Weight training to burn fat!

Along with a good cardio routine, a proper weight training regimen is important especially if you're looking to add on some muscle. Getting leaner and adding more muscle is indirectly another way of losing fat. It is sort of complementary- lose fat, gain muscle. Muscles need energy to work (in other words, calories), thereby improving your metabolism. And an improved metabolism is what will get you closer to your goals. One of the indicators floating around, the Body Mass Index is a fairly inaccurate measure, in that, it gives you no idea what percentage of your body is fat and what muscle. The key thing to watch out for is the body fat percentage. More on that later.

So, as I pointed out, a proper weight regimen is needed to put on muscle and shed fat. Someone looking to cut down on fat would probably lay more emphasis on a good cardio workout, but again, that doesn't take anything away from the importance of weight training.

If your goal is to lose fat then you can probably do weight training three times a week. Each of those days, 3 exercises each targeting two sets of muscles is usually the way to go. So, one day maybe you can take up chest - bicep, the next shoulder - tricep and finally back - legs. You could go in for either two or three sets per exercise- repetitions of 12-10-8 or 15-12-10. It is recommended that you increase the intensity as you go from the first to the last set of each exercise. Weight machines are always good for starts, one can gradually move on to free weights, as and when needed. You could also look at multi-joint exercises. As aforementioned, if your goal is to gain muscle then you may lay more emphasis on working your muscles and joints. However, if you want a workout more inclined towards weight training, make sure you consult a professional before taking the plunge.

Some DO's and DONT's

• Always remember to warm up before weight training
• Start with light weights at the onset and gradually work your way to heavier weights
• Sometimes people tend to overwork their muscles, not giving them enough time to recuperate, finally leading to muscle fatigue. Give a minimum of 3 days rest before working the same muscle
• Do include body weight and isometric exercises in your workout
• It is a good idea to intersperse your sets with proper stretches
• Take a few seconds between sets; at the same time, do not let the intensity go down
• Drink a little water every now and then
• Always keep aside 5-7 minutes post workout for stretching as muscles tend to get rigid
• Take out one day of the week for rest

Happy training! It would be good to hear from you all what your routines are like!