How to compose an effective weight loss workout

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Lifehacker offers two options for an intense circuit workout that will help you lose weight. You will be able to independently diversify your program and create a truly effective workout for fast weight loss.

Exercising without a coach is many times more difficult and hazardous to health. But many think otherwise. This article is just for those who want to lose weight, but do not want to work out with a trainer.

What workouts will help you lose weight

First, let's figure out which workouts in the gym are most effective. Maybe cardio? Or is it power loads?

If you choose long-term low-intensity cardio (slow continuous running, walking, cycling), your body gets used to the stress after a few sessions. As a result, you only burn calories while running.

In the case of strength training, things are a little different. After it (with sufficient intensity), the resting metabolism remains elevated for a long time - sometimes more than 20 hours. And all this time, your body burns calories faster.

Thus, even if the same amount of calories is spent during strength and cardio training (I emphasize again that we are talking about low-intensity cardio, and not heavy interval training or sprints), the same amount of calories is spent, after strength training, more is still burned. Read more about the effects of cardio, HIIT, and strength training in this article.

To speed up your metabolism and build all the muscles in your body, we combine circuit training with interval cardio.

Workout compilation rules

To create an effective full-body circuit workout, follow a few rules:

1. Include exercises for different muscle groups. This will load the entire body evenly.
2. Alternate push and pull exercises. Pushing exercises are those in which you push off the ground (lunges, squats, push-ups) or push free weights away from you (bench press, bench press). When doing pulling exercises, you are pulling yourself (pull-ups) or apparatus (deadlifts). Pulling and pushing exercises provide different loads. By alternating them, you will not overwork your muscles and can do more.
3. Finish your workout with high-intensity cardio.
4. Start with a warm-up, end with stretching and rolling on a massage roller.

And now let's go directly to training.

The first workout option for weight loss

There will be five resistance exercises in our workout: two for the lower body, two for the upper body, and one for the abs.

Each exercise is performed 10 times without interruption. This is one circle. In total, you need to complete five circles, rest between circles - until complete recovery (but not more than three minutes).

It is better for beginners to perform the easy version, it will be indicated for each exercise in the paragraph "How to simplify".

1. Lunges with weights

You perform 10 lunges with each leg - 20 times in total.

• Side lunges.
• Back lunges with weights.
• Walking lunges around the hall.
• The angle between the knee and hip in the lunge should be 90 degrees.
• In a lunge, the knee does not extend beyond the toe.
• The knee is directed forward, facing the toe, does not curl inward.

2. Push-ups

• Keep your elbows close to your body (unless you choose wide arm push-ups).
• Keep your abs tense at all times to avoid arching your back.

3. Deadlift

• Keep the barbell close to your body, practically slide the bar over your legs.
• Do not hunch your back, otherwise the load will go to the lumbar spine.
• During the deadlift, the knees practically do not bend, which allows you to stretch the hamstrings well.

4. Dumbbell Row

• Keep your elbow close to your body and try to guide it further behind your back.
• Keep your back straight, do not round it.
• Try to pull the dumbbells with your back muscles, not your arms.

5. Plank on balls

The second workout option for weight loss

This workout is more difficult than the previous one, but it can also be simplified by taking less weight or doing the exercises a little differently. The rules are the same - 10 reps, 5 laps, rest between circles until full recovery.

1. Barbell squats

• Keep your back straight without slouching.
• While squatting, take your pelvis back.
• Spread your knees apart - they should not curl inward.

2. Press of dumbbells from the chest

• Do not bend your lower back or lift your pelvis off the bench.
• The dumbbells should move in sync.
• Try to lift the dumbbells by tightening the pectoral muscles.

3. Deadlift on one leg with dumbbells

• Keep your back straight, do not slouch or round it in the lumbar region.
• The knee of the bending leg looks forward, does not turn inward.
• Lower the dumbbells to mid-calf.
• The leg standing behind does not drop to the ground until the end of the approach - it is constantly in the hanging position.

4. Pull-ups on the horizontal bar

• If you're a beginner, don't help yourself by rocking. First, you need to establish the correct pull-up technique and only then use inertia to pull up several times more.
• Try to keep your head in one position, do not stretch your chin up.
• Keep your legs straight.

5. Pulling legs to the horizontal bar

• Raise your knees to your chest without straightening your legs at the top point.
• Limit the amplitude of the lift, for example, raise straight legs to an angle of 90 degrees.

Watch the video for a complete workout with two options.

Interval cardio at the end of the workout

The workout ends with interval cardio for 15-20 minutes. You can use this scheme: 4 minutes of running at a speed of 8 km / h, a minute at a speed of 12 km / h.

If your treadmill has an interval run mode, select a timed workout with 20 minutes and a level of 8-10 depending on your fitness level.

Typically, there are many different interval workouts on machines that alternate between slow and fast running and treadmills.

Exercise and diet

Alternating strength exercises, you can independently create an effective weight loss complex.

Of course, don't forget about nutrition. Even without a diet, exercise will strengthen muscles and improve physical fitness, but weight loss will go much faster if you learn to count calories.

Here are some helpful articles on how to change your diet for quick results.

This article will help you lose weight by reducing your calorie intake, and here you will find out how many calories you need for different types of workouts. Here's another good calorie guide - calculate your calorie intake using various formulas based on physical activity.

For those who do not want to give up delicious food for a beautiful figure, here is a bonus in the form of 10 alternative foods with which your diet will be low in calories, but no less tasty.