You’ve decided that you want to join a gym and lose some weight, but what exercises are the best for targeting fat loss? Well, fear not, because in this post, we are going to be going through some of the best workouts involving weights that will burn fat during your workout.
Whilst weight training is hugely beneficial, cardio workouts such as jump rope and jumping jacks can also help you burn fat really well and get your heart rate going all the way down to a healthy weight.
The exercises that are listed below have some sort of relation to weight training, they have different ranges of motion that cardio exercises do not have and get your muscle fibers working.
Kettlebell Swing (10-12 Reps)
Kettlebell Swings burns more calories in a short space of time, more in fact than any other method of cardio exercise (400 calories in 20 minutes). Whilst performing the exercise, it will help strengthen your muscles as well.
Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart with the kettlebell firmly gripped in both hands. Fold at the hips keeping your head up and chest out. Make sure to keep the knees soft as you pull the kettlebell back between your legs. Keeping your arms straight bring the kettlebell up to shoulder height, by driving through the hips and squeezing the glutes at the top.
TIPS
- If you’re doing this exercise for the first time, start with a lighter weight, it will help you get used to the motion and weight of the exercise and you can advance to higher weights and reps.
- A great way to warm up before a kettlebell swing is to practise the kettlebell swing motion without the weight in your hand, to get used to the motion your body will be doing.
- Keep a loose but firm grip on your kettlebell when undertaking the exercise, failure to do this may cause tension in your neck and shoulders.
Burpees (10-12 Reps)
The dreaded burpees… An intense exercise that uses a lot of your muscle groups, they are a sure-fire way to burn a lot of calories. Doing Burpees also speeds up your metabolism during the day, so you’ll be burning extra calories all day long.
From a standing position drop into a squat with your hands on the floor just in front of your feet. Kick your legs back to form a raised plank position. Bring the legs back into the chest and then perform and explosive jump up to finish.
TIPS
- Whilst this post is about weight training, we recommend doing some cardio beforehand as well as some dynamic stretches to make sure you aren’t putting any undue stress on your muscles.
- Keep your abs locked in place when you are doing a burpee, it will help you keep your body in a nice, stable, braced position.
- Do not hold your breath, make sure you keep breathing.
Medicine Ball Slams
Perfect for when you are a little bit stressed. A huge benefit to this fat-burning workout is that you are also burning away your anger, stress or boredom – or whatever seems to be bothering you at that particular time. You can smash the ball into the ground as hard as you can!
Use your entire body for the move, raising the ball above your head and rising up on your toes, then using your core, hips, and arms to slam it back down. Catch the ball as it bounces back to your chest and repeat.
Although, make sure you do it right – you do not want to make your day any worse with an injury thanks to bad form.
TIPS
- Lift the medicine ball almost directly over your head with your arms extended at the height of the movement.
- Using your core, slam the medicine ball as hard as you can.
- Press your hips back and bend your knees to get more power on the slam.
Dumbbell Farmer Walk
Walking is one of the best exercises you can do, it helps your body maintain and support your weight in the long haul and it is something you can do until you die. It is a low-intensity exercise that returns a good calories burn. So, want to add a little weight here? Adding weight and the bump of the intensity you will experience will strengthen your muscles and burn fat everywhere.
Firstly, pick up a pair of dumbbells you feel comfortable handling in each hand (or just one hand). Then, stand tall and keep the dumbbells out the side of your body by a couple of inches (don’t let the weight touch your legs). Keep looking straight ahead and pinch your shoulder blades back slightly whilst keeping your core nice and tight. The last step is to just walk as you would usually.
TIPS
- Keep looking forward, you may trip and injure yourself if you look down (would you look at the floor when you walk to the shop?
- Be conscious about how close the weights are to your legs
- Keep your neck forward
Battle Ropes
Battle ropes are perhaps one of the most dreaded pieces of equipment in the gym. A study by the Journal of Strength & Conditioning showed that battle ropes raised the levels of the subject’s metabolism and the effects were staggering. Battle ropes work your body by toning, building lean muscle and burning fat.
To do the exercise, face the anchor with one rope in each hand with the palm facing inwards. Bend your knees slightly forward and then whip one rope to create a wavy pattern which reaches all the way to your anchor. Immediately duplicate this movement with the other arm. Continue to rapidly replicate this movement with both arms for maximum results.
TIPS
- Do fast, 15 – 25-second intervals for optimum fat loss.
- Download an interval app from your smartphones app store so you can track how long you have been doing the exercise.
- Enjoy.
As well as exercise, you should be providing your body with the right diet plan and protein intake (if you’re doing weight training) as the number of calories in vs. the number of calories out is the biggest factor in losing weight. If you don’t think you are getting enough protein to help in your weight lifting efforts, why not check out some of our protein powders to optimise your training programs.
