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yellow snow
07-31-2016, 09:31 PM
The Most Effective Ways to Improve Body Compositionby Christian Thibaudeau | 07/25/16


Tags: Fat Loss Training
Bodybuilding



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Lose Fat and Build Muscle at the Same TimeFat loss is simple, but improving body composition – losing fat AND adding muscle – is a lot trickier. It requires the use of smart nutrition and the best training methods.
A lot of people who focus on "fat loss" think of their lifting program as a way to burn more calories, and because of that they assume that the key is to do higher reps and a lot more sets. They're right, you definitely have to increase energy expenditure, but not at the expense of the growth stimulus placed on the muscles.
It's more important to focus on increasing density than volume. Density refers to doing more work per unit of time. In other words, rest less during your workouts. This will keep your metabolic rate high both during and after the session. It'll also promote a hormonal milieu that's conducive to fat mobilization. And if you plan it right you'll still be able to promote growth. Here are the best methods.
Method 1: Loaded CarriesLoaded carries simply means transporting weights various ways. It could be walking with weights in your hands (farmer's walk), carrying a load in the crook of your elbows (Zercher carry), holding a bar, dumbbells, or kettlebells overhead and walking with the load (overhead carry), or pushing/pulling a sled. Other implements can be used, too, like sandbags or wheelbarrows.
Loaded carries make the body work in a way that's not found in any other exercise: they combine a strong need to stabilize the trunk, dynamic movement, isometric tension in key muscles, as well as the need to fight "micro-oscillation," a minuscule but constant change in position that forces the body to recruit muscles to stabilize the load.
Loaded carries will...


Decrease body fat: Carries burn calories, promote an optimal hormonal milieu, and improve insulin sensitivity in the muscles.
Increase muscle mass: Carries keep the muscles under tension for a fairly long time, initiate muscular contraction to fight micro-oscillation, and provide loaded stretching of muscles.
Improve hardness: The whole body has to work in maintaining rigidity to stay stable and fight micro-oscillation.
Boost the big lifts: Carries can have a profound impact on performance on the big lifts by making your core bulletproof.

Two Ways to Use Loaded CarriesAs a stand-alone: Do sets of a loaded carry movement just as if you were doing a regular exercise. Every type of loading/length will have positive impact on body composition, but you should choose the method that best applies to your goals.
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https://www.t-nation.com/system/publishing/article_assets/4050/original/Loaded-Carry-Chart.jpg?ts=1468520712
<!-- IMAGE --> If body composition is your goal, either of the last three categories would be effective. If your main goal is to add muscle with some fat loss, sets of 50-80m with 90-120 seconds of rest is best. This will have the maximum impact on muscle mass while also burning some fat.
If you're after more fat loss, then either of the last two can be used interchangeably. The only difference is the mindset you have when doing them. Regardless, you work for about a minute (up to 90 seconds) with a similar rest period. You'll still get some muscle growth out of it, but fat loss will be maximal.
As a medley: Combine 2 or 3 different loaded carries in a circuit or use loaded carries with other metabolic exercises (rowing ergometer, sprinting, rope skipping, mountain climber, etc.) This approach allows you to keep a higher training density – you can basically go non-stop for 10-15 minutes – especially if you pick exercises using different body parts.
For example, you can do 5 circuits of sled pushing (40m), battle ropes (30 seconds), farmer's walks (40m), and Swiss ball crunches (10-12 reps). Another effective one: 50m with the Prowler, 50m of sprints, 50m of farmer's walks, and 50m of walking (the rest period) for 6 rounds.
Method 2: Upper/Lower Alternating SetsBy doing two exercises that target muscle groups that are far away from each other (for example, quads and shoulders) in rapid succession, the body has to quickly adjust blood flow to the working muscles. This constant need to adjust blood flow makes the heart and vascular system work extra hard. This is good for mobilizing fat and cardiovascular health.
Stick to slightly lower reps so you can handle fairly heavy weights while still getting the metabolic boost and cardiovascular effects. Shoot for 6 to 8 reps per set, but you can go up to 10-12 reps on some exercises. Pair two exercises together and rest roughly 20-30 seconds between both. Example:


Leg press 10 reps
Rest 30 seconds
Dumbbell shoulder press 8 reps
Rest 30 seconds
Leg press 10 reps
Rest 30 seconds
Dumbbell shoulder press 8 reps
Rest 30 seconds
Leg press 10 reps
Rest 30 seconds
Dumbbell shoulder press 8 reps

You can use any exercises you want, but for best results apply these rules:


Include one upper body and one lower body exercise per pair.
Try to avoid exercises with a strong postural component, like squats, deadlifts, and bentover rows. If you're not used to high density training, you might find it hard to maintain a proper lifting posture when you get tired.
You can use isolation exercises, but do them near the end of a workout or pair them with a very demanding lift.
Start at 3 pairings per workout until you become more efficient at high density work, then consider moving up to 4.
Control the eccentric or negative portion of the movements, even going fairly slowly.

Method 3: EMOM with Alternating ExercisesEMOM means "every minute on the minute." These are normally done with 2 pairings per workout. This 4-rep method is more focused on strength, so use about 70% of your maximum, using only big lifts: squats, deadlifts, bench press, military press, chin-ups, barbell rows, push press, front squats, etc. Pair one upper and one lower body exercise.
You must start a new set every minute. On odd minutes you'll do exercise 1 and on even minutes you do exercise 2. Example:


Start 4 reps back squat
1:00 4 reps bench press
2:00 4 reps back squat
3:00 4 reps bench press
Etc.

Your first option is to do a whole workout using only that approach. This means doing 2 such pairings in your workout for 14-20 minutes each. Start at 14 minutes and work your way up. Take about 5 minutes between both pairings and do nothing else in that session except for maybe some minor work for the abs or other small muscle groups, but for no more than 15 minutes total.
The second option is to do a regular (but a bit shorter) lifting session and finish that workout with one EMOM pairing for 14-20 minutes. This would be your finisher.
Method 4: Elimination Circuit With Climbing RepsThis is almost like a game. You create a circuit of 5 exercises covering the whole body. They all have to be big movements:


1 squat variation
1 horizontal press (barbell or dumbbell bench/incline)
1 hip hinge variation (any deadlift, Olympic lift variation, etc.)
1 vertical press (barbell or dumbbell military/push press)
1 pull (pull-up, chin-up, row)

Do all these exercises as a circuit. You're allowed 60 seconds (beginners), 45 seconds (intermediate), or 30 seconds (advanced) between stations. Use approximately 60% of your 1RM for each lift.
Start your first round doing 5 reps on each exercise. When you've completed a round of the circuit, add one rep per exercise while keeping the same weight:


Round 1: 5 reps per exercise
Round 2: 6 reps per exercise
Round 3: 7 reps per exercise
Round 4: 8 reps per exercise

You'll be perfectly fine adding one rep per round up to about 8 reps. At that point, fatigue will build up. On some exercises you might not be able to add another rep. When you can't complete the required number of reps on an exercise, drop it from the rotation and continue on.
What happens then is that you get less rest between individual exercises, which will invariably cause you to drop another exercise from the rotation. Continue in this manner until you have no exercises left in the rotation. Then go dip your head into an ice bucket.
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<!-- IMAGE --> Method 5: Strength/Size Metabolic ComplexesThis method is also great for improving athletic performance. It combines three exercises done as a complex (one after the other with a brief rest period). All three exercises target the same muscle group.
The first one is used to build strength, so you'd do a big basic lift for 3-6 reps per set. The second exercise is a hypertrophy movement done for 8-12 reps. The third is a metabolic exercise done with sets lasting up to 60 seconds. Here are some examples:
Lower Body Example 1
<tbody>

Exercise
Reps
Rest


A1
Back Squat
4-6
30-45 sec.


A2
Leg Press
10-12
30-45 sec.


A3
Sled Pushing
40m
3 min.

</tbody>
Lower Body Example 2
<tbody>

Exercise
Reps
Rest


A1
Sumo Deadlift
4-6
30-45 sec.


A2
Leg Curl
10-12
30-45 sec.


A3
Kettlebell Swing
30
3 min.

</tbody>
Upper Body Example 1
<tbody>

Exercise
Reps
Rest


A1
Bench Press
4-6
30-45 sec.


A2
Incline Dumbbell Press
10-12
30-45 sec.


A3
Battle Ropes
30
3 min.

</tbody>
Upper Body Example 2
<tbody>

Exercise
Reps
Rest


A1
Bentover Barbell Row
4-6
30-45 sec.


A2
Cable Seated Row
10-12
30-45 sec.


A3
Rowing Ergometer
200m
3 min.

</tbody>
Method 6: Active Rest Between SetsThis simple method consists of never taking actual rest periods during training. This means you include some light training or activity between the sets of each exercise. This activity isn't so intense that it prevents you from performing at a high level in your actual lifting exercise; it's just enough to keep your heart rate elevated.
One effective method is ab work during upper body workouts, or postural exercises like band pull-aparts and rotator cuff exercises during lower body workouts. You could even do things like forearms or calf work. Just make sure that the movement you select doesn't have a negative carryover to your main lift.
Example:


Do the first set of your main exercise. Take no more than 15-20 seconds rest.
Do active rest work for about 45-60 seconds. Take no more than 15-20 seconds rest.
Do the second set of your main exercise.

Continue in this manner.
Method 7: WalkingAdding an hour of brisk walking every day can do wonders for body composition. Sure you could jog or do HIIT, but if you're already training hard in a caloric deficit, doing too much intense work could lead to negative outcomes like the overproduction of cortisol.
Walking, however, won't raise cortisol. In fact, it might lower it because it helps you unwind and relax. While it won't burn a ton of calories, it can still make a significant difference. A fairly rapid walking pace can use up about 350-400 calories in an hour. Over a week that comes up to 2400-2800 calories. A pound of fat is about 3500 calories. While the math isn't quite that straightforward, it could amount to an extra 4-5 pounds of fat loss over a 12-week period.
Never dismiss something because it's not "hardcore." I walk one hour every morning when I'm in a fat loss phase and sometimes I'll go take another walk in the evening. Every bit helps!

jimbosmith316
07-31-2016, 09:34 PM
Good read!!!

Bigjim551
07-31-2016, 10:19 PM
Chris T is definitely one of my favorite authors on T-Nation. Smart dude. I wish I had half this info at my dosposal when I was 17.

There wasn't much avaiable on training except for the monthly Muscle and Fitness mag. Which basically each pro putting up essentially the same training program month after month. The good thing is at 17 and a lot of food, it works!

Sent from a place you don't know.

Iron Game
08-13-2016, 08:32 PM
Good post.

Iron Game
08-13-2016, 08:34 PM
Chris T is definitely one of my favorite authors on T-Nation. Smart dude. I wish I had half this info at my dosposal when I was 17.

There wasn't much avaiable on training except for the monthly Muscle and Fitness mag. Which basically each pro putting up essentially the same training program month after month. The good thing is at 17 and a lot of food, it works!

Sent from a place you don't know.
I remember those days. 20 sets for bi's the perfect Lee Haney arm workout, lol.

pgb
09-06-2016, 07:51 PM
what i had to go on back in my day was a program from universal bodybuilding that i paid 7 dollars for when i was 15
and the only icon i knew of was steve reeves. never even heard of steroids back then, even though they were known of. boy, i feel old. lol

yellow snow
09-06-2016, 10:23 PM
what i had to go on back in my day was a program from universal bodybuilding that i paid 7 dollars for when i was 15
and the only icon i knew of was steve reeves. never even heard of steroids back then, even though they were known of. boy, i feel old. lol

I still have the original Charles Atlas workouts done by photo copy??? from my dad ( 50's or 60's?). The photos are all black and white and oddly enough Charlas Atlas is naked in a lot of them.......................sorry!! Thinking about old programs from back in the day.

Iron Game
09-07-2016, 01:32 PM
I still have the original Charles Atlas workouts done by photo copy??? from my dad ( 50's or 60's?). The photos are all black and white and oddly enough Charlas Atlas is naked in a lot of them.......................sorry!! Thinking about old programs from back in the day.
Sounds like a nice collection.

pgb
09-07-2016, 07:40 PM
i think yellow snow got a nice collection. mine is a twelve week progressive workout regimen from beginners to advanced with barbells, bench, and a pullup bar. uses chairs for parallel dips, i ended up and built my own, more stable. still got it, nothing fancy, but gives a lot of good info and technics. i've used it over the years several times as both reference and just changing things up. i've never done any of the kinds of extreme workouts i've seen some of you all post. don't think i could without using steroids, which i never had available nor heard much of back then. but in the service, i did my share of 20 and 25 mile humps with almost full gear and of course pft's regularly. if it weren't for the internet and social media, i probably would still be pretty much in the dark about steroids and low-t. most of which i am learning from here. this is quite helpful for me, since my workouts are by myself at home, due to problems with chemical sensitivity. so thank you all for being here.