Want to burn A LOT of calories in just a short amount of time? Forget the treadmill, the elliptical machine, or even the jump rope. According to the journal PLOS One, a simple 10-minute workout can be everything you need to torch some serious fat!
The study was designed to examine the efficiency of interval training (mixing periods of high intensity with low intensity) on weight loss and fat-burning. As the study discovered, just 10 minutes of high intensity training was AS EFFECTIVE as a 50-minute moderate intensity workout. Talk about making the most of your time.
For 12 weeks, sedentary men performed these two workouts three times a week, and by the end of the study, both groups saw similar cardiovascular benefits and muscle composition. The study is the simple proof that high intensity interval training really does work!
Want to mix this high intensity workout into your daily training? Here's how it's done:
Warm-Up: Spend a few minutes stretching your legs and lower back. These muscles are going to get one heck of a wicked workout!
2 Minutes of Cycling: Keep the pace moderate and let your body warm up to the exercise.
20 Seconds of All-Out Sprint: For these 20 seconds, go on an all-out, balls to the wall cycle sprint. Pedal as fast as you can, until you feel your heart about to burst!
2 Minutes of Cycling: This will give your body a chance to recover from the high intensity sprint, and will start burning the fat that has been activated during the sprint.
20 Seconds of All-Out Sprint: Kick things back into the highest gear for another 20 seconds. Feel the burn and pedal until you're ready to drop.
2 Minutes of Cycling: This is the last recovery cycle before the final sprint. Get ready to push yourself one more time.
20 Seconds of All-Out Sprint: Go for broke, and push your legs and heart to the limit of your endurance.
3 Minutes of Cool-Down: This will give your body a chance to recover from the all-out sprint, and will keep burning/activating more fat.
Want to know an awesome secret about this workout? Here it is: it's going to burn fat much more effectively than a 50-minute moderate intensity cardio workout.
High Intensity Interval Training activates the muscles much more efficiently than moderate intensity workouts. As your body replenishes the burned muscular energy, it uses up body fat. The fat-burning continues for HOURS after the workout ends, rather than the few minutes that occurs after a regular workout.
Want to double down on the effectiveness of this workout? Add it to the end of a resistance training session, and you'll torch an ungodly amount of fat!
