A Simple Program - How to get Stronger and Leaner

Since I posted about my fat loss progress through changing my diet I’ve had a couple of questions about what training methods I used during the same period.

If you missed the first post catch it HERE.

First, understand that the changes in diet were the BIGGEST factor in shedding the blubber, eating more veg and limiting sugar and starch intake put the body in a healthier state and fat loss was made much easier.

The changes I made to my diet were also PERMANENT. Not that I don’t grab a pizza or a beer once in a while, but 90% of my diet is now locked down and will be for the rest of my life. This is why I prefer to call these not just diet changes….but LIFESTYLE changes!

Anyway I’ll presume that you’re diet is awesome and let you see how I trained for fat loss….

There are 3 things you must always do in a training program:

1) Build or maintain strength

2) Build or maintain muscle

3) Build or maintain conditioning

Using these principles I used Dan John’s 40 day program to build my strength and maintain muscle. This program simply requires 2 sets of 5 reps on 3 BIG strength exercises. You perform the same workout for 40 workouts, you can do the whole 40 days in a row, or have the weekends off as I did and thus taking 8 weeks to complete.

I also added in 1 set of kettlebell swings for 20-50 reps and 1 set of Turkish get-ups for 5 reps. And that was it! For the strength work, the weights should be around 85% of your max but you MUST take lighter and heavier sets throughout each week according to how strong you feel. Keep the swings fast and the get-ups strict.

So a workout looked like this:

1. Box Squat: 2 sets of 5 reps

2. Bench Press: 2 sets of 5 reps

3. Pull-ups: 2 sets of 5 reps

4. Kettlebell swings: 1 set of 20-50 reps

5. Turkish Get-Up: 1 set of 5 reps

I did this workout for 40 straight workouts, which took 8 weeks. I trained Mon-Fri and had weekends off. If we go back to the 3 points I made above, this program ensures that I build strength and at least maintain my muscle mass, so what about the conditioning? Check it out…..

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday I did some extra fat loss work and I did whatever the hell I could think of that was intense and got my heart rate pumping.

Here’s a few examples:

• 10 minutes of kettlebell swings (as many in 10 mins as possible)
• 12 minutes of kettlebell swings and skipping (alternating every 30-60 seconds)
• Tabata Style front squats (awesome)
• Front squats and sprints combined (usually 5-6 sets)
• Sled drag and sprints combined (again, usually 5-6 sets)

These short conditioning drills were INTENSE, which was the main factor in stimulating some killer fat loss. Each drill took anywhere from 4-15 minutes and no longer. These short workouts got my heart racing but didn’t break my body down, this is KEY to recovery.

Once or twice a week I went on a brisk walk for 60 mins for my ‘cardio’, walking is a great non-impact exercise and helped my mind to relax too haha!

This program was really simple but it WORKS!

Going back to the 3 points I made above, this workout ensures that:

1) Build or maintain strength (using the 40 day program)

2) Build or maintain muscle (using the 40 day program)

3) Build or maintain conditioning (using conditioning drills 3 times per week)

If you want to burn off some fat get training like this NOW, the most important thing is to TAKE ACTION, change one thing about your diet, get one more hour of sleep per night, take a long walk twice a week. YOU are the only person who can decide how you train, how you eat and how you recover.

Start making the changes and make it a permanent lifestyle change, you won’t go back I promise J

Feedback/comments/questions are always welcome, drop them below!

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