Cardio workouts

When looking to get the ripped cover model body that drives women crazy and makes you the envy of the gym then we have to look at how you should be training and how you should be eating. In this article we will deal with the training aspect and how you should be structuring your workouts so that you not only retain all that hard muscle but actually build muscle and lose fat at the same time.

Why the high rep and light weight strategy is not the way to go

Most people will think that to achieve muscle gains while trying to get ripped you must go for the pump and train with lighter weight for more reps. However all this really does is create an illusion that your muscles are getting bigger. Yes in the gym when fully pumped they will appear more toned but after the pump has gone so has the muscle tightness. Therefore if you want your muscles to look tighter and bigger all the time then you need to think heavy.

Lifting Heavy weights is the secret to gaining muscle tone for longer

By lifting heavier weights we improve the efficiency of our nervous system and keep progressively overloading our muscles forcing them to get denser and more toned. When losing fat we can't expect to gain a lot of muscle but we can make them look bigger and more defined and this can be achieved by going for a more strength workout approach.

A great way to do this is to lift for 3-5 reps for 5 sets or so. I also like to mix in supersets of opposing muscle groups such as chest and back. This way I can go heavy on both muscle groups without fatigue but I get the added benefit of burning more fat as well due to the extra intensity. It also makes my workouts a hell of lot quicker. This is the method described in Craig Ballantynes excellent Turbulence Training for Fat loss program. Highly recommended for those looking to build muscle and lose fat.

When it comes to cardio high Intensity Interval Training is best

Any fat loss strategy is going to have to include a cardio element and I am a firm believer that when you want to lose fat but retain muscle then high intensity intervals are the way to go. This will help you get more fat burning results in less workout time, and you won't have to do any long, slow boring cardio workouts anymore. If your not sure what interval training is a quick explanation is that you perform a period of intense effort followed by a period of easy effort and keep repeating this cycle for a certain length of time but generally between 20-30 minutes. There are many ways to do this but my preferred choices are on the stationary bike or treadmill. For maximum results do them immediately after your strength training session.

If you're still not sure about HIIT then have a good look at a top class sprinter. Both the men and woman have amazing ripped muscular bodies with low body fat and they get like this doing short intensive bursts of effort.

So to build muscle and lose fat we need to follow a basic strength-training program and hit cardio hard. Train like an athlete and you will create an amazing body.

I am Howard Standring a Personal Trainer who lives in Southern Spain. I coach and advice men and women of all ages to help them achieve a lean attractive body that lasts for life.

For more workouts, advanced fat loss tips and muscle building advice to look like a Hollywood star or fashion model visit my blog http://www.energiafitness.com.

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