by Shin Ohtake
If you’re doing traditional split body training (arms one day, legs the next, etc…), my guess is you’re probably spending a good 1-2 hours “working out”, including the occasional chit chat with your fellow gym goers…all while barely breaking a sweat.
If this sounds familiar, you already know that it hasn’t worked out the way you thought it would, right? If you’re feeling more like the Pillsbury Dough boy than Mr. Clean, there’s a real good reason and I’m going to show you why and how you can dramatically change the outcome by applying a few simple but very powerful concepts into your workout routine, so you can finally get that athletic, chiseled “300” Spartan-like body.
Let’s get straight to the point: Traditional bodybuilding routines using isolated exercises and splitting body parts were popular back in the 1980’s (when everybody was juicing up trying to look like Arnold), but the science of fitness has come a long way since then.
So why don’t body-building style workouts work (other than the fact that you have to use illegal substances to get any results)?
Because they lack POWER.
Let me explain…
Power is your ability to perform a given amount of work in a specified amount of time – it’s also known as “work capacity”. The more work you can do in a shorter amount of time, the more power you produce. It’s like beefing up your car with a V8 engine. The bigger the engine, the more powerful the car.
Power is key when it comes to getting a lean, fit body. That’s because, physiologically when you produce more power, it triggers a powerful neuroendocrine response—the natural release of Human Growth Hormone (HGH).
Here are just a few of the effects HGH has on your body:
- HGH triggers fat metabolism for energy use in muscle growth, which means you lose fat while gaining dense muscle tissue!
- HGH enhances protein synthesis in skeletal muscles, building stronger, larger muscles
- HGH slows the aging process
In fact, did you know HGH is so effective that some men are even buying it and injecting themselves with it? That’s craziness…you don’t need to! You just need to learn how to workout properly so your body will produce it naturally…
Here’s the most critical factor you need to understand if you want your body to produce more HGH: The release of HGH is dependent on the INTENSITY of the exercises you perform because intensity is key to increasing your power. So you better kick those old school body-builder workouts to the curb, stat!
Seriously though, if your idea of a workout is a series of isolated exercises combined with breaks for small talk, watching TV or texting (my pet peeve!), you can’t expect your body to change.
But if you’re sick and tired of not seeing any difference in your physique and you’re ready to burn off that stubborn fat and get lean and ripped, then it’s time we lit a fire under your butt and got you working out with some intensity!
There are several key variables that will shoot your intensity level through the roof. The amount of rest you take between exercises and sets, the amount of weight you use, the type of exercises you do and the speed at which you perform those exercises has e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g to do with how good your results will be.
This is really important because intensity equals power. Remember, the more powerful you are, the more lean muscles you can build—and that means you’ll burn MORE fat and increase your strength at the same time.
Don’t be like that guy sporting a gut and a headband who stands in front of the mirror performing lateral raises while making grunting noises (thinking he’s being intense)…That is NOT intensity.
How long should a high-intensity workout be?
If you’re working out with enough intensity, there’s no way that you can workout for more than 20 to 30 minutes. Since you’re expending more energy in less time, you don’t need to waste an entire hour doing a more “traditional” workout.
Think about it. Let’s take running for example…If you ran all out at 100% effort (a sprint) for as long as you can, how long do you think you can run for before you fall flat on your face from exhaustion? 10 seconds? 20 seconds? Maybe 60 seconds if you’re Superman!
If there’s one thing I want you to learn from this article, it’s this:
Fitness is intensity dependent, NOT time dependent.
So even if you have a crazy busy schedule, you can spare 30 minutes a day for your health can’t you? It’s a small price to pay for not only looking better, but having more energy and stamina, increasing your overall health and feeling like you’re in your 20’s again.
…And there’s another MASSIVE benefit to doing high-intensity workouts that’s really gonna rock your world, so stay with me…
High-intensity workouts trigger a physiological effect called EPOC, which stands for Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption, but it’s better known as the “Afterburn”.
The Afterburn is when your body continues to burn calories even after your workout is over…for up to 48 hours! That means you can train your body to burn fat all day long, even while you’re sitting at work, watching T.V., and yes…even sleeping.
Here’s how it works:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=p4y-xZXYNVA]
Just to reiterate, the Afterburn occurs after an intense bout of exercise that forces your body to go into oxygen debt. The oxygen debt causes a metabolic deficit, which forces your body to expend more energy to make up for it…and that extra energy is provided by your body fat.
In essence, you’re using your own body fat as fuel to increase your metabolism. How awesome is that?!
And since triggering the Afterburn is directly related to your level of intensity—the more intense your workout is, the greater the Afterburn and that means more fat burning. If you start doing high-intensity workouts regularly, you’re basically turning your body into a fat-burning furnace that torches calories 24/7!
So keep it short and intense, my friend. I want you to workout smarter, not longer so you can maximize fat-burning and lean muscle building, getting you lean and fit in half the time—while everyone else’s body looks the same (or worse) than it did last year.