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Q: “I have a very busy schedule so only have time for a 20 minute workout – what exercise will burn the most amount of calories in that time?”
A: James Staring, personal trainer at Fit to Last, says:
“You should try to utilise as many large muscle groups as possible to maximise the number of calories you burn, so I would combine two complex movements which use more than one joint at the same time, into a circuit session.”
Warm up:
– Jumping jacks fast for 20 seconds
– High knee running on the spot: fast for 20 seconds
– Spotty dogs (switch legs by jumping): fast for 20 seconds
Repeat this twice to warm up your joints and elevate your heart rate.
Main set:
Alternate the following two exercises without rest in between:
– Burpees for 45 seconds
– Lunge jumps for 45 seconds
– Rest for 30 seconds
Repeat this circuit nine times.
Spend the last two minutes cooling down by stretching and don’t forget to rehydrate after your workout.
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Q: “Should I begin my gym session with cardio or weights first?”
“Cardio and weights can work really well in conjunction with each other to get the body you’ve always wanted. The sequence in which you perform them does impact your workout, so make sure you’re getting it right and achieving the results you deserve! Weights should be performed before cardio in nearly every circumstance, especially when combining them in the same session. If you’re training twice a day, you do have slightly more flexibility, but the preference would certainly still be weights first. The main reasons for this are that performing heavy weights in a fatigued state increases the risk of injury, and that doing weights with depleted glycogen stores from prior cardio exercise will reduce your strength endurance for that portion of the session. Also, by depleting your glycogen stores with weight training first, you will tap into your fat reserves more during cardio.”
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Q: “I’ve just started a new fitness regime – how long will it be before I see results?”
A: James Davis, fitness expert and founder of 38 Degrees North, Ibiza, says:
“How long you have to train for before you start seeing results will not only vary from individual to individual, but also with the intensity and type of workouts you’re doing. Generally, if you start training at a moderate to hard level three to five times a week, you’ll start noticing differences in your cardiovascular fitness and endurance after around three to four weeks. If you’re a fast responder (this is usually down to genetics), then you could start seeing changes to your body shape in four to six weeks, but as a general rule of thumb, allow six to eight weeks and be realistic in your expectations, based on not only your exercise, but also nutrition. By eating a balanced diet and doing HIIT workouts that combine resistance (body weight or equipment) with cardio, you can expect to see noticeable changes in that four to six week window.”
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