Body Weight Fat Loss Workout

Combine strength training and cardio into one fat loss workout plan? Can it be done? You may just want to give this one a try.

Body Weight + HIIT + Strength Training

From time to time I personally love to do only bodyweight workouts.  There are a few reasons for that: it’s extremely convenient; you can do it just about anywhere, it changes the way you normally train and therefore helps avoiding plateaus; and doing a specific style of body weight workouts burns a bunch of calories, giving you a leaner, slimmer look. Which is exactly what I want when I start to look a bit too bulky.

So what is my style for these workouts? I combine two that you normally do either or: a strength HIIT type of workout and moderate cardio. Only these two together are intense enough to do what you are looking for. Combining both styles of training gives you the advantage of using both energy pathways that each training style uses:  HIIT short interval workouts use the anaerobic (without oxygen) pathway to generate energy, while moderate cardio uses the aerobic pathway (creating energy with the use of oxygen). To do everything in the shortest form possible you need to combine both for best results.

One more thing that I would like to point out, when doing HIIT short interval type of workouts, such as the Tabata Protocol for example, where your maximum work requires to be done in 20 seconds, it means that in those 20 seconds you need to be losing your breath. That’s how hard the exercise should be, otherwise you’re wasting your time.   I’ve seen some trainers use Tabata for Pilates and that is all fun and dandy, but you’re not really doing Tabata  if all you are doing for 20 seconds is circling your foot in the air with a pointed toe. So make those intervals count!

Now I’m gonna share with you two different full body workouts that you can alternate twice a week for maximum fat burn.

Workout 1

You will need a timer to track intervals.

Part 1 HIIT – 20 minutes long

Set your timer for 2 intervals.  First interval is 35 seconds ( maximum effort exercise interval ), second interval 25 seconds ( recovery exercise interval ), for the total of 18 minutes.  You will be doing 4 exercises, with 1 exercise of recovery in between, for the total of 5 rounds.  There is no breaks, you will be going from intense interval exercises to recovery interval exercises. This is the sequence you will be using:

• Jump Lunges ( Max Effort Exercise ) – 35 sec
• Bodyweight Squats – ( Recovery Exercise ) – 25 sec
• Mountain Climbers ( Max Effort Exercise ) – 35 sec
• Bodyweight Squats ( Recovery Exercise ) – 25 sec
• Side Jump Lunges ( Maximum Effort Exercise ) – 35 sec
• Bodyweight Squat ( Recover Exercise ) – 25 sec
• Push-ups ( Maximum Effort Exercise ) – 35 sec
• Bodyweight Squat ( Recovery Exercise – 25 sec

( All of this was 1 round, you will do 4 more rounds )

Part 2 – Moderate Cardio ( 15- 20 minutes )

Pick one of the following:

• Fast Pace Walking
• Jump-Rope Skipping
• Light Jog

Workout 2

Part 1 – HIIT – 18 minutes 

Set your timer for 2 intervals, 40 sec/ Maximum Effort Exercise and 20 sec/ Recovery Exercise, for the total of 18 rounds. You will repeat the following sequence for the total of 6 rounds.

• Low Jacks ( Maximum Effort Exercise ) – 40 sec
• Elbow Plank Hold – ( Recovery Exercise ) – 20 sec
• Burpees with an Outward Palm Push-Up ( Maximum Effort Exercise ) – 40 sec
• Elbow Plank Hold – ( Recovery Exercise ) – 20 sec
• Vertical Leap – ( Maximum Effort Exercise ) – 40 sec
• Elbow Plank Hold – ( Recovery Exercise ) – 20 sec

(This was one round, you will complete 6)

Part 2 – 15-20 minutes

Again you will pick one of the following:

• Fast Pace Walking
• Jump-Rope Skipping
• Light Jog

Warming Up, Cooling Down

Remember: Always make sure you do a good warm-up prior to exercising, perform every exercise in good form, ultimately exercise form is always a number one mistake most people make, and always stretch after.

Picture courtesy of Cedward Brice.