Metabolic training is the latest buzzword in the fitness industry, and is a popular exercise trend globally. The short definition of metabolic training is completing structural and compound exercises with little rest in between. The idea is to maximise calorie burn and increase metabolic rate during and after the workout. Your metabolism or metabolic rate is the number of calories your body burns at rest. Essentially, this type of training uses large muscle groups, is high intensity, and truly makes you feel the burn of exercising.
Metabolic training is a full body workout that provides a more holistic view to exercising. The current core focus in fitness is to successfully develop and activate methodology that effectively and appropriately combines the elements of strength and conditions the body into safe, fast, fierce and fun workouts.
The benefits of metabolic training are manifold, the main ones being – enhanced cardiovascular capacity, improved hormonal profile, and burning off some serious calories. Equipped with metabolic training knowledge, you can redefine your fitness goals and add another dimension to your fitness regimen. Read on to find out how to kick-start your metabolism into top gear with these exercises...
These simple exercises can be very effective for fat loss, muscle creation and cardiovascular health when prescribed and performed properly. The following are great total body exercises that will work wonders.
— The writer is Reebok global master trainer.
Dumbbell Squat and Curl
Using a light dumbbell helps to work the muscles a bit harder and correct the position of the squat exercise. This movement works on the entire body.
Step 2: Squat down under control trying to keep your feet flat, knees out over your ankles, chest up and heels down.
Step 3: Get low enough to place your elbows inside your legs/knees and stay in this bottom position while you slowly lower the dumbbell down toward the floor and curl it back up to the top position.
Step 4: Keeping your back flat and eyes forward, push your feet into the ground and drive your body back up to the top position. You can do eight repetitions of this.
Work your way up to performing eight repetitions. When you can do three sets of eight (resting one minute between each set) with good form on each repetition, you can move the dumbbell weight up everytime. Now to take it up another notch and make it really metabolic, try combining multiple movements in each of these exercises above, so your brain is forced to work more, recruit more muscles and burn more calories. Once you can do this without limited rest, you can increase the weight on the squats.
You can write down the weights you used and how long it took you to complete the ladder. Seek to do better next time you do it. Try to do it for eight weeks. You don’t need to do this more than two times in a week. Be sure to focus on quality and rest anytime your form begins to suffer. Chase the quality of the exercises, not the clock. Have fun and keep fit!
