Try this routine to melt stubborn fat and get a more complete cardio workout
As a personal trainer, I get a lot of questions from people about the best type of cardio to burn stubborn fat. Your wish is my command. This is one of the best cardio routines for those looking to burn off the last five to 10 pounds of stubborn fat. Use it two to three times per week, max.
How it works:
1. 5 to 10-minute warmup
2. 15-45 for 5 to 10 rounds then rest 5 minutes
3. 20 to 30 minutes of steady state aerobic cardio
4. 30-30 intervals for 5 to 10 rounds
For step 1, You can do anything you’d like including 5 to 10 minutes at an easy pace on your cardio machine of choice.
For step 2, a 15-45 interval means 15 second on, 45 seconds off. Each interval takes a minute to perform so 5 to 10 rounds would take 5 to 10 minutes.
For step 3, you can do any form of cardio you want, don’t push the tempo too much but don’t lollygag either in terms of a scale of 1-10 (10 being all out, 1 is easy, go at a pace of 5-6
For step 4, a 30-30 interval means 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off. Each interval takes a minute to perform so five to 10 rounds would take five to 10 minutes.
Let’s break it down:
You start with shorter, high-intensity intervals to get a catecholamine (adrenaline/noradrenaline) response that mobilizes fat in stubborn areas like your hips, thighs, and abdomen. After a five-minute break, you then perform some classic steady-state cardio to burn up that fat that’s been released into your bloodstream. Then you finish with some longer high-intensity intervals to deplete muscle glycogen (stored sugar) and maximize the post-workout metabolic afterburn.
This is a great cardio workout to burn fat and train each of your energy systems. Give it a shot using whatever cardio equipment you have access to. And start on the lower end of the time frames, in the beginning, to see how you adapt and to avoid overtraining.