If you were to get involved with either my in person 121 (Andy Bonner Fitness) or online training (FITR-You) programmes you will be introduced to (if not already aware of) Metabolic Strength Training (MST).
MST is a workout method that involves intense and highly effective cardio with strength training. It works by maximising your body’s capacity through a combination of strength training & aerobic cardio exercise.
MST has become a go to method of exercise through the blending of CrossFit, HIIT & P90x workouts due to its calorie burning and muscle building qualities.
The great thing is that with little equipment MST can be completed from the comfort of your own home.
So how does it work for fat loss?
Muscle is a metabolically active tissue. What this means is that your muscle is the location in your body where any stored body fat is burned.
The more muscle you have, the more energy you’ll require. Put simply, this means the more muscle you have, the more calories and fat you’ll burn over a 24 hour period.
This is why strength training and maintaining muscle mass through proper training and eating strategies are really important for fat loss.
What other benefits are there to MST?
Can be completed at home or from outdoor setting
I eluded to this above, but the great thing about MST is that you can do this anywhere. All you need is either adjustable dumbbells, barbell with weights, resistance bands or kettlebells.
I prefer dumbbells and resistance bands for the ease of progressing the resistance in workouts. This is particularly important to when plateauing starts to take hold.
Great for your heart and general health
General metabolic training has shown to be helpful for people with type 2 diabetes or are classed as being obese due to the fat burning qualities you get from the workouts.
People who train at least 3 times a week for 45 minutes have shown fat mass loss whilst preserving muscle. A reduction in blood pressure and increase bone density has also been shown.
Burns calories after your workout
High intensity activities have been shown to accelerate metabolism for up to 72 hours after the workout due to the effects of post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), also known as the “afterburn” effect.
EPOC is the amount of oxygen our body consumes following exercise that is beyond the pre-exercise oxygen consumption baseline.
Our body uses more oxygen after exercise than before exercise. We burn more calories during our recovery from exercise than we do before exercise.
Through EPOC you could burn between 50-200 extra calories per workout….that’s right, extra!
Great for building muscle
To add to the above, MST is also a great tool for building muscle .
Since metabolic training uses compound exercise with resistance, at high intensity, it uses and exhausts more muscle and triggers the release of growth hormone.
Growth hormone helps boost protein production and promote the utilisation of fat. It can also help develop larger muscles and improve exercise.
So hopefully you can see why I programme MST for my clients.
If you have any questions on how Metabolic Strength Training can help you, get in contact HERE
Are you a football parent who spends a lot of time taking kids to training sessions and matches and have limited time for keeping fit and eating well? If so visit FITR-You for more details on how I can assist.