Burn Fat, Drop Pounds
When you want to fight fat and firm up—whether you’re looking to fine-tune your physique or give your body a major overhaul—it helps to increase the number of calories burned during each sculpting session. This workout does that by adding fat-burning bursts of cardio to your routine.
The result? You’ll strengthen all the major muscles in your body and blast extra calories to help decrease body fat all over. This circuit-style routine moves you quickly through a series of six high-intensity intervals followed by moves that combine upper and lower body action. The workout gets your heart rate up—so don’t be surprised if you break a sweat and feel more exhilarated than usual when you’re finished!
For maximum fat-burning, in addition to performing the routine below, add extra cardio on other days of the week (run, power walk, cycle, skate, swim, or do cardio gym machines.) If you are new to an exercise or activity, listen to your body’s signals and lower the intensity or duration of your workout accordingly. By coupling powerful strength moves with cardio bursts and regular physical activity, you can shed fat in as few as six weeks. Ready, set, sweat!
HOW TO DO IT:
- Choose a weight that is heavy enough to challenge your target muscles, but not so heavy that your joints feel strained. Since you will be moving quickly through the moves, choose a slightly lighter weight than usual. Start with dumbbells that are at least 3-5 pounds and gradually work up to using six to 15 pounds, depending on the exercise.
- Do not use weights during the cardio bursts. If needed, modify the high-impact movements, such as the jacks, and make them lower impact by performing the same movement without jumping. Move for one minute (or less if you are just starting) and try not to pause between exercises. Of course, if you feel tired or out of breath, slow down.
- Start by performing one complete circuit: Do each cardio burst, followed by a strength move, then move on to the next set. Do each cardio burst for one minute, and perform 15 repetitions of each exercise,. Move quickly when performing each strength move, but do not swing the weights. If you can swing them, your weight is too light. Once you’ve cycled through all six exercises, repeat the circuit for a total of two to four cycles.
- Do this workout two to three times a week with a rest day in between.
- Modify this workout to match your fitness level. Follow the recommended moves, or adapt them as needed by clicking on a similar exercise that is easier or more challenging.
What you need: Weights, a step or bench, and good pair of sneakers to provide support during the cardio bursts. Note: For those who have not worked out very much recently or in the past, wearing sneakers is very important.
GET THE MOVES:
Move 1:
Cardio Burst: March - Step in place and pump your arms for one minute
Strength Move: Biceps Curl with Side Kick
Move 2:
Cardio Burst: Flutter Feet - Jog in place with your feet close to the ground. Speed up the pace so that your feet tap quickly on the floor for one minute. (Lower imact version: March in place at double speed.)
Strength Move: Lunging Front Raise
Move 3:
Cardio Burst: Leg Swing - Shift your weigh from foot to foot, swinging your legs from side to side for one minute. (Lower impact version: Alternate tapping each foot out to the outsides of your body.)
Strength Move: Side Lunge with Press
Move 4:
Cardio Burst: Scissor Job - Run in place and scissor your straight arms in front of your body quickly for one minute. (Lower impact version: March quickly and scissor your arms.)
Strength Move: Lunge Kick
Move 5:
Cardio Burst: Jacks - Jump out and in with both feet for one minute. Open to hop-width, no wider and keep your knees soft. (Lower impact version: Alternate side lunges quickly.)
Strength Move: Triceps Dip
Move 6:
Cardio Burst: Kicks - Alternate kicking each leg out in front, keeping your feet below hip level for one minute.
Strength Move: Modified Wide Push-up
This diet and exercise program should not be followed without first consulting a health care professional. If you have any special health conditions requiring attention, you should consult with your health care professional regularly regarding possible modification of this program.
Martica is a Manhattan-based exercise physiologist and nutritionist and an award-winning fitness instructor. She has written for a variety of publications including Self, Health, Prevention, The New York Times and others. Martica is the author of seven books, including her latest, Cross-training for Dummies