Lift Weights To Lose Weight

Strip away body fat by training with free weights

If you’ve tried and failed to lose weight before, the chances are you tried to do it through more running or cycling, especially slow, long-distance jogs or rides.

But while steady state cardio when you run, cycle or swim at a consistent intensity for a significant amount of time has many health benefits, maximising fat loss isn’t one of them. Instead you need to hit the free weights if you want to strip away body fat quickly and transform your body.

In one study, published in the Journal Of Applied Physiology, people who followed a resistance training programme added more muscle, got stronger and torched body fat. The subjects’ strength levels increased by 36%, and they reduced body fat by an average of 02kg, despite their total weight not changing. This means they lost fat but added muscle mass and, because muscle is active tissue, their resting energy expenditure (calories burned at rest) increased by 6.8% too. So not only did they get lean, but their streamlined bodies then helped them stay lean.

Do Supersets To Torch Fat:

Perform these moves back to back for four sets of eight reps each to blitz your belly

1_/Pull-up and triceps dip:
Why This superset will add serious size to your armsHow For the pull-ups., hang from a bar with an overhand grip. Squeeze your lats to pull your chest up towards your hands then lower until your arms are straight again. That’s one rep. After eight reps, move on to parallel bars.
Keeping your chest up, bend your elbows to lower yourself as far as you can, then press back up to the start. That’s one rep. Rest for 60 seconds after the final rep, then repeat for a total of four supersets.

2_/Back squat and front squat:

Why This superset will send your heart rate rocketing and build bigger legs

How For the back squat stand tall with the barbell across the back of your shoulders. Keeping your chest up and core braced, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground, then stand back up. That’s one rep.
After eight reps, re rack the bar, then lift it again so it’s across the front of your shoulders. Follow the same form as with the back squat. That’s one rep. Rest for 60 seconds after the final rep, then repeat for a total of four supersets.

3_/Overhead press and bent-over row:

Why This superset will add mass to your shoulders and upper back

How For the overhead press hold a barbell across the front of your shoulders.
Press the bar directly overhead until your arms are straight, then lower it to the start. That’s one rep. After eight reps, lower the bar to your thighs.
From there, hinge forward from your hips with arms straight. Row the bar up towards your chest, leading with your elbows, then lower it under control. Rest for 60 seconds after the final rep, then repeat for a total of four supersets.

4_/Deadlift and press-up:

Why This superset works your heart harder by alternating blood flow between your upper and lower body

How Stand in front on a barbell, then squat down and grip it with both hands. With your chest up push through your heels to raise the bar. Push your hips forward at the top, then reverse the movement. That’s one rep.
After eight reps, get into the press up position with hands under your shoulders. Bend your elbows to lower your chest, then press back up.
That’s one rep.
Rest for 60 seconds after the final rep, then repeat for a total of four supersets.