If you're reading this you're in the mood for sweating to the max and burning that unwanted fat. You're motivated. Pumped. Ready to go! Well, sort of. You have no idea where to start. Fear not young one, we will guide you through the dark and into the low-fat light. Here are 8 of the best workouts you can do to ensure you'll maximise your desire to get into the shape of your life. The goods news? If you get bored of one form of exercise move onto the next. Keep it interesting and your love for training will grow.
1. Interval Training
There's few better ways to increase cardiovascular fitness and burn fat than with interval training. In a nutshell high intensity interval training or HIIT, consists of intense bursts of exercise followed by brief periods of recovery. This form of exercise is a highly efficient means of improving your fitness level and burning body fat. So why is this for of training better than steady cardio like jogging? Here comes the science; your body primarily uses sugar during the intense exercise bout and uses stored body fat during the recovery phase as well as post-exercise.
This is a great one for those on the clock as it's a fantastic way to build up a sweat in a short period of time.
For classes check out HIIT Fitness.
2. Weight Training
Consider weight training the mother of all weight-loss technique. Resistance training, whether it's with your bodyweight alone or with added weights, is an effective method to help build muscle and burn fat. Lifting weights has been shown to increase your resting metabolic rate, which means your body burns more calories even when you're not working out. Basically the more muscle you have the more energy (calories) you need through the day to keep them going.
Add weight training to your routine at least three times a week and mix it up about every three weeks to keep your body guessing. If you're waking up the next day after a weights session and you're not muscles aren't sore it's time to mix things up (The right kind of sore. Not 'torn muscle' sore.) .
Make sure you get a proper training programme in place from a personal trainer so you're kicking off on the right footing. There's obviously an abundance of gyms with really great PT's out there so ask at your local for a weights programme that will suite your goals and requirements.
3. Boot Camp
For a workout that's going to keep your metabolism elevated, turn to boot camp. It combines two of the most effective styles of training: interval and resistance. You'll perform exercises, some more cardio-focused and others strength-focused, full-out for short bursts of time, coupled with short periods of rest. It's planned around a group workout in an environment that allows the body to be fully challenged in order to achieve those gains you so desire. By the end of it you'll be destroyed and never want to return. But for some reason you'll find yourself back in the class 2 days later.
Check out these guys for your next class. https://fitnessbootcamp.ie/
4. Boxing
At its essence, boxing is really another form of interval training but there's no better way to feel like you're kicking arse! It's the perfect platform for a morning wakeup or a stress-relieving end of day workout. Within a session, you will burn up to a 1000 of calories during an intensive challenging workout.
Because it’s high intensity training, you have the additional benefit of burning more stubborn fats and shedding those excess calories. Just a few minutes of boxing will already burn a lot of calories compared to other exercise programs, making it a terrific way to lose weight without spending too much time exercising.
Boxing is also a great way to vent your frustrations and release unwanted stress. We're not saying we should visualise your punch bag as your boss but, well, some people do!
Check out these guys for classes in Dublin: https://underdogboxing.ie/
There are clubs all over the country so have an old Google for the one closest to you.
5. Running
All you need is a pair of runner before you head out the door. But if weight loss is the name of your game, don't do a little jog around the block and not break a sweat. This will do very little as the goal is to burn calories. Running up hills forces you to work your glutes and legs—two of your body's biggest muscle groups— which will get your internal fires burning. The more energy you're using, the more calories you toast.
Want to get really into it? Why not join an athletics club to learn proper form and give it a social aspect. http://www.athleticsireland.ie/clubs/
6. CrossFit
There's a reason CrossFit has become such a booming part of the workout industry—it work.. Workouts are varied—you may be doing anything from kettlebell swings to rope climbs and box jumps to squats—and the routines are designed to be short and intense. The most important thing to find when looking for the box (CrossFit term for "gym") that fits you best: a solid coach who can explain and modify the moves, and make sure that you don't push yourself to the point of injury.
So what is it? CrossFit is constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. All CrossFit workouts are based on functional movements, and these movements reflect the best aspects of gymnastics, weightlifting, running, rowing and more. These are the core movements of life.
It becomes an addiction for people. The group aspect on a worldwide scale adds a competitive edge like no other. You will be hooked.
Check out where you can sign up here.
7. Swimming
If you can't stand the thought of running, or just want to work out without loads of pressure on your joints, do a few laps in the pool. One of the key benefits is that it's low impact so if you're prone to injury it could be the way to go.
So why is swimming such a winner for weight loss? An steady swim burns around 500 calories an hour, while a vigorous effort can blast almost 700. Water is nearly 800 times denser than air (we had to look at one up :-)), each kick, push, and pull is like a resistance workout for your entire body—especially your core, hips, arms, shoulders, and glutes. So in addition to washing away calories as you swim, you build lean muscle, which kick starts your metabolism so that you burn more calories once you've showered and at the hair dryer.
Most of us can swim but you'd be amazed how wrong your technique could be. It's imperative to get it right to really see the benefits of the pool. Try get a swimming lesson or 2 before kicking off your programme. There are buckets of locations around the country so find the instructor and pool closest to you.
8. The Skipping Rope
It's time to kick it back to the good old days of P.E., when you first learned how to swing a skipping rope. Cheap, portable and easy to learn, this is the cost saving burner that's also one of the best. After just a few minutes you'll know why.
Skipping rope burns more than 10 calories a minute while strengthening your legs, butt, shoulders, and arms. And it doesn't take long to reap major rewards. You can burn more than 200 calories in two 10-minute sessions each day. That's about the same as a 30 minute jog. Trust us when we say in 10 minutes you'll be wrecked!
Oh, and whatever you do, don't do it barefoot. Few things compare to the pain of missing a skip and smacking the tip of your toe with a jump rope. Just a little advice.
Check out this vid for some skipping tips: