Let me solve your workout problem.
I know that you are:
- Eating well
- Exercising regularly
- and TICKED OFF that you aren't making progress.
I've answered dozens of emails and blog posts like that this week
and here in my Men's Health blog.
And here are the 3 mistakes that you are making:
1) Your perception of your nutrition "success" doesn't match the
reality of what, when, and how often you are eating. To learn the
rules of fat loss, you need to read (scratch that, you need to
STUDY), Dr. Chris Mohr's Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines.
(The meal plan was designed by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D., and is a sensible, practical, and simple to follow nutrition outline.You can download it for free from this link:
http://workoutmanuals.com/nutrition-fat-loss-workouts)
2) There is no variety in your training.
3) You need to up the intensity of your training.
Let's face it. Human beings like to stick to a routine. We don't
like change. We like our comfort zone - some more than others.
But if there is no change in your workout from month to month, then
your body will not change either.
That is why I insist on changing your workouts every 4 weeks as you
do in the TT workouts.
You won't succeed by doing the same thing over and over again.
Would you get ahead at work by doing the same tasks you did as the
first day on your job? No way. You have to take on more challenges.
With variety in your training, you will continue to apply
"turbulence" to the muscle, and making your body use lots of energy
(i.e. calories and fat) during the recovery period to repair the
muscle and replenish the energy used. That will "jack up" your
metabolism.
If your body is used to the training, the exercises, the sets, and
the reps, it will give a "ho-hum" response and your metabolism will
flatline.
And that's why you need to raise the intensity of the workout as
well.
Slow, boring cardio doesn't jack up the metabolism like intervals.
And research has shown that 8 reps boost your post-workout
metabolism more than 12 reps. So you have to safely add a little
weight (try using 5% more weight with perfect form, of course), and
decreasing the number of reps per set by 2. That's a good place to
start.
So if you've been doing a machine circuit, then stop, and give this
sample free weight Turbulence Training workout a try.
Warmup with a bodyweight circuit. 8 reps per exercise, go through
it twice.
Sample bodyweight circuit:
i) Bodyweight squat
ii) An easy pushup
iii) A bodyweight row if possible, if not, do stick-ups
Then do 20 minutes of total body strength training done in
supersets.
ie.
1a) DB Squat
1b) DB Press
Do each exercise with a weight that allows only 8 reps. Do not rest
between the squat and press. Rest 1 minute after the press. Repeat
the superset 2 more times.
Next superset:
2a) DB Split Squat
2b) DB Row
Same as above.
On to intervals:
5 minute warmup.
6 intervals of 60 seconds at a "harder than normal cardio pace"
with 60-90 seconds recovery (at the easiest pace possible).
5 minute cooldown.
Stretch tight muscles only.
Done.
You can also get more of the Turbulence Training workouts,
including barbell and bodyweight Turbulence Training workout
options at: http://workoutpass.com/turbulence
We don't do slow cardio. It does nothing for the man or woman who
is short on time.
And of course, always train safe and don't do anything you are not
comfortable doing...but if you are fit and healthy, you can
increase the intensity, change the variables, and burst through
your fat loss plateaus.
Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne,
Author, Turbulence Training
www.WorkoutPass.com/turbulence
www.TurbulenceTraining.com
www.WorkoutManuals.com
