Advanced Fat Loss Workouts

03/23/2011

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I've been using the following technique quite successively in training competitors to lose body fat:
When competitors (or anyone) wants to get really lean, they have to learn to push themselves through exhaustion. Where the average person would quit... they must keep going. One of my techniques, is to give competitors a workout that I know they can't finish without taking a break. They work until they are too exhausted and need to take a short rest before continuing. This forces them to work to their max. Remember, fat loss is stubborn... you gotta give it 100% if you want to get lean.
Below are some examples designed to push you past your limits.
Mountain Climbers + Pushups (non-stop)
See how exhausted their upper bodies get toward the end of this workout...
                The idea is to finish the entire 8 cycles without stopping... good luck!
Barbell Squat Press
Here is another example of a demanding exercise I use to get competitors in shape. I will give the competitor a high number of reps that is nearly impossible to complete. In this example it's 70 reps with a 45lb Olympic bar. She must keep going until she is finished, with only short breaks to catch her breath or shake the lactic acid out of her muscles.
(try combining this with the workout above with no rest between them)
Try combining this with the workout above with no rest between them or.... you can combine this exercise with 3 or 4 others and do them all in succession without resting... you will be crawling out of the gym.
 - If you can't handle the Olympic bar, you can use 2 dumbbells instead.
Exercise Spotlight
Arm position and Pushups
What muscles are you working?
Depending on where your arms are positioned will determine if pushups effect the triceps more... or the chest and shoulders.
Most women do push with wide arms but if you want to focus more on the triceps, you need to use a different arm position.
Watch the video below and check out the different hand positions.
Pushups done with arms closer to your body (elbows in) are more difficult because there is more pressure on your triceps.
Pushups done with arms further apart focus more on the chest and front deltoids... they are also easier to do because the shoulders and chest are stronger than the triceps.
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"Running the Rack" for fat loss

01/09/2011

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'Running the rack' is something I I've talked about online and get emails asking me about it. It is featured in week 5 of the Figureready program.
I needed a workout to give to figure competitors who had trouble losing body fat. I often had them train separately, but I needed  to know that they were working out intensely since I couldn't always watch their entire workout. So I came up with running the rack - when done correctly, It burns a lot of calories.

The first exercise is the key (it's usually a squat row), you increase the weight each set by 10lbs. until you can no longer perform the required number of reps. The second exercise stays the same (weight and reps) throughout. In this video the Db squat press is the 2nd exercise.
  - Once you reach your maximum weight on the squat rows (when you cant do the required number of reps) then you work your way back down the weight stack, decreasing the weight by 10lbs each set. until you reach your starting weight.
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Killer legs exercise

01/09/2011

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Here is a quad-killer. It's a combination of jump squats and jump lunges. Individually these exercises are tough but together they are 3X as tough. This is how you perform it:

1) perform a jump squat
2) then perform 2 alternating jump lunges
3) another jump squat
4) 2 more jump lunges
...continue this pattern for the required number of reps (15 is a good number)
Workout idea:
try doing these immediately after a set of seated leg extensions (for the quads)
 - perform 15 leg extensions (or until legs burn), jump off and immediately begin to perform the above exercise
 - do this non-stop for 3 cycles of: 15 leg extensions + 15 reps of the above exercise (i haven't named it yet)
 - you will be crawling along the gym floor afterwards
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Using the Spin Bike to lose body fat (for figure competitors)

01/09/2011

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Mixing a cardio exercise (ex. running, spin bike etc) with a resistance exercise is a great way to burn calories. I use the spin bike often during the precontest fat loss period for figure competitors. The key is to push hard on the spin bike so that you get the maximum benefit when you move on to your resistance exercise.

The video below shows the:
spin bike + jump squats
spin bike + Db squat presses
Turn the tension up on the spin bike so that it's difficult to pedal. Push hard, your leg muscles should be burning by the time you get off the bike.
Workout idea:
(perfrom the following 9 sets without interrupton - this is one giant set)
1) 100 reps on the spin bike + 20 jump squats
2) 110 reps on the spin bike + 20 jump squats
3) 120 reps on the spin bike + 20 jump squats
4) 130 reps on the spin bike + 20 Db squat presses
5) 140 reps on the spin bike + 20 Db squat presses
6) 150 reps on the spin bike + 20 Db squat presses
7) 160 reps on the spin bike + max pushups
8) 170 reps on the spin bike + max pushups
9) 180 reps on the spin bike + max pushups

It's important for anyone getting ready for a figure show to constantly try to force the body to lose body fat. Sometime switching the type of workout can be the spark to keep fat loss going.
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How to squat safely (jump squats, air squats, frog jumps, regular barbell squats)

12/08/2010

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How to squat safely
Picture
If you are training to lose body fat you will need to do a lot of leg exercises because using these large muscle burn a lot of calories.
When it comes to squatting, women have to be more careful to use proper form. Women are built differently than men (wider hips) which can put you at risk for more knee problems when doing any form of squatting.
When squatting it's important that you place your weight on your heels. This transfers the weight off the knee joint (bad) and onto the thigh muscles and glutes (good). Watch the video and pay attention to knee placement and weight distribution. If you are not comfortable with this position, it may take a few weeks before you do it before it becomes a habit.

Sore knees: If you have sore knees this may solve your problem. I would say that 75% of women perform squats incorrectly. Most feel relief once they try squatting like this
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The Best Fat Loss Circuit

11/23/2010

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Figure competitors often email me and ask me, what is the hardest workouts that I give to competitors to really burn body fat. Well it's called the 'tree'.... and it works like this:
(the explanation below is a little hard to follow - the video is a lot easier to understand)

   Choose 8 exercises and number them 1-8
   for example:
       1. Jump squats:          15 reps
       2. Db swings:              20 reps
       3. Pushups:                 15 reps
       4. Squat row:               20 reps
       5. Mountain climbers: 80 reps
       6. Db squat curls:       15 reps
       7. Frog jumps:            20 reps
       8.1 arm high pull:        20 reps each arm

Using the exercises above the following sequence is done without interruption:
    A) perform exercise #1
    B) immediately perform exercises #1 and #2
    C) immediately perform exercises #1, #2 and #3
    D) immediately perform exercises #1, #2, #3 and #4
    E) immediately perform exercises #1, #2, #3,#4 and #5
    F) immediately perform exercises #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 and #6
    G) immediately perform exercises #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6 and #7
    H) immediately perform exercises #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6 ,#7 and #8
Basically every time you add a new exercise you start over at the beginning
The video below shows an abbreviated circuit of 5 exercises (db swings, jump squats, pushups, mountain climbers, 1 arm press). Most of the your circuits should contain more exercises and higher reps (15-20 reps for most exercises)
When to use:
  • You can perform this workout once or twice a week in place of your regular 60 minute workout.
  • You could repeat the above circuit for your entire 60 minute workout.... or come up with others and perform a few of them.
  • I wouldn't suggest not working out like this too often to avoid over-training, unless you are getting ready for a show and you are close to your goal weight but the last few pounds are holding on tight. Then you might want to alternate this with your regular workout. Otherwise, once or twice a week is good.
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