So what is this magical “fat burning zone” you’ve heard about?!
Is it true that if you work at a certain intensity during your cardio workouts, you’ll burn more fat?!
Is it also true that you get into that “fat burning zone,” when you do more steady-state, lower intensity cardio?
The simple answer is – the magical “fat burning zone” is a MYTH.
I’ll often have clients tell me they HAVE to run or do steady state cardio to lose weight. (Of course we all too know that diet is key no matter how much we may try to out exercise our poor nutrition choices.)
And not only is the fat burning zone a “myth” but steady-state cardio can yield underwhelming results for weight loss when done on its own.
We need to include workouts that train all 3 energy systems if we want the best results possible, not only for getting in killer shape and improving our health, but also in terms of our weight loss and fat loss efforts!
So…the “fat burning zone,” at least as we wished it worked, is a total myth.
What Is The “Fat Burning Zone?” And How Did The Myth Come About?
The myth of the fat burning zone arose because technically you burn more fat during lower intensity, steady state cardio exercise.
However, what that really means is simply that a higher percentage of the calories you burn during exercise come from fat.
When you work at lower intensities, 50% of the calories burned can come from fat whereas at higher intensities that number may only be about 35%.
So now you’re thinking, “Well then how is the fat burning zone a myth? And why wouldn’t I want to work in it if fat loss and weight loss are my goal!?”
Because while you may burn a higher percentage of calories from fat working at lower intensities, you also burn far fewer calories!
So in the end, you burn more fat by working at a higher intensity because you burn more calories.
If you burn more calories while consuming fewer, you’re going to lose weight!
The Downsides Of Adaptation:
So not only do you not really burn more fat in the end with that lower intensity, steady state cardio, but you also burn fewer calories doing the same duration or distances over time.
Basically, over time we ADAPT.
And while this adaptation is amazing, it’s why we can do that 5 mile run without it feeling super hard and even focus on increasing our pace, it also means we require less energy to do the same task.
AKA our body becomes more efficient which means we burn fewer calories during these same workouts that once used to leave us tired and worked.
So unless you’re constantly running (or cycling or going on the elliptical) for LONGER or pushing the pace and going FASTER on harder terrain each and every time, you’re not going to be burning as many calories over time during your workouts.
Again, this is great as it means our body has become stronger and more efficient, BUT it doesn’t lead to continued adaptations or the extra calorie burn that can assist with weight loss.
But What About Boosting Your Metabolism?
Going along the whole fat burning myth, I’ve also had clients also say, “But I need to do cardio to boost my metabolism!”
Unfortunately, this is also sort of a myth.
Not only does steady state cardio not necessarily lead to as great an increase in calories burned AFTER the workout is done as say interval training does, BUT it also doesn’t affect our metabolic rate in the way we believe.
If you want to boost your metabolism, you need to gain muscle.
Muscle affects metabolism and helps you burn more calories, and fat, even at rest.
More muscle means more of a “boost” to your metabolism.
And guess what isn’t so great at helping you build muscle?
Steady-state cardio!
There have even been studies showing that it can actually be CATABOLIC to muscle tissuing, meaning that not only can it not help you build muscle, but it can even lead to some muscle LOSS.
This is just another reason why you want to include cardio workouts that use intervals, density sets and even timed circuits as well as include even moves using weights!
So What Does This All Mean? Should You NOT Do Steady State Cardio?
First off, if you love your long runs or rides, NEVER give them up.
You don’t need to.
And walking can be a great form of stress relief and extra movement for our body which is AMAZING!
Steady-state cardio can help you build a strong aerobic base.
BUT you also want to know what you need to do to reach specific goals.
And if one of those goals IS fat loss or weight loss?
Well you don’t want to ONLY do steady-state cardio.
Including different interval set ups and even cardio workouts with weights can be incredibly important to help you get better results faster.
Even if you want to set a new PR in your next long-distance race or ride, some interval training may be just what you need to get results!
That is why I created my Cardio Burners using a variety of workout design and work to rest intervals so you can make sure you have cardio workouts to help you meet your specific goals!
When we think of “cardio,” we think of steady-state endurance activities like cycling and running and cardio machines.
Or we think of interval training and short, quick bursts of activity.
But it isn’t really either or!
There are so many different ways we can design cardio workouts AND they can even help us build strength.
YUP! Your workout doesn’t have to be cardio OR strength training…it can be both!
By using a relay workout design, which is a version of a timed circuit, you can get the metabolic benefits of cardio (and improve your work capacity) as you build strength.
This is a perfect workout design to use if you are short on time, especially if you can only make it to the gym a couple of times a week!
So if you want to include some strength training in your cardio, or some cardio in your strength training, try this Relay Workout!
The 30-Minute Relay Strength And Cardio Workout:
Set a timer for 30 minutes and complete as many rounds of the circuit below as possible. Beginners can do shorter distances/lowers reps to start and add reps/distance as they progress. Rest only as needed.
Record how many rounds you complete to beat next time! For the run/ride/row, pick just one to use the entire workout.
Better to do fewer reps of a move but keep moving over doing more reps but have to rest. Also, depending on your fitness level and goals, you can also focus on going heavier for fewer reps over lighter for more!
Ever feel like when you’re designing your own workouts you get stuck in a rut doing the same layout every time?
You just create circuits and do the same reps for the same number of sets?
Do you feel like you’re kind of randomly stringing things together hoping it will be “hard?”
Feel like there just has to be a fun and new and BETTER workout combination you could do to help you train smarter?!
Well there just may be!
There are soooooooo many different workout designs we can use to help us reach our goals.
Supersets, compound sets, trisets, circuits, pyramids, ladders, density intervals, density sets, rest-pause technique….and many many more. (Yup…use them all in Dynamic Strength!)
There are many different training variables we can tweak to make sure our workouts are tailored to our specific needs and goals.
However, all too often people only focus on finding “new” moves instead of trying to figure out different and “new” ways to layout their routines using those SAME moves.
New moves are great. But exercises are just one training variable.
So on that note…I wanted to share with you a great quick tweak you could plan into your routine today even….
A DROP SET!
Ever feel like you have just a little bit left in the tank but not enough to do another rep with the weight you are currently using?
Want to push past failure just a bit to really burn out an area?
Then add in a drop set.
It can be used as part of a burnout OR even as a final set to your primary lift.
I love using it especially for things like hip thrusters or weighted glute bridges to create that little extra pump and burn.
Heck, I love to hate it on bench press even haha
So….What is a drop set?
Basically to do a drop set, you perform a round of an exercise with a certain weight and then reduce the weight to complete more reps without resting immediately after.
You are dropping weight to be able to complete more reps “past failure.”
For instance, if you hit a 6 rep max on hip thrusters, you could instantly finish that round, reduce the weight, and then without resting, bust out 15 more reps for a killer burn.
Those are 15 reps you wouldn’t have been able to do had you not reduced the loads.
And because you are doing them right after the 6 reps, you’re pushing through fatigue instead of getting to recovery like between previous rounds.
When using drop sets, you don’t always have to go up in reps for the drop set. You could do the same number or even fewer depending on how you want to use the drop set and how much you reduce loads.
You can even use more than one drop set in a row, especially if you’re using this as a burner to end your workout.
The point is, this is a new and different technique you may use that challenges your body in a different way with technically LIGHTER loads. (Too often we think adding weight is the only way to challenge ourselves!)
It’s an easy tweak you could make to your workouts TODAY even to test out.
And this technique can be implemented in different ways to benefit you and your specific goals.
Because guess what should ultimately drive EVERY SINGLE VARIABLE you adjust in your program?
YOU AND YOUR GOALS!
Below is one way you can try out a drop set!
Using Drop Sets:
If you set a primary lift to start your workout…say hip thrusters…you could start with 15 reps, rest, 12 reps, rest, 8 reps then immediately perform a drop set of 15 reps.
So you would do max weight for each round of reps, resting 60-90 seconds between rounds until the final round of 8 reps where you would do max weight for those 8 then immediately lower the loads and bust out 15 reps!
Try it today!
You can adjust the reps listed too based on if you want to work more on maximal strength or more on strength endurance.
You can even adjust the number of rounds you do or the reps you perform based on the muscles/moves you plan to include.
Drop sets can be killer for deadlift, bench press, lunges, overhead press…so many different lifts!
So have some fun with this simple workout design tweak!
And for some fun and killer workouts that use training techniques like this, check out my Dynamic Strength program!
You don’t need fancy equipment or to spend hours at the gym working out to get results.
When you’re short on time, all you need is your own bodyweight and 10 minutes.
In that time you can get in a killer workout to strengthen your ENTIRE core – everything down your frontside AND your backside.
And while this workout is called the Backside Burner it targets more than just your back, hamstrings and butt. It will also work your abs, serratus anterior, obliques, quads and shoulders!
Complete 3 rounds of each circuit, moving right from one exercise to the next. After you finish the first circuit, perform 40 seconds of active rest before moving on to the second circuit. Beginners can fully rest between circuits instead of performing the active rest. Click on each exercise below to see a video demonstration and more information!
Often when we think about getting in a killer cardio workout, we eliminate as much rest as possible and put in longer work intervals.
But guess what happens when you rest less?
Your power, speed, quickness, intensity all DROP.
If you don’t have as much time to recover, while you may be going “all out” every round, your output will still dip.
So sometimes including a bit MORE rest can allow you to actually work HARDER during the intervals of work and keep your output higher throughout the entire workout.
While I love workouts that shorten rest, giving you half or even just a quarter of the time you worked to recover, there is also something to be said for workouts that allow you to rest equal to the time you worked.
That equal work to rest setup allows you to go harder each and every work interval so your intensity stays higher throughout!
You may even find you include extra rest between rounds to keep your intensity higher!
But if you’re looking for a great cardio killer that gives you a bit of extra rest so you can get even MORE out of the session, try this 30/30 Bodyweight Cardio Workout.
WORKOUT: Set a timer for 30 second intervals. You will work for 30 seconds then rest for 30 seconds before moving on to the next exercise. Go through the circuit, resting 30 seconds between moves. Do not rest extra between rounds although beginners can rest 1 minute if needed between rounds. Complete 3-6 rounds. If you are short on time, just complete 3 rounds.
DO NOT SHORTEN REST. Get in more reps during the intervals of work. Intensify variations. But do not shorten rest to make things harder. If it doesn’t feel hard, you need to push yourself harder during those work intervals! You should feel like you NEED the rest to fully recover whether from your muscles burning or your heart rate elevating.
When you have access to limited space and equipment, sliders are a great way to make basic bodyweight moves even more fun and challenging while being easy to take with you anywhere!
So whether you need a quick go-to option at home or a workout when you’re short on time and traveling, try this Slider Upper Body And Core Burner that’s just about 10 minutes long!
Set a timer for 30 second intervals of work and move right from one exercise to the next. The final exercise in each circuit can also be modified to be a full rest interval if needed. Complete 2 rounds through each circuit, resting up to 1 minute between circuits.
To do Knee Tuck Push Ups, place your feet on sliders and set up in a plank position with your hands under your shoulders.
Then perform a push up, keeping your body in a nice straight line as you drop your chest to the ground. Press back up with your body moving as one unit. Your arms should made an arrow shape with your body. Do not shrug or let your arms form a T.
In the high plank position, tuck your knees in. Do not let your butt go way up in the air as you tuck or use the tuck as a chance to rest. Pull your knees in using your abs and then straighten your legs right back out and repeat the push up.
As you return to the plank position, do not sag your hips or let your butt go up in the air. Also, make sure your hands stay outside your chest and don’t creep forward past your shoulders.
Beginners can do this off an incline and do a single knee tuck at a time without the sliders or they can do a push up from their knees then move to the high plank position to perform the tuck.
Alternating Slider Tabletop Curls:
To do Alternating Slider Tabletop Curls, place a slider under each foot and sit on the ground with your heels on the sliders and hands behind you on the ground. Turn your hands out or back as you place your hands on the ground behind your butt.
Bend your knees and bring your heels back close to you so you can bridge up into a tabletop bridge. Squeeze your glutes as you lift your butt up and press your chest out.
You can perform a posterior pelvic tilt to help engage your abs as you hold this tabletop position and even slightly tuck your chin to look out beyond your knees.
The slowly extend one leg out before using your hamstring to pull your heel on the slider back in. Then extend the other leg out, pulling the heel back in again with your hamstring.
As you pull the slider back in, really even think about driving the slider down into the ground to help work your hamstring more.
Do not let your hips drop toward the ground as you extend. You want to keep your abs and butt engaged the entire time as you slowly alternate sides.
Slider Ab Extensions:
To do Slider Ab Extensions, place a slider under each hand and set up as if you’re doing a push up from your knees.
You want to have your hands under your shoulders and your body in a nice straight line from your head to your knees. Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes.
Slide both hands out as far as you can, lowering your body toward the ground. Extend out, if you can, until you’re hovering just above the ground.
Then pull the sliders back under your shoulders without bending your arms as your body moves back into the plank position. By sliding your hands back under, pulling with your back to bring your hands back in, your body will move back into the plank position.
Do not sit your butt back or let your lower back engage as you extend out or pull your hands back in. You want to brace your abs and keep your body in a nice straight line the entire time.
Once back in that knee plank position, repeat the slide back out. Do not let your hips sag, lower back arch or butt go up in the air. Also, make sure you don’t sit your butt back to help pull your arms back in. You only “rise up” because your hands come back under your shoulders.
Beginners may not slide out as far or they may extend one hand, then the other, then pull one in at a time.
Banana Hold:
To do the Banana hold, start by lying on your back with your legs out straight and your arms reaching overhead on the ground. Your legs should be together and your arms should be right by your head.
Press your low back into the ground and draw your belly button in toward your spine as you lift your legs and arms up off the ground. Your neck and head should be in a neutral position between your arms and your legs should be together and out straight a few inches off the ground.
Hold here, squeezing your legs together as you try to get your shoulder blades up off the ground while keeping your low back against the ground and abs engaged.
Beginners may find they need to lift their legs up higher toward the ceiling or bend their knees to keep their low back against the ground and their abs engaged. Beginners can also try an easier variation of the Pelvic Tilt if they feel their low back taking over.
Fly Push Ups:
To do the Fly to Push Up, set up in a push up position with a towel or slider under each hand. You can do the Fly to Push Up from your knees (beginner) or toes (advanced).
Beginners may also want to start with one hand on a slider and the other hand on the ground (black frame). They will then slide the hand on the slider out to the side and perform a push up. As they push up, they will slide the hand back in toward their hand on the ground. They will complete all reps on one side before switching.
If the single slider Fly to Push Up is too much, this move can be done by just stepping the hand out to the side on the ground or even on an incline. To advance the Fly to Push Up, you will use two sliders. Start at the top of a push up and then slide one hand out to the side and perform a push up. After the push up, slide the hand back into the starting position. Even though this is a wider push up, don’t let your elbows flare way out by your ears. Then slide the other hand out on the slider and perform a push up. Keep alternating sides until all reps are complete.
If you want to do the Full Fly to Push Up, you will have a slider on each hand. You will then slide both hands out to the side as you lower into the push up and then pull them back in as you come back up out of the push up. You will perform the fly as you perform the push up instead of sliding out, doing a push up and sliding back in.
Slider Plank to Bulldog:
To do the Slider Plank to Bulldog, place a slider under each foot and set up in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your body in a nice straight line down to your feet. Your feet should be no wider than hip-width apart.
Holding this plank position, use your abs to tuck one knee in and then the other to come into a bulldog position.
Your knees should be about under your hips or in slightly closer in, but do not tuck them so far in you can sit back on your heels. Really focus on using your abs to slide them in, bracing your core to keep your body in a nice straight line the entire time.
Then extend your legs back out, one at a time. Make sure your butt stays down and you don’t slide back too far, but instead keep your hands under your shoulders. Then repeat, drawing one knee in then the other.
Body Saw:
To do the Body Saw, set up in a plank position on your forearms with your feet on the sliders. Elbows should be under your shoulders and your feet should be together or no wider than hip-width apart.
With your body in a nice straight line from your head to your heels, slide your feet back and lengthen through your arms. As you slide back you should extend your body down to your elbows, shifting your shoulders back behind your elbows. Do not let your hips sag as you slide back. You are extending your triceps as you slide back.
Then, using your lats and core, pull your feet back in to the plank position. When you come back into the plank position, do not let your butt go up in the air. Make sure your hips don’t sag either.
Then slide back out, lengthening your body out as much as you can. Again do not let your low back take over. Make sure that you also aren’t simply sliding forward and then back to the start but are actually sliding back and lengthening through your arms.
Superman Wave:
To do Superman Waves, lie face down on the ground with you arms reaching overhead and your legs out straight behind you.
Then lift your arms and legs off the ground, engaging your glutes and back to lift. Try to lift your chest up as high as you can and get your quads off the ground as much as possible.
Holding here, sweep one arm out and down toward your side, keeping your arms straight. Keep the other arm reaching straight out overhead as you wave the other arm down.
As you lower one arm down by your side, keep it as high off the ground as possible to work the back of your shoulder.
Wave the arm back overhead then sweep the other arm out and down to your side. Keep alternating sides as you engage your back and butt to stay up in the superman position. Move at a controlled pace.
