I want to work out without burning any calories, said no one, ever. If you’re like most people, when you hit the gym you want to make every second count. So what’s the best way to get the biggest bang for your work out buck? As the saying goes, go hard or go home. These four exercises torch mega calories. Add them to your routine for a work out that delivers the goods on your weight loss goals.
Tabata training
Named for Japanese scientist Dr. Izumi Tabata, the program is a kind of HIIT (high intensity interval training) that burns a lot of calories while providing excellent conditioning for your body’s aerobic (cardio) and anaerobic (muscular) systems. Interval exercise, alternating periods of high and low intensity, burns more calories than exercise performed at a consistent pace. It is also more efficient. The periods of high intensity mean your 30 minute workout is just as good as a 60 minute workout with stable intensity levels. What’s even better is the flexibility Tabata offers, so the sky is the limit as long as you follow the basic structure. It goes like this:
· Jump rope at maximum intensity (as hard as you can) for 20 seconds.
· Rest for 10 seconds.
· You have completed one set!
· Repeat for 7 more sets of rope jumping.
· Rest for one minute.
· Move onto next exercise, maybe push-ups, and repeat.
Running
Running is one of the best ways to burn calories, boost your immune system and your mood, too. You’ll also lower levels of cholesterol, depression and insomnia. What’s more, running helps you have more energy all day. Healthcare professionals have recently been sounding the alarm about our sedentary lifestyle. As it turns out, even an hour of exercise is not enough to counteract the damage caused by sitting or sleeping for 20 hours a day. Because running gives you more energy you are likely to get up and get moving more frequently throughout the day. Say goodbye to the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle and hello to a healthy weight.
Kettlebell swing
Looking for a way to tone as well as tighten your entire body and blast calories? Look no further than the kettle bell swing. These little orbs may seem small but they deliver big results. According to the American Council on Exercise kettlebell swingers burn an average of 400 calories in just twenty minutes.
Supersets
Do supersets to ratchet up the intensity of your weight training session. Your muscles will feel the burn along with those pesky extra calories. To do a superset, simply pair two exercises with a rest period in between. You can choose to exercise the same muscle, such as with the dumbbell press followed by the dumbbell fly. You can also work opposing muscles such as bicep curls followed by triceps dips and even non-opposing muscles such as incline bench dumbbell press (chest) and bicep curls. Your strategy will depend on your goal. Working the same muscle is thought to speed muscle exhaustion and promote muscle growth while working non-opposing can save valuable workout time.
Make the most of your workout by finding ways to build muscle and boost calorie burn. These exercises are a great way to get started. There’s no time like the present, swim suit season is right around the corner.
