You're busy.
You're working long hours and throwing the gym on top can often mean a trade off between your social life / family time and getting the body you want...
BUT
It really doesn't have to be.
By now you should be adjusting your food intake and seeing your belly fat go down...even with the Easter eggs (because you know how to fit them into your nutrition strategy now, right?)
SO your NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY CREATES THE FAT LOSS!!
And it's no secret that lifting weights WILL change your body shape.
BUT that's not all.
Muscle can help increase your metabolism so you burn more calories at rest resulting in an INCREASED CHANCE that you'll keep the FAT OFF.
Muscle is also protective against diseases like diabetes!!
So if you're not lifting weights...there's step 1 for you!
But let's take a closer look at the 3 things busy guys should consider with their training to GET LEAN and fill their T shirt with muscle...instead of fat:
1. Don't train for fat loss- I know, I know...this doesn't really make sense. But here's the thing...to build a powerful lean physique you need to have muscle. To build muscle you need to be increasing your VOLUME of work over time.
Volume = the sets you do X the reps you do X the weight you lift
^^ increase this and YOU WILL create a stimulus to increase muscle!
So this doesn't mean doing endless burpees...
Rather, you could do the following for a LOWER body workout:
Week 1:
Deadlifts 2 sets of 8
Squats 2 sets 8
Leg press 2 sets of 10
Calf raises 2 sets of 10
Leg extensions 2 sets of 10
Leg curls 2 sets of 10
Week 2:
Deadlifts 3 sets of 8
Squats 3 sets 8
Leg press 3 sets of 10
Calf raises 3 sets of 10
Leg extensions 3 sets of 10
Leg curls 3 sets of 10
^^^ So the sets have increased...not the the weight. However, your TOTAL VOLUME has increased so there's a greater stimulus on the muscle.
My point?
It's not all about the weight lifted. There are many ways to progress. Lifting weights IS a skill! The more you do it, the better you get at, and the more muscle you will build over time IF YOU PROGRESS!
2. You don't have to leave the gym crawling on your hands and knees - Again, you might be shocked by this.
BUT going to failure every session may actually decrease your volume.
For example, let say you go to failure on the first set and get 12 reps. You'll now be fatigued for the second set and might only get 7 reps. By the 3rd set you're screwed and get 5 reps. You'd be better off stopping a bit shy of failure and doing 3 sets of 8 or 9...SO YOUR TOTAL VOLUME IS INCREASED!
3. Do back-to-back exercises and high intensity interval training
I don't like being in the gym any longer than I need to. So instead of sitting their "resting" in-between sets and saying you "don't have time", try doing opposite muscle groups back-to-back.
Example: perform a chest exercise and go straight to a back exercise. This will help you keep up your performance (and volume) as you're working different muscle groups that don't interfere with each other. It will also mean you're in and out of the gym in less time and get spend more time doing the things you want to do.
and it's the same with interval training:
Try this for 3 rounds as fast as you can each time, resting as long as needed (can be done whilst cooking your dinner too):
- 10 squats up and down from a chair
- 10 lunges
- 10 plank to push up position movements >>> here's what I mean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuDHTvys3KY (can't help but laugh at the comment I got on the video too...)
- 10 alternate knee rises OR bunny hops as it's Easter!
Speak soon,
Matt
PS. HAPPY EASTER
www.frucifit.com