In the bodybuilding-world people say I need better conditioning. Normal people say I want a six pack... but in reality, they are both saying the same thing. They are asking how can I take the physique I have and reduce body-fat while still keeping my muscles in growth-mode?
It seems like a lofty goal, but it really is not – and here are five things which I personally leverage, when getting in top shape is my goal:
1. Realize it takes time. This isn’t intended to be a bummer, just a reality check. The good news is that it doesn’t really take a lot of time. I would say that substantial changes can be made in a three-month period; and implementing the following four steps will make a difference.
2. Play the Calorie Game – from both sides. There is a lot of nuance to proper eating. Carbs vs protein, blood sugar levels, etc. But if you are looking to achieve a leaner look, you must be paying attention to your calories with the simple goal of “Consume less & Burn more.” Here are two ways to do this:
a. Consume fewer calories during the day: Look at portion size, snacks, high-fat foods, emotional eating, and overall bad diet structure. It is not hard to see where improvements can be made, calories can be shifted from carbs to proteins, and where unnecessary calories can be trimmed.
b. Exercise more to burn more: We all know that exercise burns calories, and more exercise burns even more calories. This is also a chance to erase some mistakes that may have been made during the day (if you are willing to hold yourself accountable and put in the work).
3. Add a daily cardio session that’s not part of your workout. Picking up on the point above, adding a cardio session will burn additional calories. But the benefit doesn’t stop there. I recommend you add this cardio session as far away from your regular workout as possible... Like if you work out in the evening, then add this session in the morning or at lunch.
Having a sustained high heart rate twice a day not only increases Calorie Burn, but it keeps your metabolism rev’d up extra-long. It is like flipping the anabolic switches twice a day. Additionally, your metabolic rate doesn’t come right down to baseline the moment exercising ends; rather, it tapers down, keeping the metabolic furnace burning even after you step off the elliptical. From my experience this double spike in heart rate is the most impactful way to make fast gains in conditioning and get those abs showing.
4. Spike your heart rate at the end of every workout. This is like incorporating some targeted HIIT training in every workout. “HIIT” stands for High Intensity Interval Training, and to paraphrase the concept, the goal is to raise the heart rate pretty high, for a short period of time (then repeat the process) to effectively burn calories and enhance metabolic activity in a shorter period of time than regular “steady-state” exercise. Specifically, what I am telling you to do is to find an exercise that is linked to the body part you’re training, where you can perform 3-5 sets, and each set leaved you totally gassed. And make this the finisher of your workout.
a. For Chest n Triceps training I recommend three or four sets of 20 burpees to finish
b. For Back n Bis day, some high rep deadlifts: 20-25 reps of a moderate weight
c. For Shoulders, high-rep clean and press
d. For Leg day, sled pushes do the trick
e. and if your gym has a Jacobs Ladder, four rounds of 100 steps on there is always a great finisher.
5. Speed up the workout pace. If conditioning is the goal, train for it. Take shorter rest periods between sets. Look for chances to incorporate “active rest.” This may be like a super set or something... For example, if you usually take 2 minutes between sets on the bench press, then fill that time with crunches, or superset in triceps.
This way you can give your target muscle group a rest, while still burning calories and keeping the heart rate extra elevated.
This information was compiled from personal experience and does not constitute medical advice. Review and implementation of these suggestions is solely at your discretion, and in doing so you release Chris MacKenzie, BPI Sports, of any liability.
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