Triple Threat Training is a new workout method that’s already creating a buzz.

Finding ways to boost your motivation and stay engaged with what you’re doing should be at the core of your fitness being.  When your workouts become too predictable, that burned out feeling takes over your mind.  Slowly but surely, it begins devouring your motivation and sapping you of your energy.  This in turn leads to the deadly cycle of missed workouts and “I can just do it tomorrow” mentality.  You want to make noticeable, sustained progress?  You’ve got to avoid this goal-killing cycle and find ways to keep your motivation high.  One great one to keep motivation high is including new workout methods into your training plan from time to time.

Before we go any further, I want you to ask yourself something.  How are you currently working out?  How long have you been working out this way?  If you’re like most people, you’re probably on something like the routine listed below..and have been for quite a while…

• Monday: Upper body weight training
• Tuesday: Cardio
• Wednesday: Lower body weight training
• Thursday Cardio

……and so on….

This type of training can be very effective, but it can also get extremely boooringgg.   Knowing you’ve got that 5 mile run or 40 minutes of HIIT training after a long day of work doesnt drum up a lot of excitement in most people.  Over time, the runs start seeming longer and the lifts more like a chore.  Back when you started this training format, you were probably full of excitement and anticipation of a new workout routine.  As time dragged on, the novelty faded, the gains slowed down, and your perception of this once new and exciting workout routine changed.  It never ceases to amaze how much power perception plays in all of this.  When we perceive things to be new, effective, and exciting, we’re so full of motivation.  When they become more like a dreaded chore at the end of a long day, it’s no wonder we start skipping workouts and giving up all the progress we fought so hard for.

Not only that, but when you’re split training as mentioned above, you’re only impacting ONE aspect of your fitness on each training day.  In this case, you’ll train your upper body maybe once or twice a week, while your cardio is getting done at most three times a week.  Sound about right? 

Personally, I cycle my training on and off.  I’ll train in the manner listed above for a month or two, then completely change gears and go with something totally different.  That “totally different” is what I’m going to show you today. 

A New Workout for a New You…

In an effort to not only keep things fresh, but allow you to jump-start your progress, I want to introduce something I call Triple Threat Training.  Triple Threat Training is all about including three aspects of exercise in one workout.  Working in this format  accomplishes several things standard split training (usually) cannot…

• Allows for more training each week.  Short intense sessions allow you to hit muscles more frequently than standard split weight training routine does.
• Increases metabolism and calorie burning potential more than a standard HIIT/weight training split can.
• More diverse workouts mean less predictability and typically, sustained motivation.

Who is Triple Threat Training ideal for?

• Those looking for an increased rate of fat loss.
• Someone with a moderate level of fitness ability and are looking to develop that athletic/”toned” appearance
• Someone stuck on a plateau or for those people who feel they’ve tried everything and still can’t lose the last few pounds.
• Anyone looking to increase athletic performance and/or need to train for a race/event.
  

  This new workout method delivers big results to those who stay committed…

Triple Threat Training is a new workout method I developed for myself several years ago.  Like other training methods, it works best when you cycle it on and off and don’t stick to it for too long.  I like to train exclusively in this format for 6-8 weeks before changing gears and going with something different.  Nonetheless, I’ve come back to Triple Threat Training several times over the last few years and find that it’s one of my favorite ways to workout.  It provides that motivational spike I’m looking for, while delivering fast and steady gains while I’m on the plan. 

How It Works

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Triple Threat Training combines three corresponding exercises into one monster combination interval.  We start with one power/explosive cardiovascular movement, follow it up with a more finesse-based cardio movement, then finish out the combination with a strength exercise designed to affect multiple muscle groups at one time, while also allowing for a period of “active rest”.  By using active rest, we are able to do more work in the same amount of time.  With Triple Threat Training, we’re not stopping for 60-90 seconds after each set; we’re pushing through and minimizing the time we spend standing around catching our breath or letting our muscles recuperate.  We’re also not counting reps, we’re strictly going for time.  I’ll usually set an interval timer, and listen for the beeps.  It really is a very simple way of training.   Because things are precisely calculated, each training session is either 36 or 45 minutes long (difference is explained below). 

Timed Intervals

• (:30/:30/:30) Beginner/Intermediate
• (:30/:60/:30) Advanced
• 30 second rest after each three-exercise combination

This is the difference between a 36 or 45 minute workout.  If you’re better conditioned, opt for the :30/:60/:30 format, which includes one minute of a finesse cardio movement, instead of the standard 30 seconds.  Other than that, the workouts are identical and should provide a serious challenge, regardless of what your fitness ability currently is. 

I’m going to break down each combination, tell you exactly what equipment you’ll need, and then briefly explain how to perform the movements.  If you’re unclear about things, feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll be happy to get back to you.

Triple Threat Combo #1

Equipment needed: Bench/Box and jump rope (fast jumps in place if no jump rope).

Notes:  Set up a bench, and jump up and onto the bench.  Pause, and jump straight off, to the opposite side.  Turn around and repeat.  Without break, go right into jump roping or quick jumps in place if you don’t have a rope.  From here, get down and dirty and start those hindu push ups.  Take 30 seconds rest after your hindu push ups, then repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 rounds.

• Bench Jump Over and Back/Jump Rope/Hindu Push Ups

Triple Threat Combo #2

Equipment needed: Dumbbells or anything you can plant your hands on for split pikes.

Notes: We’re going with the explosive squat jump to slowly bump your heart rate, but primarily burn out your legs, before taking things to the ground.  We’ll be working the posterior chain as well as driving that heart rate up further with the crabs kicks.  From there, you’ll prop yourself up and perform split pikes for the final 30 seconds of work.

• Squat Jumps/Crab Kicks/Split Pikes

Triple Threat Combo #3

Equipment needed: Bench or box.

Notes: Powerful lateral bench hops morph into high knees, which end with a set of dips on the bench as you catch your breath and burn out of your triceps.

• Lateral Bench Hops/High Knees/Bench Dips

Triple Threat Combo #4

Equipment needed: Barbell.

Notes: Perform long jumps by simply squatting down and taking the longest jump possible.  Stop, turn around, and repeat.  Don’t use any momentum or take a “running start”.  On breakdowns, make sure you really move your feet in between the “sprawl” to the ground.  Focus on your footwork and quickly transitioning from a fast burst of running in place to getting parallel to the ground, as seen in the video link below.  With the hang snatch, keep a straight back and do your best not to lean forward or hunch over while performing the exercise.

Long Jumps/Breakdowns/Hang Snatches

Triple Threat Combo #5

Equipment needed: BOSU.

Notes: We’re incorporating a BOSU here to really tax those stabilizer muscles and give things a different look.  As always, move from one exercise to the next as quickly as possible and do your best to only rest at the end of each combination.  This is a very taxing three-exercise combination, so don’t get discouraged if you can’t make it all the way through. 

BOSU Trifecta’s/BOSU Jumps/BOSU Climbers/

Triple Threat Combo #6

Equipment needed: Plate or other sort of weight.

Notes: For those that are unfamiliar with shuttle runs, it’s simply a quick sprint, no more than 10 yards in length.  To be most effective, walk off 20-30 feet, and sprint each section, only slowing down to touch the ground, before turning and repeating the run.  Finish things strong with the tricep press, using the plate or weight used for the weighted speedskaters in the first part of this combination.

Weighted Speedskaters/Shuttle runs/Tricep Press with Leg Lift

The great thing about these workouts is the potential to mix-and-match a variety of exercises to create effective routines.  This is simply one of about a half a dozen Triple Threat Workouts I’ve put together.  While there is no exact list of which exercises can and cannot be used to make up a Triple Threat Workout, these are simply ones that I’ve used myself and have gotten great results from.  If you try to design your own workout, it’s important to keep a few things in mind….

• Utilize a strength movement that allows you to catch your breath or “actively rest”. 
• Cardiovascular movements should ideally work different aspects of the lower body.
• Triple Threat Workouts should have a clear focus so they can be effectively paired with other Triple Threat Workouts with differing focuses to avoid over training.

Depending upon your goals, mixing in 2-3 of these Triple Threat Workouts a week may be just what you need to take things to the next level.  This new workout format should help sustain or even relight that motivational fire and keep you on the track to success for many months to come. 

If you’re liking what you see and still want more, be sure to LIKE US on Facebook, where we’ll be posting the rest of our Triple Threat Workouts in the near future.

Be a warrior this winter…

Brace yourselves people, the long-awaited return of our crazy effective Winter Warrior Workout Plan (part 1) is here, with part two of this three-part body-changing program.  If you recall, part one of the Winter Warrior Workout Plan was all about helping you build a base for the challenges to come.  This workout program was designed to help you keep making progress when everyone else starts to slack off.  The 18-week time-table for this workout should leave you with an amazing base for when you REALLY start getting after it April/May or in other words, the beginning of swim suit season.  The moral behind the story is, if you’re sick and tired of starting over all the time, stop quitting.  The Winter Warrior is for all of you die-hard fitness heads out there who refuse to start over yet AGAIN this spring and summer.  Part two reflects on this and takes things up a notch.

Since the weather is probably getting even colder, snowy, rainy, and generally more miserable, we’re again going to keep everything indoors.  Part two is going to be pretty simple for you to follow; days one and three are all about hitting the weights, and hitting the weights hard.  Days two  and four are all about upping the intensity of your cardio sessions with these killer fat blasting workouts.  Notice I emphasized killer.  As you know, here at Share It Fitness, we test out every workout on ourselves and our mostly willing real-life clients, before we post anything to the blog or our website (this is partly why part two of this workout program is a bit delayed).

Well, pretty much everyone who tested these out for us said the cardio portion was some of the hardest workouts they’ve ever tried.  The good news is, everyone, yes EVERYONE, experienced weight loss, improved stamina, or increased the times following the end of our trial period.  Simply put, part two is highly effective at delivering results.  We think the combination we’ve found here is one of the best we’ve put together, and we challenge all of you to dig deep, stick with the program, and keep yourself motivated.  Your progress at the end of part two of this workout program will be nothing short of unbelievable.

Day 1

These workouts are simple, in that they don’t require a ton of equipment or movements, but don’t take that to mean they’re easy.  Today, we’re simply using a barbell and your own body weight.  Stack the barbell with enough weight that would allow you to knock out 8 reps on your WEAKEST exercise.  We’re doing today’s workout circuit style, meaning you perform one exercise after another, with no rest, until you’ve completed them all.  At that point, you’ll rest, grab a sip of water, and get ready to run through them again.  Seven rounds total and pay special attention to your form on each exercise.

6-8 reps of each. 7 rounds. 75 second rest after each round.

• Romanian Deadlift (Bent knees, keep a flat back.  If you have back issues, I’d recommend replacing with another exercise.  Leave a comment below for ideas)
• Bent Over Barbell Row
• Barbell Squats (Put bar behind your neck and squat. remember to keep a straight back and angle toes slightly outward.  Bad back? See above.)
• Clean and Press
• 30 seconds Barbell Hops (Lateral hops over barbell.  Max reps in 30 seconds)
• Upright Row
• Good Mornings

Day 2

Day two is a variation of one of our most notorious workouts of all time – the dreaded Treadmill Interval Workout.  We’re taking a lot of what made this workout so effective and altering it a bit for the Winter Warrior workout program.  Simply hop on a treadmill, follow the indications, and let ‘er rip.  Pretty simple…except it’s not.  A few quick notes; use whatever speed is right for you.  These speeds listed below are simply guidelines and what our test subjects used.  If you’re not comfortable, back off a bit.  We don’t want you to fall off the treadmill, because then everyone in the gym will laugh at you, and you’ll feel embarrassed and probably not return until the cuts and bruises heal, which would defeat the point of this workout program.  Also, you’ll notice a 10 second lag between each interval…this is an estimate and gives you time to adjust the speed on your treadmill.

• Minutes 0-2:00 – Warm up jog
• 2:10-4:00 – 7 mph
• 4:10-5:00 – 8 mph
• 5:10-6:00 – 9 mph
• 6:10-7:00 - 10 mph
• 7:10-9:00 – 5 mph
• 9:10-11:00 – Increase incline to 10% run at 4 mph
• 11:10-13:00 – Increase incline to 15% run at 3.5 mph
• 13:10-15:00 – Decrease incline to 10% run at 4 mph
• 15:10-17:00 – Decrease incline to 5% run at 6 mph
• 17:10-20:00 – Run backwards at 3 mph
• 20:10-40:00 – Shift between 5 mph and 8 mph every .2 miles.  For instance, 0-.2 miles run at 5 mph.  .2-.4 miles run at 8 mph, etc.

That’s it for today.  Drink plenty of water, stretch those legs out, and REST.  Congrats on getting through this killer workout today.

Day 3

Similar to day 1, we’re going to use a circuit style lifting format to help spike your metabolism, increase your caloric burn, and torch your muscles.  The goal of this isn’t to lift as much weight as you possibly can.  It’s about engaging as many muscle groups as possible, while maintaining good speed and form, and bumping your heart rate.  Remember, traditional cardio isn’t the only way to turn your body into a fat blasting machine.  Using a well-designed complex circuit can be just as, if not more effective in helping you strip away body fat if you’re doing it correctly.

Today we’re only using a plate.  For this, most of us used 35lb plates, but some went up to 45, while others used 25′s.  You decide what’s best for you.  The reps listed are again guidelines that most of our participants followed.  Shoot to hit them, and consider going lighter if necessary.

• 12 Plate swings (Hold plate at 9 and 3, and perform a swing as if you were using a kettlebell)
• 10 Hands above head squat (hold plate straight above your head while performing a squat)
• 10 Bent Over Plate Rows
• 16 Close Grip Plate Press (Lay on floor, hold plate at 9 and 3 again, and perform chest presses
• 10 Reverse Grip Plate Curls
• 16 Woodchoppers (8 per side)

Rest 75 seconds.  Repeat for 7 rounds total

Day 4

Today’s workout is all about bumping that heart rate, increasing agility, speed, and athletic ability.  You may be wondering why the hell you need to worry about athletic ability if your days are spent manning the customer call center, but there is a method to this madness.  By working on athletic ability, you’re training your body to work and behave more like an athlete’s body.  In other words, you’re going to increase your metabolism, lean muscle mass, reduce body fat, and develop a stronger cardiovascular system.  All you need today is a jump rope.  Seriously, they’re literally a few dollars at a Play-it-Again Sports or Wal-Mart.  Just go get one, it’ll be one of the best (and cheapest) things you invest in for your health.

Quick tip; if you can’t go the full round times, just reduce it to what you can handle, but always try to extend your times as you progress with this workout plan.

• Rounds 1-10 – Jump 30 seconds/rest 30 seconds
• Rounds 11-20 – Jump 45 seconds/rest 30 seconds
• Rounds 21-30 – Jump 30 seconds/rest 15 seconds

How to Work Out with this Workout Plan

This workout plan is intense, no doubt about it.  With that in mind, you may have to take a little more rest than usual when on part two of the Winter Warrior workout plan.  A good schedule might look something like this:

Monday: Day 1

Tuesday: Day 2

Wednesday: Rest

Thursday: Day 3

Friday: Day 4

Of course, you’ll need to do what works best for you.  If your legs feel like lead, it may be a good idea to give them a little extra rest before you go buck wild on that treadmill workout.  Just a thought.

If you’re on another one of our plans or doing something else on your own, feel free to supplement the Winter Warrior workout plan with additional workouts.  Again, just be sure you’re giving yourself proper rest and allowing that fabulous body time to re-coop and come back stronger than ever.

Like this workout plan?  Be sure to LIKE US on Facebook so you don’t miss any of our other heart-pounding and sweat-dripping body blasting workouts!

When you need a serious workout without making a ruckus.....

With the holidays approaching, I’m willing to bet a fair number of you guys and girls are heading home, having relatives over, or otherwise getting out of your standard routine.  Getting away to the gym for a workout becomes quite the hassle when you’re out of town, without a car, have the in-laws to entertain…yadda yadda yadda…you get the idea.

So naturally, since all you SIF’ers are such a hardworking and determined bunch, you’ve decided to simply do your workout at home.  After all, you know by now you can get just as an effective workout in your living as you can at your globo gym you go to when your schedule is a bit more regular.

But wait a minute….

You’re going to be in a house full of babies, easily irritated in-laws, and a snot-nosed 15-year-old who will ruin everyone’s day if she’s awoken before noon.  So while you’re trying to get your workout in, you’ve now got to workout in near silence.  No loud jumping, no heavy plyometrics, no doing anything that might possibly wake up the rest of the household….

As if getting yourself to workout over the holidays wasn’t hard enough, you now have to figure out a way to do it in near silence.

This was actually something posed to us by a couple of our readers who were going home and needed to workout without causing a ruckus.  I admit, creating a “noise-free” workout was never something that occurred to me.  But the more I thought about it, this type of workout applies to so many more people than those spending time with light sleepers.  Apartment dwellers, students in dorms, office workers….there are tons of reasons you may want to workout without sounding like a herd of elephants.  Well, with that in mind, I scoured the database, looking for some solid exercises that could effectively raise heart rates, hit the major muscle groups, and provide a killer total body, and near-silent workout, for those in need.

The key behind the Noise-Free Workout is going all out on the cardio portions and strictly abiding by rest times.  By doing so, you’re guaranteed to keep your heart rate elevated, which in turn will help you slash through calories.  By performing strength-based movements for the entire interval cycles (we’re lifting for TIME not REPS in this workout) you’ll be sure to effectively fatigue those muscles, resulting in lean mass growth.  Obviously, our abilities are all different, so make sure you’re using a weight heavy enough induce fatigue.  Using five-pound dumbbells probably isn’t going to get it done.

That leads us to another point.  Since you’re working out at home, you likely aren’t going to have access to much equipment.  With that in mind, this workout has been crafted using exercises that only require your bodyweight and a set of dumbbells or two.  If you don’t have dumbbells, don’t worry, there are workarounds.

When you don’t have dumbbells, try these replacements….

• Small plastic shopping bags filled with whatever you have on hand to desired weight.
• Empty water jugs filled with water to desired weight (my personal favorite)
• Cartons of milk

Seriously, not having equipment is no excuse anymore.  I’m a huge proponent of using water jugs in place of weights….even when I have weights readily available!  If you’re not quite sold on the idea, check out this post from last year which details some killer ways to workout with water jugs when you don’t have conventional weighted equipment available.

The (Almost) Noise-Free Workout

Okay, so I’ve heard you loud and clear – you want a workout that can be done without a ton of jumping, slamming, and bouncing off the walls.  The following workout is designed to make little to no noise – heavy breathing, grunting, and gasping for air notwithstanding – and effectively get that heart rate thumping and the sweat pouring.

How It Works: Simply follow along with the designed intervals below.  Each interval is going for 3 minutes unless otherwise noted.  Perform each exercise for the prescribed interval and only rest when indicated (unless you absolutely need it).

Warm Up Interval

We’re just going for a little warm up here to get the blood moving and your joints loosened up.  Remember, this is a noise-free workout, so stay light on your feet and bounce on the balls of your feet.  Staying light on your feet will help you increase your agility, balance, and targets stabilizer muscles.

• 1 minute Dumbbell “Jump Rope”/1 minute Alternating Reverse Lunges/rest 15 seconds

Repeat 2 times total

Kick It Up Interval

Once we’ve had a nice little warm up, we want to gradually increase your heart rate to a solid working level.  The kick it up interval is focused on increasing cardiovascular endurance, improving core strength, and getting you a good sweat going.

• 1 minute Turbo Crab Kicks (remember stay light on the feet)/1 minute 180 Planks/1 minute Shadow Boxing holding weights/rest 45 seconds

Repeat 3 times total

Burn It Up Interval

The burn it up interval is designed to start targeting those muscles after you’ve gotten your heart rate going.  These full body movements are great for hitting your muscles hard, and if you’re using appropriate weights, heavy.  Fill those water jugs, bags, whatever you’re using so you’re struggling towards the end of each lift interval.  The full body nature of these exercises will no doubt keep your heart rate going and bring you a step closer to full exhaustion.

• 1 minute Hindu Push Ups/1 minute Dead Rows/1 minute Split Pikes/rest 45 seconds

Repeat 3 times total

Keep Pushing Interval

By now, fatigue is starting to set in.  If you’ve followed the pace of this workout thus far, you’re almost 30 minutes in.  Now is the time real gains are being made.  You’re extending your heart rate, improving your caloric burn, and beginning to effect your EPOC and post-exercise metabolic rate.  Pushing hard here is key.  We’re quickly switching between a variety of exercises to keep things fresh and your body challenged.

30 seconds Tricep Press with Leg Lift/1 minute Kickback Planks/30 seconds Double Dumbbell Swings/1 minute Lunge Step Ups/rest 45 seconds

Repeat 3 times total

Finish Strong Interval

The finish line is in sight, we’re going to go all out here and make sure we finish this workout strong.  Take a breath, the cardio portion is over – we’re simply focusing on your core here.  Perform the reps for each listed exercise in as few sets as possible,  striving to improve performance each time you cycle through this workout.

• 100 Bicycle Crunches
• 3 minute Plank (total time planking should equal 3 minutes. Take rest as needed)
• 100 Windshield Wipers

And that folks, will do it for today’s workout.  In just under 45 minutes you’ve completed this killer, total body, calorie-blasting workout, earned that extra slice of Grandma’s upside down pineapple cake, and managed to leave your lazy friends and family members in relative peace.  Give yourself a pat on the back and take so time off, because tomorrow is a rest day.  If you’re looking to do this workout multiple times while you’re away, consider using it every 2-3 days to give yourself adaquate recovery time.

If you’ve got any questions about this workout, please feel free to leave us a comment below and I’d be more than happy to get back to you.

It’s time to stop training to look good. Start training to perform like a high-caliber athlete, and looking good will follow suit.

A few weeks ago, I did a little write-up on metabolic conditioning.  Something must have really piqued some interest because the requests started flooding in about wanting an actual metabolic conditioning workout to follow along with.  That resulted in the MetCon Challenge, which is a workout routine designed to strip away body fat faster and more aggressively than a standard HIIT fitness plan.  This routine earned a ton of praise, and soon enough, we had people asking for a full on metabolic conditioning fitness plan.

I took what you guys were asking for to heart, and have spent the past few weeks trying out a few different workouts to find the right balance for this fitness plan.  After some trial and error, I think I’ve come up with something that is going to simply knock your socks off and blow you away.  This fitness plan is entirely built around metabolic conditioning principles and effectively works the high-intensity cardio bursts into every workout.  Doesn’t matter if you’re doing abs or working your biceps…the intense nature of metabolic conditioning is always there, making this workout routine highly effective and a fantastic weapon to have in your arsenal.

As with all fitness plans, you should cycle them on and off, increase weights/times/etc, as well as combine aspects of various plans together to ensure you’re getting great variety in your workouts.  For the majority of you, staying on this metabolic conditioning plan as written for 8-10 weeks will produce a ton of results.  After those 8-10 weeks are up, I’d suggest modifying things to make this fitness plan harder and/or mixing in other workouts to keep your body in a constant state of suspense.

What Metabolic Conditioning Accomplishes

The purpose of this metabolic conditioning fitness plan is to introduce performance-enhancing exercise combos geared towards increasing your athletic skill set.  In the process, well help you lower your body fat percentage, increase lean muscle mass, and improving overall body functionality.

Look at it like this…athletes usually have pretty killer bodies, right?  Well, as an athlete, performance is almost always the goal of their training.  In other words, they train to perform well, not look good.  Their fabulous physique is simply a byproduct of their performance training.  This is exactly what I had in mind when I put this fitness plan together.  I collaborated with a buddy who is a D-1 strength and conditioning coach at a big time college football program in hopes of incorporating some of his knowledge base into this fitness plan.  The end result, as I think you’ll find out, is a fantastic performance-based fitness plan that delivers exactly what it sets out to do, i.e. lower your body fat percentage, help you build lean muscle mass, improve your metabolism, and provide an overall boost to your bodies’ functionality.

The MetCon Fitness Plan

This plan delivers four different metabolic conditioning workouts, each similar, but with a different focus.  Perform these workouts by cycling through each listed circuit, giving yourself 20-30 seconds rest at the end of each circuit.  Perform each circuit the number of times listed below.  Feel free to mix and match the order of these workouts based on your own individual needs and goals, but be sure not to repeat the same workout on back-to-back days.  Additionally, if you’re feeling especially sore, make sure you give your muscles a break to avoid  over training.

To supplement this workout, consider adding in one of our other performance-based workout plans, like our NFL caliber workout routine.

Workout 1 – Power, complex exercise heavy.  Total body focus aiming to build raw strength and muscle mass.

• 10 Bench Presses
• 10 Lying Dumbbell Curls
• 10 Burpees

Repeat 4 times.

• 10 Clean and Presses
• 10 Deadlifts
• 16 Lateral Hops over the Barbell

Repeat 4 times.

• 10 Close Grip Bench Presses
• 10 Bent Over Dumbbell Rows
• 16 Bench(or Box) Jumps

Repeat 4 times.

Workout 2 – This workout focuses on improving speed, explosive lower body power, and agility.  Additionally, there is a greater emphasis placed on cardiovascular work to improve endurance and caloric burn.

• 10 Squat Jumps
• 12 Dumbbell Swings
• 60 second sprint

Repeat 5 times

• 10 Bulgarian Squat Jumps (10 per leg)
• 10 Weighted Speed Skaters
• 60 second jump rope

Repeat 5 times

• 10 Barbell Squats
• 16 Reverse Barbell Squats (8 per leg)
• 60 second jump rope

Repeat 5 times

Workout 3 – This workout is a core/abdominal focused routine, with quick bursts of cardio combined to help strip away stubborn fat covering your belly.  Building a strong core is the base to any healthy and fit body; don’t skimp on this workout!

• 15 Cable Curls
• 20 Eagle Sit Ups
• 60 seconds 180 Planks

Repeat 4 times

• 12 Decline Plate Crunch
• 12 Decline Plate Russian Twists
• 60 seconds Mountain Climbers

Repeat 4 times

• 15 Dumbbell Woodchoppers
• 25 Up/Down Planks
• 60 seconds Weight Jumping Jacks (use dumbbells in hands)

Repeat 4 times

• 10 Hindu Push Ups
• 15 Plank Ups
• 60 seconds Med Ball Slams

Repeat 4 times

Workout 4 – This workout places a strong emphasis on building out your stabilization muscles and pushing your major muscle groups to fatigue by using a lighter weight and higher rep sequences.  Drop weights used by 25-30%.

• 20 Incline Bench Presses
• 16 Incline Dumbbell Curls
• 10 Weighted Burpees

Repeat 4 times

• 20 Bench Dips
• 16 Swinging Push Ups
• 60 second Dumbbell Speed Squat Presses (use very light weight and move quickly)

Repeat 3 times

• 16 Arnold Presses
• 12 Diamond Push Ups
• 60 seconds Mountain Climbers

Repeat 3 times

• 16 Close Grip Seated Row
• 16 Behind the Neck Military Press
• 60 seconds Shadow Boxing (hold light dumbbells and shoot for 45 alternating jabs in 60 seconds)

Repeat 3 times

• 20 Dumbbell Snatches (20 per arm)
• 16 Hammer Curls
• 60 seconds Box or Bench Jumps

Repeat 3 times

• 20 Tricep Rope Pushdowns
• 16 Face Pulls
• 60 Seconds High Knees in place

Repeat 3 times

That’ll do it.  These are your core group of workouts you’re going to live by for the next 8-10 weeks.  As mentioned, feel free to incorporate other workouts from different routines to best serve your schedule and goals.  This workout plan is no doubt extreme and many of you will suffer from burn out due to the demanding nature of this fitness plan.  Remember, all good things require hard work, and if you’re going to put your time in at the gym, may as well do something that is most likely to produce the results you’re after.  Good luck and please leave a comment if you’ve got any questions.  If you’re on twitter, feel free to send us a shout out, comment, or question by hashtagging #MetConFitnessPlan.

Want to burn belly fat? Keep reading...

For both men and women, belly fat seems to be the most common enemy we face.  The accumulation of fat may be different across all areas of our body, but a desire to lose belly fat is the overwhelming goal I hear from clients and blog readers alike.  Just browse the checkout aisles of any supermarket or do a quick Google search for “belly fat” and your bound to find tons of magazines, blogs, and websites dedicating their pages to burning belly fat. 

The problem is, much of this advice is generic copy, written and re-written a hundred times over.  Check out your favorite health and fitness magazine…it’s essentially the same information written in a different way.  How else could they continually run those “Lose 10 lbs of belly fat in 2 weeks!” articles?  While there isn’t one specific way to cut down on that spare tire, there are certainly efforts that will go a long way in your battle of the bulge. 

Burning Fat, Not Just Belly Fat

One important thing to keep in mind is despite all that you may have read or been told, it is impossible to spot tone.  What that means is, there’s no way you can actively target the fat on your stomach when you work out.  No pill, exercise, or workout plan is going to change that.  Now, what you can do, is perform exercises and workouts that are geared towards a greater fat burning potential, which will result in a faster loss of belly fat.  So in reality, specific exercises aren’t necessarily targeting belly fat, they’re just helping you burn fat at a faster rate, which results in faster loss of belly fat.  Make sense?  Good. 

Each individual is different, so some trial and error may be needed, but these are generally the fastest ways to burn fat and slim down your midsection in the process.  Again, these exercises don’t target belly fat specifically, they just help your overall fat burn, and result in a tightening of your soft belly. 

1. Swimming – Swimming is a total body exercise and relies a great deal on core strength.  By targeting your core muscles you’ll actively tighten and build your abdominal, lower back, and oblique muscles while shedding tons of calories in the process.  The result?  A slimmed down appearance and a beautifully toned core.  Shoot for 1-2 times per week to start.
2. Metabolic Conditioning – Metabolic conditioning is vital in the fight against belly fat because it helps speed up your metabolism in a way few other exercise methods can.  The quick shift between explosive cardio and heavy lifting taxes your body, blasts through calories, and tightens you up.  Performing core exercises as part of your metabolic conditioning circuit will further define your midsection..leaving you with a beautiful six-pack when you finally do burn away the fat hiding the muscle.  Shoot for 1-2 times per week to start.
3. HIIT Cardio – HIIT cardio is the shift between short periods of high-intensity cardio and longer periods low-intensity cardio.  Start substituting HIIT for those long, single-pace jogs, cycling sessions, or marathon elliptical workouts.  The act of sprinting/jogging/sprinting repeated X times over is great for burning far more calories in shorter period of time, bumping your post-exercise oxygen consumption (which results in more calories burned AFTER exercise), and improving your cardiovascular system.  This method of training is ideal for those who get a larger portion of their cardio via steady-state running, biking, etc.
   

   Most of us have a great set of abs...they're just hidden behind a layer of belly fat waiting to be burned away...

4. Deadlifts/Squats - Deadlifts and squats are sometimes referred to as the “king of exercises”.  They target so many major and minor muscle groups in your body and are ideal for putting on lean muscle mass.  The benefit of adding lean muscle mass to your body is the effect it has on your metabolism.  Each pound of muscle will increase metabolism, thereby helping you burn exponentially more calories.  Have you ever noticed that muscular and fit people seem to have fast metabolisms?  It’s not a coincidence.  While some may be blessed with a speedy metabolism, others have worked long and hard to build their calorie burning buddy.
5. Intermittent Fasting – Intermittent fasting is the approach of including a 16-24 hour fast into your diet every few days, depending on your personal needs.  Numerous studies have replicated the many health benefits of intermittent fasting, including its effect on abdominal fat.  I encourage you to read up and talk to your doctor to determine if this lifestyle (it’s NOT a diet) is right for you.  However, from personal experience and working with clients of all shapes and sizes over the years, I can tell you this has been the single most effective tool in the belly fat fight.  Additionally, when combined with carb-less lunch and dinners once or twice a week, the effects have been even more beneficial.
6. Body Diversity Training - BDT is the fitness philosophy I developed several years ago in an attempt to help the overwhelming number of clients who simply couldn’t make any more progress in the gym.  Since then, this method has been changing the lives of my clients and blog readers alike.  It shares elements of muscle confusion, but goes a step further in that not just exercises, weights, and reps/sets are changed, but the entire disciplines in which you train are constantly varied.  Incorporating a wide variety of training methods, i.e. complex workouts, HIIT workouts, yoga, kickboxing, supersets, etc. has shown to be highly effective in helping people burn fat, build a healthy physique they can be proud of, and improve their overall health and well-being.  I would suggest you check out the link above and read up on the benefits of this manner of training.
7. Increased Fiber Intake – Increasing the fiber in your diet is something most everyone can stand to benefit from.  This is another medical study backed claim (1) that has enormous implications.  Not happy with you midsection?  Start getting more fiber in your diet.  Fiber acts to flush fat out of your body, not allowing it to find a home on your midsection.  Eating an extra half of cup of beans, lentils, or whole grains a day could make a huge difference in the proportion of your belly fat over the next 6 months.
8. Eliminate Sugar.  Sugar, and other simple carbs, are great for spiking your insulin levels and causing a retention of, you guessed it…abdominal fat.  Avoiding sugary drinks, subbing veggies for fruits here or there, and choosing complex carbs over simple, is key.  When trying to lose belly fat, aim for no more than 15 grams of sugar per day.  Cutting down on your overall carb intake, and replacing with veggies and lean protein is also a beneficial strategy.  That said, don’t go on any crazy low-carb diets…you need something that you can adopt as a lifestyle change, not a quick-fix. 
   

   Adopting healthier, more active habits is a great way to transform your lifestyle.

Again, these have been what I’ve found to be the 8 most powerful tools in fighting belly fat.  There are certainly a plethora of ways to burn fat, but you want the most effective and efficient right?  Well, these are them.  Now, the next question you may have, is “how do I turn those 8 tips into a lifestyle change”?  Lucky for you, the answer is very simply.

Let’s take a look at what I supplied you above and turn it into something practical you can start immediately.

Putting It All Together

I’m assuming you have access to a pool, if not, we’ll substitute ONE complex workout and ONE HIIT cardio session for the pool days. 

• Day 1: Swimming.  Also shoot to progressively add distance to your swims.  Vary speeds, distances, and stroke for max benefit.  If no pool access, follow a HIIT cardio session.
• Day 2: Metabolic Conditioning.  Today’s workout is going to build your muscles while continuing to slash through excess calories.  Extra points if you include core work during the circuit.
• Day 3: HIIT cardio.  We’re back doing HIIT cardio again.  Try mixing it up and doing bicycling if you did sprints on Day 1.  If no access to a bike, don’t sweat it, just get out there and make sure you’re pushing yourself harder each time out.
• Day 4: Metabolic Conditioning.  Today we’re going to do more intense training, but we’re going to include SQUATS and DEADLIFTS during our training.  Consider even adding a few extra sets of these at the beginning or end of your workout to fully work the lower body muscles. 
• Day 5: Swimming.  Same as day 1, always try to improve times, distances, and stroke.  If no pool, why not try adding a HIIT jump rope workout or something of the sort?

There we go, there’s a 5 day plan incorporating the best training methods we have for killing belly fat.  Feeling extra motivated, feel free to add a 6th day…your choice of workout.

Now, what about the diet?  Well, check this quick plan out..

• Day 1: Eat normally, have a carb-less lunch and dinner, go heavy on the veggies.
• Day 2: Eat normally, include extra half cup of beans/lentils/etc, last meal at 7pm.
• Day 3: Fast day, eat a regular dinner at 7pm this evening.
• Day 4: Eat normally, include extra half a cup of beans/lentils/etc.
• Day 5: Eat normally, have a carb-less lunch and dinner, go heavy on the veggies.
• Day 6: Eat normally, include extra half cup of beans/lentils/etc, last meal at 7pm. 
• Day 7: Fast day, eat a regular dinner at 7pm this evening.

And there you go.  That’s a quick and easy intermittent fast schedule which includes reduced carbohydrate intake a couple of days a week, and increased fiber 3 days a week.  Over time, slowly adjust to adding more fiber daily, going heavier on veggies, and seeing what fasting schedule works best for you.  Remember, you’re keeping an eye on your sugar intake every day, and opting for complex carbs over simple, whenever possible.

Hopefully this shows you how easy it is to fight against your belly fat.  Sticking to a schedule like the one laid out above will no doubt help you reach your goals while improving your physique AND your health.  So many people feel helpless in their fight against belly fat, but really all they need is a solid plan.  This is the belly fat fighting plan that has worked for countless people before you, and will work for you too as long as you give it a fighting chance.

1: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/90/5/1160.abstract