Lautner Six Pack Abs - A nice side effect of correct training

How about this – Extended Time Under Tension. This is a great one.  We will all benefit from changes in our routine or workout that force us to not just stick to the typical speed of a rep, but increase our muscles’ time under tension from the usual 3 seconds exertion – 2 seconds eccentric etc – to a varied approach – try a session of less reps but TUT (time under tension) of 20-80 seconds.  Now that right there is challenging the muscles.  I recommend and use this approach once every couple of weeks.  Nice way to break up the workout variables.

Workout Change. Now this is a point I really take note on.  When I first started training I followed a workout program for 12 weeks (mail order special!) and saw great gains, but during times when I’ve got stuck (And I have) doing too much of the same stimulating training I can tell I’m not moving forward with muscle gain

I listen to my body and when I feel a need to change I do, but on a more consistent basis I change up the TYPE of workouts.

For example – after this is posted I’m off to do a full-on Intensity Circuit with a mix of body weight and resistance metabolic exercises in circuit fashion.  Honestly, I never used to consider this worthwhile when I was younger but in my first meetings with serious trainers in the gyms I trained at as a 17 year old I always recall the time I stepped away from the heavy weights and added a little workout spice to my program.  It absolutely affected my gains – In a major positive way.  My body and the bodies of my clients over the years have reacted superbly from complete workout change up – particularly the guys (and girls) wanting increased muscle.  So definitely do not neglect slamming your body through a HIIT or Metabolic resistance circuit to ‘shake things up’ – muscle growth will follow.

Stop that Bloody Cardio! – You know I ‘m not a fan of long form cardio.  I even have days where my HIIT pisses me off.  So here’s another option.  Grab a weight you can lift relatively easily – choose 3-6 ‘compound’ exercises (i.e. DB thrusters, Renegade Rows, DB lunges, DB Push Press etc) and perform 20 seconds of one – 15 seconds rest – 20 secs of the next… and so on.  DO 2-3 circuits of this with 2 mins rest between circuits.  That right there is your new cardio!  Nice.  No more long boring sessions.  You’ll hear me go on and on about this…

When all is said and done we can see that Taylor Lautner and his trainer did an amazing job.  Its not a bad thing to give credit where credit is due and 30 pounds gained is a great achievement.

I can tell all of you reading that these sort of gains are not exclusive to millionaire hollywood actors, they are a reality for anyone who wants them.

Taylor Lautner - more mass - 30 Pounds of Muscle to be precise! - credit to ya!

Simply:

Change up your workout!  Yeah – really!

Change up your variables – set count, rep count, time under tension TUT, grip position, compound and isolation…etc

Add new and challenging circuit  sessions

Stop long form cardio

Eat more protein than you are currently and add a protein supplement also!

Use creatine (no loading phases please!)

Rest more than usual

Take a week off every 8 weeks

There’s more but these fundamentals will have you breaking plateaus and transforming your gains like a Taylor Lautner’.  But only even bigger!

*Changing up your workouts is now going to be the consistent variable of your fitness and muscle gaining future.  This factor will NOT change, stagnation is over for you and your routines.

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*Try this workout for bigger arms – the ultimate tricep and bicep mass workout here….

*Try this elite conditioning circuit workout to enhance lean muscle stimulation – and burn stubborn belly fat….

*The NEw 300 workout for six pack abs and lean mass stimulation….PART 2 here also…

You Can't Get new Growth With Stale Programs...

When I first got into fitness at 17 years old, my passion was body building.  Plain and simple.  I had previously been heavily into football (soccer) and other team sports requiring intense cardio capabilities.  But as my interest in bodybuilding exploded I immediately wanted to know why some guys built muscle and a lot didn’t.  I was 17 years old and open to learning from anyone…

Obviously we know genetics play there role, but this is not about genetics.  This is about changing up your training to illicit maximum response from your muscles.  Again, we know a change is needed- we all change reps, sets, weights etc etc.

However the change I’m talking about is one that is becoming ever more common and popular amongst the people training for new muscle and impressive physical appearance.

That change and the weapon to insert into your routine is ‘protocol change-up’.

I’ve been lucky enough to train alongside some of the smartest bodybuilders and muscle trainees in many different countries and the one thing 99% (the other 1% relied on ‘the juice’:) of them explained was their desire to completely take time off of serious heavy weights and insert high intensity circuit and body weight routines into their schedules – THEN they come back to the weights.

This is not something especially new but it does suprise me just how many people stay stuck in the same routine and mindlessly continue down one path of training.

Now there’s a time and a place for this change up, but the important thing is to do it!

Some of the biggest guys I know routinely throw in sessions of tabata training, M.I.T. Workouts, cross-fit and other full body ass-kick training.  The benefit of total body muscular stimulation as well as challenging your kinetic chain with diverse training is of such high benefit to stimulating new muscle growth its surprising more people don’t do it.

I’m going to go over a selection of other protocols that I’ve had clients and friends inserting into their regimes to stimulate stubborn muscle fibers and blast through plateaus in coming posts.  But to briefly conclude it seems that most smart bodybuilders and those looking to fire up their muscle gaining potential know the benefits of hitting their body from numerous angles with diverse training to keep it guessing and increasing its demand for much needed muscle.

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*Go Here to Man Vs Fitness and try a fat loss insertion workout and six pack abs circuit workouts

*My NEW Blog for fat loss advice, how to get six pack abs and lean muscle / body transformation guidance

*Ladies Only Fat Loss Advice Here! Tone Up That Body For Summer & Beyond…