The key to turning your body into a fat-burning machine isn't more time in the gym -- it's enlisting more muscles.
"The more muscles you work, the more calories you burn," says B.J. Gaddour, C.S.C.S., owner of StreamFIT.com. Instead of splitting up your workouts by individual body parts -- like legs or chest -- train your entire body at once. Done at a high-speed, these three total-body exercises from Gaddour will blast more calories per minute than a typical weight-training exercise or cardio drill. Swap them into your current routine for bigger strength gains and a smaller waistline in less time.
And if you want more fat-loss moves like these, enroll in The Ultimate Boot Camp Workout. Designed by Gaddour, the routine contains a series of 10 intense exercises that will help you torch belly fat, pack on muscle, and sweat your way to a six-pack.
DIRECTIONS
Starting with the dumbbell hot potato squat, do as many reps as you can in 50 seconds. Then rest for 10 seconds as you transition to the next exercise. After you’ve done all three moves, rest for 1 minute and repeat the moves one more time.
Dumbbell Hot Potato Squat
The hot potato squat may sound like a kid's recess activity, but don't be fooled -- it’s also a cutting-edge fat-loss exercise that will get your heart pumping and your muscles burning in almost no time, says Gaddour. It starts with one of the most effective exercises invented: The squat. When done correctly, a squat trains a lot of muscles, particularly big ones like your quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes. In fact, it burns more calories per rep than almost any other exercise.
But why stop there? Gaddour throws an airborne dumbbell into the mix to make this classic move even more challenging and beneficial. "Holding the weight on just one side of your body increases the demand placed on your core to keep your body stable," he says. "As the weight changes from side to side, your core muscles are worked from every angle." (Is your core weak? Click here to Find Out If Your Abs Are Strong.)
Dumbbell Skier Swings
Now you can shred your body like a skier shreds the slopes.
Gaddour took the typical form a downhill skier uses when flying down the face of a mountain, and combined it with the action of a kettlebell swing. The combination results in a superfast exercise that simultaneously torches fat and builds explosive strength. Plus, it's not only great for training your often-neglected hamstrings, but it also works your entire core from your shoulders to your hips.
Want an even bigger challenge? Grab one dumbbell that’s slightly heavier than the other, suggests Gaddour. Your core has to work overtime to stay straight during the movement. So go ahead: Swing away your gut. (And if you're looking to pack on slabs of muscle, check out The Skinny Man's Muscle Plan.)
Dumbbell Shoveling
This next move will firebomb fat and set your muscles on fire. “Dumbbell shoveling is a dynamic exercise the targets your fast-twitch muscle fibers,” says Gaddour. Fast-twitch fibers have been shown to require more energy to contract than slow-twitch fibers, consequently cranking up your body’s calorie furnace. They’re also the fibers that are the most important for building strength and power.
Plus, the scooping motion involves almost every single muscle in your body. Think about it: Your fingers and forearms contract to grip the weight, your core stabilizes to fight against the side-to-side movement, your shoulder muscles control the acceleration and deceleration of the dumbbell, and your glutes, calves, and quadriceps work as you lower down and up. With just one move, you'll melt your middle and sculpt rock-solid muscle from head to toe. (To keep your body healthy, make sure you know The 15 Grossest Foods in America.)
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