Heart Rate and Fat Loss Myth
Quite possibly one of the myths perpetuated in the fitness and weight loss circles, is that in order to lose weight and burn fat you have to maintain a specific heart rate.
That is completely and utterly FALSE.
The unfortunate thing about this myth, is that it has led to countless failed goals, and even worse, disappointment and despair in those who have tried. Low intensity steady state cardio is a poor prescription for successful fat burning weight loss programs.
The quicker you change these two mindsets, the quicker you will start to change your body.
- high heart rate equals the best workout
- must stay in the fat burning zone
In the Turbulence Training workouts, you are going to burn more calories, which will in turn burn more calories when you are OUT of the gym due to the nature of the high-intensity training methods that TT exercise programs involve. Even though your heart rate will spike due to the supersets and intervals, there is no target heart rate to reach.
In the last 10 years, research has shown us two very important things about exercising for fat loss. First, lifting heavier weights leads to burning more calories after the workout when compared to lifting light weights. So that’s why 8 repetitions per set is better than 12 reps per set. And that’s one of the foundations of Turbulence Training.
And the second thing we have learned is that interval training is superior to slow, steady cardio for fat loss and post-exercise calorie burning. So it is more effective and more efficient to use short high-intensity interval training workouts instead of slow, long cardio sessions.
The only time you might need to know your heart rate is during the recovery period of the interval training. It’s important to take enough time between intervals so that your heart rate drops significantly. Before you start your next fat burning interval let your heart rate drop to less than 60% of your maximum heart rate.
That way you get more work done when it counts. You don’t want to start your next high-intensity interval too soon, nor do you want to exercise too hard during your recovery interval.
All of these details are provided in the interval guidelines in the Turbulence Training e-book. And I’ll show you how to properly structure your intervals so that you have enough recovery between each. That way, you don’t have to worry about monitoring your heart rate or anything fancy. Just follow my instructions.
The bottom line
When you workout forget about your heart rate. To ensure maximum results focus on the quality of your training, make sure that you are working at a high-intensity during each lifting and interval session.
The TT workout guidelines will give you all the details you need on the specific rest periods to use between supersets and intervals.
There is a better way to train.
About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit the link below.
