Burst Training. What you need to know

Make a Breakthrough with Burst Training

If your current fitness routine is not producing results, it may be time to change up your workout.  Your slow, long distance runs and hour long weight training program may be a waste of your time.   

The Problem:

If your typical workout takes you from machine to machine performing 8-15 repetitions of any given exercise, you might be working up a sweat, but you are not challenging your body enough to burn fat and build lean muscle. 

The Fix:

Apply burst training to any weight training and cardiovascular workout.  You can even combine weight training and cardiovascular exercises together into one burst training circuit. 

What is Burst Training?

Burst training uses short duration, high intensity efforts, followed by brief periods of recovery to maximize fat burning potential and significantly shorten the length of your workout.  Similar to interval training, burst training involves exercising at 90-100% of your maximum effort for 30-60 seconds, then briefly allowing your body to recover.   

To design your own burst training workout, pair basic movements together with minimal rest for a high intensity burst followed by a brief recovery period (typically 30-90 seconds), then repeat. 

Cardiovascular exercises can include fast jogging or sprinting on a treadmill, stepper, or recumbent bike.  You can also perform jumping jacks, jump rope, or execute squat thrusts. 

Weight training movements might include chest press, shoulder press, kettlebell swings, dumbbell curl and press, push-ups, weighted or un-weighted squats, pull-downs, or leg press.

Try this basic burst training workout, and then use it as a template for future workouts.

Jumping Jacks 60 seconds  

Rest 30 seconds

Dumbbell Biceps Curl and Press 60 seconds

Rest 30 seconds

Treadmill Run 60 seconds

Rest 30 seconds

Jump Squats 60 seconds

Rest 30 seconds

Lateral Pull Downs 60 seconds

Rest 30 seconds

Pushups 60 seconds

Rest 30 seconds

Weighted Squats 60 seconds

Rest 30 seconds

Mountain Climbers 60 seconds

Rest 30 seconds

Repeat 3-5 times