Another day at the gym, another round of “crazy things people do when they exercise.”
Did I ever tell you about the only time I saw a coach instruct his client to stand on a Bosu ball, wearing boxing gloves, and then do some kind of reverse punch / backhand slap while the coach was BEHIND? of him holding the pads?
I was speechless … until, in the same gym, I saw a different trainer instruct his client to put his back foot on a Bosu ball and his front foot on an inverted dumbbell (!!!) and do squats divided.
Seriously, the trainer made his client stand on a dumbbell. What’s wrong with these guys? Anyway, I didn’t see anything that silly this weekend, but I did see a guy do arms, chest presses and then cleanse and superset presses with squats.
Probably one of the worst training orders I have ever witnessed. So today, we are going to cover the best exercise order to get the maximum results in the minimum training time. Is that how it works.
The best order of training exercises is:
Stage 1: warm-up
Stage 2 (optional): skills / power training
Stage 3: Major Movement Resistance Training Straight Set or Superset
Stage 4 (optional): Superset or minor movement circuits
Stage 5: Core Training
Stage 6: Interval Training
Let’s look at each stage in more detail.
Stage 1 – Warm-up
This is not the time to get on the treadmill. That doesn’t prepare you for stages 2-5. So we skip that and focus on a general bodyweight warm-up exercise that covers all of your major muscle groups and joints.
Stage 2 – Skill / Power Training (Optional)
Skill and power training should be done at the beginning of a workout while your neuromuscular system is cool, not fatigued. That’s why you shouldn’t do power cleanses at the end of a workout or superset with squats. Unless you like the injuries and you don’t like the results.
Skill and power training is also optional for fat loss, but if you have athletic or maximal strength goals, this is the time for the most effective training.
Also, this type of training is not bad for fat loss, but it must be done appropriately for all levels.
Even beginners can do power training, such as doing very low box jumps (4-6 inches), that is, jumping from the ground to a sturdy surface, such as a high aerobic step.
Anyway, this is a complex issue and we can pick it up another day.
Stage 3 – Major Movement Resistance Training (Straight Set or Superset)
If you are training to lose fat and do the most work in the least amount of time, you will stick with supersets as outlined in the Turbulence Training workout. Simple and effective goal.
However, if you want to dramatically increase your strength in the bench press, deadlift, squat, power clean, chin-up, or one-leg squat, you can also do straight sets before getting into your supersets.
With the straight sets for the strength focus, you will rest more (2-3
minutes) between sets.
Alternatively, you could overstate one of those strength exercises with a minor non-competing movement or stretch.
For example, if I am focusing on bench press strength, I could stretch my psoas (hip flexor) area between sets, or back delt raises with superset dumbbells, something that uses time between sets but doesn’t alter my strength performance.
Again, another long track for another day … and a future Meathead workout.
Stage 4 – Minor movements (supersets or circuits)
I think you will get more muscle development and strength gains when you choose supersets over circuits. That said, if you just want to lose fat and maintain muscle mass, you can finish your workouts faster by organizing your workouts in metabolic resistance circuits.
Stage 5 – Core Training
I prefer this term over “basic training”, but essentially we are discussing the same thing. Work your abs, obliques, lower back, etc., using stability exercises, as is done in ALL workouts. No abs, no abs. Sometimes old school is good, but not when it comes to abs training.
6 – Interval training
Instead of long, slow, boring cardio, you’ll be using interval training to burn belly fat. You only need to spend 15-20 minutes on interval training, rather than 40 minutes or more of cardio.
That completes the perfect order of fat burning workout exercises. You’ll save time and money with this plan, while getting more results and getting the body you deserve.