Boot Camps and Interval Training Burn Fat Fast
Want to lose fat but don't have two hours a day to spend in the gym? Boot camps and interval training are becoming increasingly popular as quick, fat-burning workouts.
Boot camps are one of the best methods to burn fat quickly and tone up. Many gyms offer boot camps; independent instructors offer group boot camps (often outdoors), and there's always the option of doing them at home with a workout DVD.
What to Expect from a Boot Camp Class
The goal of boot camps is to provide high-intensity cardiovascular workouts in combination with strength training. Each exercise is typically performed in a short, timed interval, with the notion that you will take your body to the limit because you often only have to perform each exercise for 30 seconds to one minute.
There are many types of boot camp classes (bridal boot camp, mommy boot camp, beach boot camp), so it is difficult to generalize what types of exercises to expect; however, these exercises are common to most boot camps:
- jumping jacks
- planks
- weight training with dumbbells (bicep curls, rows, tricep kickbacks)
- relays (sprints, indian runs)
- push-ups
- jump rope
- squats and lunges (with or without weights)
- ab exercises on exercise balls or BOSU balls
Benefits of Boot Camp: Burn Fat, Get Muscle
The greatest benefit of boot camp classes is that they let you build muscle with strength training and burn fat with cardio, all within a short amount of time. In addition, it is hard not to find these classes motivating! Being in a group environment will make you less likely to cut corners and it may bring out your competitive side. Also, for those who experience exercise boredom on the treadmill or stationary bike, boot camps switch activities so quickly that they keep you engaged, even if you choose to do the workout at home.
Interval Training: Increase Your Metabolism For Fast Fat and Calorie Burning
Interval training, in many ways, is based on a similar philosophy as boot camps. It requires short bursts of high intensity exercise alternating with a recovery period. The main difference is that boot camps tend to focus on strength training more than interval training does. Many gyms offer interval training classes, and you can also do this outdoors or at home.
Interval Training How-To's: Work Out At Home
There are a variety of ways to do interval training. The easiest way to start is to choose your favorite cardiovascular activity and set interval goals for yourself. For example, if you tend to run on a treadmill, start with a warm-up walk or jog for two minutes. Then, set yourself at a sprinting pace for your high-intensity interval. According to the article "A Healthy Mix of Rest and Motion" by The New York Times' Peter Jaret, you should make sure these intervals are one to four minutes long and at 80-85% of your maximum heart rate. You need to really push yourself and be out of breath. Have your next interval be at a slower pace with an incline for a minute, and then reduce the incline and stay at the same pace for a minute, before returning back to your high-intensity interval.
There are endless options for interval training. The key is to make sure you are working as hard as possible during the high intensity exercises and not letting your heart rate return completely to its resting rate during the low intensity intervals.
Benefits of Interval Training: Increase Endurance and Increase Fat Burning
Jaret's article states, that "a workout with steep peaks and valleys can dramatically improve cardiovascular fitness and raise the body’s potential to burn fat." Many people have found that interval training has provided them with the following benefits:
- increased endurance
- increased fat burning (supported by scientific evidence in Jaret's article)
- fast results (a matter of weeks)
- shorter workouts with greater results
- lean hips and thighs
Take a Chance with These Fat-Burning Workouts
Many workout classes at gyms are based on the principles of interval training. Cycling classes, for instance, provide short bursts of high intensity sprints followed by lower intensity intervals. Similarly, boot camps at gyms are based on short cycles of intense exercises. Trying out a gym class or an exercise DVD is the best way to get a feel for boot camps and interval training. Once you see how they work, you can do them yourself, too. For anyone with a busy schedule who desires an increased level of fitness, try to fit these types of exercises into your schedule two to three times a week, and you will see fast results.
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