Are you trying to build upper body muscle and lose some fat? Have you tried in the past to gain muscle and get lean at the same time, only to find you just couldn't make it work? Are you looking to overhaul the look of your upper body by building muscle and shredding fat in as short a time as possible? Well to help you achieve these goals, here are 3 tips you need to keep in mind to get the hardbody you want as fast as possible by getting jacked and shredded at the same time.
First, it's important to note that one of the best ways to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time is to use a technique called metabolic resistance training.
And actually if we were counting this might be tip number 4 in this article...
but then again, since we aren't counting...
Metabolic resistance training or MRT for short is a strategy where you focus on charging your metabolism while performing resistance type exercises.
This is accomplished by performing a hard intense weight routine and keeping your rest periods between the exercises limited or non-existent.
Doing so keeps the heart rate elevated and disrupts your metabolism while you are lifting and building muscle.
Then after your workout, for an extended period of time while your metabolism tries to return to normal it burning excessive calories which equates to...
fat loss.
And keep in mind that although your main focus is to build upper body muscle, if you're trying to shed fat at the same time, a full body workout is necessary to achieve those results.
So what are the three tips to keep in mind when using the MRT technique? 1.
Make sure your exercises are done in an order where you work from the top to the bottom of your muscle group.
That means to work the large muscles first before working the smaller ones.
Stay away from programs that would have you doing arm curls before pull-ups.
This will smoke the smaller muscle group before the big ones even get started.
2.
Don't do exercises that compete with each other back to back.
The example to think of with this tip is not to do a pull-up and then try to immediately follow up that exercise with dumbbell lunges.
As you can imagine, your grip will be so trashed from the pull-ups there will be no way to hang onto the dumbbells for the lunges.
3.
Make sure you using "total intensity".
You already know about hard workouts.
That's not what tip #3 refers to.
This is not just about lifting heavy weight.
It's actually referring to the level of intensity you are using in your workout.
In addition to lifting heavy weights, you need to do your routine in a way that you're breathing heavy, your heart is pounding, and sweat is pouring off your body.
Now, that my friend...
is total intensity.
For a sample of an excellent MRT workout, here's one from Craig Ballantye: 1A) Deadlift - 8 reps o Rest 1 minute.
1B) 1-Arm Standing DB Shoulder Press - 12 reps (1 side at a time) o Rest 1 minute and repeat 3 more times.
2A) Chin-up - Max reps minus 1 o Rest 1 minute.
2B) Close-grip bench press - 12 reps o Rest 1 minute and repeat 2 more times.
3A) DB Bulgarian Split Squat - 8 reps per side o No rest.
3B) Ab Wheel or Stability Ball Rollout - 10 reps, taking 3 seconds to roll out o Rest 30 seconds and repeat 2 more times.
And remember, heavy weights, heavy breathing, heart pounding, sweat pouring...
it all adds up to a great way to build upper body muscle and get lean.