I guess you could say it is my mission to show people the value of intense strength
training for fat loss.
Every month more research comes out to support intense training over slow cardio,
and light weights. And each week, in real-life, more and more men and women (yes,
women too!) see the benefits of pushing themselves with strength training.
The evidence from research and real-life continues to pile up that you need to put
down those light weights and cut out those high reps.
Take really light weights, add in isolation exercises, and repeat for a large number
of reps. Do this for 3, 6, or 12 months, and you're guaranteed to have the same
physique you have today. This approach just does not work.
You need to step out of your comfort zone with strength training.
Research has shown using a weight that enables only 8 reps per set results in a
greater post-exercise metabolism than using a weight that allows 12 reps per set.
And this was in women! So lifting challenging weights is not just for men, but also
for the ladies.
Another research study showed that a 30-minute, hard total-body strength training
session can boost metabolism about 36 hours. You just don't get that from slow cardio
or light, "toning" isolation exericses, I'm sorry to say.
But what if you are worried about "bulking up"? Just do one or two sets
of 8 reps per exercise, rather than three or four.
Bodybuilders know that high-volume training builds muscle. But if you don't want
massive amounts of muscle, just don't do a lot of volume. That's just one of the
reasons I don't use bodybuilder workout programs for fat loss.