Surprisingly, very few people in the exercise world acknowledge the proven success of this type of training. Most people figure the more time you spend in the gym the more cut up you will be--but that doesn't have to be the case. You don't have to spend 3 hours in the gym to have an appealing body--in fact you have a better chance of achieving a perfect figure if you spend LESS time in the gym. Here's how it works:
The Afterburn Effect:
In short, the afterburn effect is calorie burn AFTER exercise. The more intense the exercise, the greater the afterburn effect. For example, sprinting as fast as you can for 30 seconds for 5 rounds will have a much larger afterburn effect compared to jogging for 30 minutes.
Most people focus on calories burned DURING a workout, but what really matters is the calories you burn AFTER a workout. Think about it--working out for an hour a day is great, but what really matters is how your body reacts for the remaining 23 hours. Its scientifically proven that if you want to lose body fat and get ripped, it takes intermittent bursts of high-intensity activity followed by rest periods.
Instead of worrying about the calories you burn during a workout, think about it like this :you use stored carbs as your primary source during the workout, then burn fat when you're done. And the only way to use carbs as your energy source is to train intensely and raise your resting metabolic rate. When you do intense work at near maximum capacity, your heart rate soars.
As you struggle and gasp for air, you will take in extra oxygen in order to recover. This extra oxygen you take in will cause your metabolism to rise. The scientific name for this fat-burning effect is called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).
Don't think afterburn training is just for people looking to lose weight. The afterburn effect also positively effects people looking to build muscle, and tone 6 pack abs.
Here's a sample afterburn workout. Give it a try:
Super-Superset Workout: (Everything is 5 sets of 6-8 reps)
Superset:
Barbell Bench/ Barbell Squat
Superset:
Pullups/ Barbell Front Squat
Superset:
Standing Military Press/ Deadlift
Superset:
Barbell Row/ Kettle Bell Front Squat
Remember: Less time between sets and rep failure is the ONLY way to build muscle.
Don't believe me? Check this out:
