Burn 500 calories in a 30-minute MRT workout
While HIIT was stealing the limelight, a little-known workout method has been making waves among the type of buffs who measure their body fat loss by the millimetre.
According to WH&F fitness adviser Alice Round (metafit.com.au), metabolic resistance training (MRT) is the best-kept secret for killer afterburn.
“Metabolic training means training that increases the metabolic effect from the exercises on your body’s ability to burn calories not only while doing the exercises, but long after, in what’s known as your post-exercise energy consumption, or EPOC,” Round says.
EPOC is like the VIP goodie bag of working out. Burning extra calories in the hours following exercise is a perk caused by your body’s increased rate of oxygen intake in a bid to correct an O2 ‘debt’ incurred during exertion.
A study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology in 2002 showed that calorie burn remained elevated for 38 hours after strength training done in a circuit of four sets of three exercises done for 10 reps.
So how do you get in on the MRT act?
The good news for the medium-core gymmers is that there are no tricky moves; it’s basically a matter of bunging together simple resistance and cardio moves in a circuit format.
“Exercises that are full body, high intensity and compound exercises with short recovery periods mean maximised caloric burn during and after the workout,” Round says. Think sprints-meet-weights. The critical point is fighting the urge to rest.
“Keeping recovery short, which means keeping your heart rate up, will improve your cardiovascular system and lipolysis, or fat loss.” While calorie burn will vary depending on your fitness level and size, Round says 500 calories is realistic for a 30-minute MRT workout. Thank your trainer in your acceptance speech.
Top Tip:
“Metabolic workouts are meant to be a challenge. To ensure you get results, switch up your workout every three to four weeks.”
Want to lose weight? Use our handy online calculator to find out your BMI and ideal weight, then choose a workout plan.
