Fat Burning Workouts To Torch Body Fat
As many of you know, Dennis and I train the exact same way. We do the same strength exercises, same HIIT workouts, and same finishers. And in our experience, INTENSITY is the key to torching body fat in your workouts.
The problem, however, is that so many times we see personal trainers and coaches giving people the WRONG workouts. Below, we reveal everything you need to know about torching body fat in every workout that you do.
What Fat Burning Workouts Actually Work?
As was stated, intensity is key in your workouts. Workouts such as high intensity interval training (HIIT), circuit training, and sprints circuits are great examples. Not only will these workouts get the job done for you, but they allow you to choose exercises you enjoy doing.
For example, if you don’t like doing barbell squats, you can choose to do a goblet squat or sumo squat or squat jumps instead. If you don’t like to bench press, you can choose to do push-ups or dumbbell press. If you don’t like lifting weights at all, there are plenty of incredible bodyweight exercises for you to choose from.
Do not limit yourself on the kinds of fat burning workouts you can do just because you don’t like an exercise. Instead, get creative and go hard so you can get the results you want!
The Best Fat Burning Exercises…
Below, we have listed over 30 different exercises and exercise variations for you to choose from. The options are truly endless when building your fat burning workouts!
- Squats: Barbell squats, goblet squats, sumo squats, dumbbell squats, overhead squats, bodyweight squats, squat jumps, lunges, single leg lunges, split lunge
- Deadlifts: Barbell deadlifts, dumbbell deadlifts, single leg deadlifts, single leg dumbbell deadlifts
- Presses: Bench Press, overhead press, dumbbell flat press, dumbbell incline press, dumbbell decline press, push-ups, knee push-ups, bench push-ups, dips, bench dips
- Pulls: Pull-Ups, jumping pull-ups, assisted pull-ups, seated rows, lat pull downs, standing rows, bent over row, flat row, dumbbell single arm row
- Full Body: Burpees, mountain climbers, cross body mountain climbers, any kind of jumping exercise, plank to push-up, kettlebell swings, battle ropes, medicine ball slams
As you can see, the fat burning exercise options are endless. All you will need to do is find the exercises you enjoy and get to work.
How To Structure Your Fat Burning Workouts?
Remembering that intensity is the key to burning fat, there are three main workout structures you should focus on when forming your fat burning workouts:
- High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
- Circuit Training
- Sprint Circuits
No matter what style workout you decide to perform, always keep in mind that before you go to the gym you should know exactly what you will be doing that day. Having a plan in very important if you want to see results!
High Intensity Interval Training For Fat Loss
Interval workouts involve doing an exercise for a short period of time, resting and repeating. There are plenty of interval styles to choose from:
- 12 seconds of work, 8 second rest
- 20 seconds of work, 10 second rest
- 15 seconds of work, 15 second rest
- 20 seconds of work, 30 second rest
- 30 seconds of work, 30 second rest
This is just five examples of what kind of intervals you can do. What you want to make sure of with the interval times you choose, is that they are challenging and pushing you!
Circuit Training For For Fat Loss
Circuit training involves moving from one exercise to the next with little or no rest, and completing all exercises prescribed before taking a rest period. Circuit training is a great way to get a lot of work done in a short period of time. For example, you could perform 4 different exercises at 10 reps each, rest for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times. This would take you anywhere from 4-6 minutes to complete. You would then move on to a new circuit and do a different set of 4 exercises.
When you are in a crunch for time, circuit training is the way to go!
High Intensity Cardio For Fat Loss
Although HIIT and circuit training are a form of cardio, you should also include some high intensity sprint circuits a few times per week. Just going out to a track or field and doing 8-12 full speed sprints will do the trick!
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have to do cardio for hours on end to lose fat. A sprint workout lasting 10-15 minutes will burn more fat than any long slow cardio workout ever could.
Remember, intensity is the key to your fat burning success. The higher the intensity, the better!
7 Fat Burning Workouts Examples
(Remember, if an exercise is too hard, replace it with one of the variations we went over above!)
High Intensity Interval Workout Examples:
Full-Body Workout: Interval 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest for 16 rounds (8 minutes)
Exercises: Push-Ups, Bodyweight Squats, Burpees, Mountain Climbers
Push-Ups: 20 seconds
Rest 10 seconds
Bodyweight Squats: 20 seconds
Rest 10 seconds
Mountain Climbers: 20 seconds
Rest 10 seconds
Burpees: 20 seconds
Rest 10 seconds
Repeat 16 times!
Upper Body Workout: Interval 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest for 10 rounds
Exercises: Overhead Press, Bent Over Row, Chest Press, Jumping Pull-Ups
Overhead Press: 30 seconds
Rest 30 seconds
Bent Over Row: 30 seconds
Rest 30 seconds
Chest Press: 30 seconds
Rest 30 seconds
Jumping Pull-Ups: 30 seconds
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat 10 times!
Lower Body Workout: Interval 30 on, 30 seconds rest for 7 rounds
Exercises: Goblet Squats, Squat Jumps, Single Leg Squat, Alternating Lunges
Goblet Squat: 30 seconds
Rest 30 seconds
Squat Jumps: 30 seconds
Rest 30 seconds
Single Leg Squat: 30 seconds each leg
Rest 30 seconds
Alternating Lunges: 30 seconds
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat 7 times!
Circuit Training Workout Examples:
(Remember, if an exercise is too hard, replace it with one of the variations above!)
Full Body Circuit: Move from one exercise to the next with no rest. Rest only where it says to rest.
Exercises: Barbell Squats, Jumping Pull-Ups, Squat Jumps, Push-Ups, Kettlebell Swings
Barbell Squat: 12 reps
Jumping Pull-Ups: 10 reps
Squat Jumps: 15 reps
Push-Ups: 10 reps
Kettlebell Swings: 20 reps
Rest 60 seconds and repeat 3 times!
Upper Body Circuit: Move from one exercise to the next with no rest. Rest only where it says to rest.
Exercises: Chest Press, Standing Dumbbell Row, Push-Ups, Seated Row
Dumbbell Chest Press: 12 reps
Standing Dumbbell Row: 12 reps
Push-Ups: 12 reps
Seated Row: 12 reps
Rest 60 seconds and repeat 3 times!
Lower Body Circuit: Move from one exercise to the next with no rest. Rest only where it says to rest.
Exercises: Goblet Squat, Squat Jump, Barbell Lunges, Jump Lunges
Goblet Squat: 12 reps
Squat Jumps: 15 reps
Barbell Lunges: 10 reps each leg
Jump Lunges: 10 reps each leg
Rest 60 seconds and repeat 3 times!
High Intensity Cardio Workout Example:
Exercise: Field Sprints
Perform a 30-60 yard sprint, walk or rest for 30-60 seconds and repeat 8-12 times.
Sprint: 30-60 yards
Rest: 30-60 seconds
Repeat 8-12 times!
Looking for even more fat burning workouts? Take a look at the program below: