Top Naperville Personal Trainer explains the best way to achieve weight loss?

March 3, 2011 - PRLog -- Weight Training or Cardio? Which is Better for Fat Loss?

Do you know the answer?  Now before you tell me I want you to first tell me what Cardio is?  Now tell me what Weight Training is.  Now let me ask you if you believe there is a distinct difference between the two?  The answer is clearly yes, however when you train for fat loss, the definitive line gets a bit blurred.

What I’m referring to is Metabolic Circuits or Strength Cardio.  Strength Cardio is very stressful on the body but is very effective for building muscle and losing fat at the same time.  It combines taking timed circuits typically reserved for interval type training, and performing Weight training movements using moderate weight.  The exercises don’t have to be dramatically different but the amount of resistance should be elevated.  Lets take Jump Squats for example.  Jump squats with only bodyweight are pretty intense, but when you add weight to a jump squat, it becomes much harder and you are not only working your cardiovascular endurance but also your strength endurance, ie Metabolic Circuits.  A similar comparison can be done with running. Regular distance running at a steady pace is cardio, but when you add a steep hill and make it a sprint, or add a weight vest, it becomes very metabolic in nature.

Metabolic Circuits are not something that everyone can do however.  They are not for the beginner.  Someone who wishes to perform Metabolic Circuits should first become accustomed to the stress of Cardiovascular Exercise as well as Weight Training exercise.  In terms of their fat loss efforts, for the beginner, this often is enough until their bodies adapt to the stress.  It is at that point that Metabolic Circuits can be introduced in small doses to encourage further fat loss results.

There are many different methods in terms of time or reps that Metabolic Circuits can be performed.  Often they are timed in 10-30 second time periods of work followed by 25-45 second rest periods.  You may look at those rest periods and think that that is too much time to rest.  However, remember that you are using more resistance than you would with just your body weight, which means you are expending much more energy therefore in order to maintain a high level of output AND see results from your efforts, you need to have a longer rest period.  But don’t let that rest fool you, as you will find you will need every half-second of that rest.

So to answer the question, ‘Which one is better? Weight Training or Cardio for fat Loss?’  I’d say both in the form of Metabolic Circuits.  If you have been training for a while and are looking to ‘ramp it up’ Metabolic Circuits are a great option to take your training and results to a whole new level.


Jeremy (BA Exercise Science and ACE CPT), is a local Warrenville fitness boot camp instructor and personal trainer. To book him to speak at your local Warrenville, Wheaton or Naperville  company, club, or organization, please contact him by email at 30minutetrainer@gmail.com or by phone at 630.885.3309. For a free two-week trial to his Warrenville boot camp to experience the best personal training in Warrenville please visit http://www.undergroundcorefitness.com.

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