Happy new year! Wow, time really does fly, I remember
January 1st 2017 like it was yesterday. I remember writing about
resolutions and why I don’t like them and much more. As much as I don’t like
resolutions based on just a date, I do support resolutions based on the
conviction that things are not going right or things could be better. So if you
have really taken your time out to think about your health and fitness and have
decided to shake things up based on this and not on some date on the calendar
then I am your man!
Whatever your goals, lose weight, build muscle, get fitter,
there’s something for everybody at corefitness, we promise to always look out
for you with educative information, workouts and exercises to help you get to
where you want to be, so if you are ready lets go there folks.
I have been on holiday for the past month and resumed
working out slightly out of shape, December as you can imagine was full of
celebrations; end of year parties, reunions etc, invariably all that food and
drink leads to weight gain. The result of all that fun is that I returned to
training this week a few pounds overweight. It got me thinking about the best
way to lose unwanted fat weight quickly and the best answer for the hammatarn
season is cardio. Why? Well because its cooler now and less humid, ideal
weather for cardio without getting to sweaty and overheating ( sweating
excessively is not a good sign that you are burning fat, it just means you will
dehydrate faster!)
Here are my top fat blasting cardio workouts for the year,
they are applicable indoors in the gym or outdoors on the road. If you want to
lose that post-Christmas love handle then this post is for you!
Have a wonderful and fulfilling 2018!
1. THE STAIRMASTER
This is my first choice for fat burning in
2018, the good thing about the Stairmaster is that it works! The Stairmaster is
a machine that burns fat by targeting your glutes and thighs and it’s
guaranteed to make you sweat. The only negative about this machine is that you
will probably have to join a gym to have access. like I said earlier, the Stairmaster
is a great fat burner, if you take your workouts as aggressively as possible,
you can almost feel the fat melt away, its that effective. Your key to success
with this machine is intensity, you want to go at it as aggressively as
possible and don’t treat your time on the Stairmaster like a stroll in the
park, work hard!
I recommend 20 to 30 minutes on the machine
2 to 3 times a week at high intensity for the best results.
2. PLYOMETRICS
Another fat burning favourite of mine are
Plyometrics, they are as far away as possible from your average boring cardio
workout. Plyometric workouts are designed to get your heart up quickly and
strengthen your cardio vascular system while burning fat. I love them because
they are easily adaptable, if you are new to it, you can start with basic body
weight only exercises like jumping jacks, they are convenient and can be done
anywhere so no excuses!
The “ Jumping Jack Attack” is a twist on
Tabata (read it up!) it works like this: You do as many jumping jacks as you
can in 20 seconds and rest 20 seconds, then do as many as you can in 30 secs
and rest for 30 secs then you do as many as you can in 40 secs and rest 40
secs. Then you start all over again! Do three sets of these and I promise you
will be cursing my name! if you don’t know how to do jumping jacks, try looking
them up on youtube, its childs play, literally!
3. RUNNING
This is my second most favourite cardio
exercise; I love it because it’s so basic! Nothing required but running shoes
and willpower! It’s not a glamorous exercise but its primitive, tried and
tested i.e it works. Running is not only a key cardiovascular exercise, but its
wonderful stress relief, if you lead a busy lifestyle then running might just
be what you need to relax. To enjoy it to the fullest, just invest in a pair of
ear or headphones, put on your favourite Naija, rock or rap music and hit the
road. If you are running on a gym treadmill, here’s a twist for you: set your
treadmill on a high incline angle and set to sprint for 15 seconds then slow
jog for 45 seconds. Repeat this for 12 rounds (12 minutes) and feel the burn!
4. JUMP ROPE (SKIPPING)
If you have ever, ever read anything I have
written, you would know that this is my number one must do, most favourite
cardio fat burner of all time, why? It works! I love it because it doesn’t take
much time and you will feel your heart race and your blood pump quickly, you
will break out in a sweat in no time. You can vary your speed, sets and rest
periods to suit your current fitness level and still burn fat. It’s convenient
and can be done anywhere, all you need is rope.
You can start from scratch with 50 to 100
jumps per set and rest for a minute between sets and aim for at least 5 sets.
If you want to challenge yourself try for between 200 to 500 skips for 4 sets
and 2 minutes rest between sets. The great thing about skipping is the fitter
you get the more skips you will want to put in, it’s almost automatic!
There you have it, whichever exercise you
choose, start the year in fat burning mode and lose the Christmas gut!
Thanks and do have a wonderful year!
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