Rapid Fitness & Fat Loss Discover How To Get Twice The Fat Loss In Less Than Half The Time! WHY DOES THIS WORK SO WELL? By Robin Buck, BSc Physio, CSCS www.fitnessbootcamp.co.za The traditional approach to fat loss cardio focused on exercising in the Fat-Burning Zone (FBZ), by performing steady-state aerobic exercise of low to moderate-intensity for long-durations. Aerobic exercise alone has not only FAILED at creating a fat loss effect, it can actually cause you to lose muscle and store body fat. So what should you be doing to maximise your fat loss and fitness results? The secret when using cardio for fat loss cardio is to deplete your body s glycogen levels (the stored form of carbohydrate, or sugar, in your muscles). This then enables your body to utilise fat (both dietary and stored body fat) as its primary energy source at all other times of the day (during your rest). A colleague of mine, BJ Gaddour, refers to this type of training as working in the Carb-Burning Zone (CBZ). This form of training not only burns lots of calories during the actual workout, but there is also an AFTERBURN effect (EPOC or Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption is the physiological term for this). A simple analogy to explain this involves imagining that your body is borrowing oxygen from your oxygen bank during your workout. After your workout is complete, you are in oxygen debt. Your body then works like crazy after your workout to pay back this debt. This results in a raised metabolism and you burning even more calories for hours after your workout (some studies suggest anywhere from 12-24+ hours). The best part about EPOC is that you control it: the harder you work during training the more calories your body will burn BOTH during your workout AND for up to 24-48 hours after completing your workout! During the first 12 weeks of this programme you will alternate between fast cardio (performed in your CBZ) and slow recovery cardio (performed in your FBZ). The final 4 weeks of the programme makes use of yet another method to maximise fat burning results utilising short sprints with incomplete rests. This delivers the ultimate fat burning experience. The programme is progressive and you will start at a beginner level 1:3 work-to-rest ratio and progress to a 1:1 work-to-rest ratio by the end of 12 weeks. We recommend that you perform this cardio programme in conjunction with our integrated rapid fat loss bodyweight training system (30 minute express boot camp workouts) and rapid fat loss nutrition system. This combination has our clients consistently improving their fitness and losing unwanted body fat on a weekly basis.
Rapid Fitness & Fat Loss WARM-UP: 5 minutes total: Perform a low to moderate-intensity warm-up for 5 minutes. Make sure to select a pace that allows you to sufficiently prepare for your intervals without causing too much fatigue (work at an Intensity Level of 3-5 on the How hard should you work guidelines). In general, this is the same pace you should use for your active recovery periods and your cool-down. INTERVALS: 10-20 minutes total: You will alternate between bouts of fast (maximum effort) and slow (active recovery effort) for the prescribed amount of time within each interval workout. A.) The Carb-Burning Zone (CBZ): Perform all-out, high-intensity sprints (fast walking/running/cycling) for the designated time period. Make sure to work as hard as you possibly can during these sprints for your current fitness level. In other words, you should be working at an Intensity Level of 8-9. B.) The Fat-Burning Zone (FBZ): Perform low to moderate-intensity active recovery for the designated time period. Make sure to select a pace that allows you to sufficiently recover for the next sprint. In other words, you should be working at an Intensity Level of 3-5. 1 Interval / round = CBZ+FBZ COOL-DOWN: 5 minutes total: Perform a low to moderate-intensity cool-down for the designated period of time. Make sure to select a pace that allows you to sufficiently wind down from your intervals without causing too much fatigue. Work at an Intensity Level of 3-5. HOW HARD SHOULD YOU WORK? In order to grade the intensity of the effort used during your exercise workouts, you will utilise a scale called the rate of perceived exertion or RPE. Picture a scale from zero to ten: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 Sitting or lying on the couch, watching TV, reading my book / newspaper 2 Comfortable walk, could maintain for a long time 3 Breathing harder, but still comfortable 4 Can talk effortlessly, am sweating, but feel good 5 Sweating more, can still talk, and just above comfortable 6 Slightly breathless, but can talk 7 Can talk, but don t really want to, sweating a lot 8 Cannot talk (but grunt instead), can only maintain this pace for short periods 9 Probably going to die soon 10 I am dying!
Rapid Fitness & Fat Loss WHEN SHOULD YOU WORKOUT? You can perform your cardio workouts on the days that you are not at boot camp. Try to get in at least one, but preferably two or three cardio routines per week. You will alternate between cardio workout A and cardio workout B. Here is a suggested schedule for incorporating the cardio workouts 3 times per week: Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun WEEK 1 A Boot Camp B A Rest WEEK 2 B Boot Camp A B Rest WEEK 3 A Boot Camp B A Rest WEEK 4 B Boot Camp A B Rest
Rapid Fitness & Fat Loss Month 1 (Week 1 4) Interval Training A - FAST interval 30 sec - REST interval 90 sec 5 5:30 Hard 5:30 7 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 7 7:30 Hard 7:30 9 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 9 9:30 Hard 9:30 11 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 11 11:30 Hard 11:30 13 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 13 13:30 Hard 13:30 15 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 15 15:30 Hard 15:30 17 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 17 17:30 Hard 17:30 19 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 19 19:30 Hard 19:30 21 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 21 21:30 Hard 21:30 23 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 23 23:30 Hard 23: 30-25 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 25-30 Warm-down 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) Interval Training B - FAST interval 60 sec - REST interval 180 sec 5 6 Hard 6 9 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 9 10 Hard 10 13 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 13 14 Hard 14 17 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 17 18 Hard 18 21 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 21 22 Hard 22 25 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 25-30 Warm-down 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max)
Rapid Fitness & Fat Loss Month 2 (Week 5 8) Interval Training A - FAST interval 30 sec; - REST interval 60 sec 5 5:30 Hard 5:30 6:30 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 6:30 7 Hard 7 8 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 8 8:30 Hard 8:30 9:30 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 9:30 10 Hard 10 11 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 11 11:30 Hard 11:30 12:30 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 12:30 13 Hard 13 14 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 14 14:30 Hard 14:30 15:30 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 15:30 16 Hard 16 17 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 17 17:30 Hard 17:30 18:30 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 18:30 19 Hard 19 20 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 20 20:30 Hard 20:30 21:30 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 21:30 22 Hard 22 23 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 23 23:30 Hard 23:30 24:30 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 24:30 25 Hard 25-30 Warm-down 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max)
Rapid Fitness & Fat Loss Interval Training B - FAST interval 60 sec - REST interval 120 sec 5 6 Hard 6 8 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 8 9 Hard 9 11 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 11 12 Hard 12 14 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 14 15 Hard 15 17 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 17 18 Hard 18 20 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 20 21 Hard 21 23 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 23 24 Hard 24 26 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 26-30 Warm-down 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max)
Rapid Fitness & Fat Loss Month 3 (Week 9 12) Interval Training A - FAST interval 30 sec; REST interval 30 sec 5 5:30 Hard 5:30 6 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 6 6:30 Hard 6:30 7 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 7 7:30 Hard 7:30 8 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 8 8:30 Hard 8:30 9 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 9 9:30 Hard 9:30 10 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 10 10:30 Hard 10:30 11 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 11 11:30 Hard 11:30 12 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 12 12:30 Hard 12:30 13 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 13 13:30 Hard 13:30 14 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 14 14:30 Hard 14:30 15 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 15 15:30 Hard 15:30 16 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 16 16:30 Hard 16:30 17 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 17 17:30 Hard 17:30 18 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 18 18:30 Hard 18:30 19 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 19 19:30 Hard 19:30 20 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 20 20:30 Hard 20:30 21 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 21 21:30 Hard 21:30 22 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 22 22:30 Hard 22:30 23 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 23 23:30 Hard 23:30 24 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 24 24:30 Hard 24:30 25 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 25 30 Warm-down 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max)
Rapid Fitness & Fat Loss Interval Training B - FAST interval 60 sec - REST interval 60 sec 5 6 Hard 6 7 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 7 8 Hard 8 9 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 9 10 Hard 10 11 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 11 12 Hard 12 13 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 13 14 Hard 14 15 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 15 16 Hard 16 17 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 17 18 Hard 18 19 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 19 20 Hard 20 21 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 21 22 Hard 22 23 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 23 24 Hard 24 25 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 25-30 Warm-down 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max)
Rapid Fitness & Fat Loss Month 4 (Week 13 16) Interval Training A - FAST interval 20 sec - RECOVERY interval 10 sec 5 9 20 sec hard; 10 sec recovery (repeat 8 times) 9 10 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 10 14 20 sec hard; 10 sec recovery (repeat 8 times) 14 15 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 15 19 20 sec hard; 10 sec recovery (repeat 8 times) 19 20 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 20 24 20 sec hard; 10 sec recovery (repeat 8 times) 24 25 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 25 30 Warm-down 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) Interval Training B - FAST interval 8 sec; - RECOVERY interval 12 sec 5 9 8 sec hard; 12 sec recovery (repeat 12 times) 9 10 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 10 14 8 sec hard; 12 sec recovery (repeat 12 times) 14 15 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 15 19 8 sec hard; 12 sec recovery (repeat 12 times) 19 20 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 20 24 8 sec hard; 12 sec recovery (repeat 12 times) 24 25 Easy 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max) 25 30 Warm-down 3 out of 10 (HR < 60% max)
Rapid Fitness & Fat Loss WHAT EQUIPMENT SHOULD YOU USE? This all depends on your present fitness level and exercise experience. Refer to the table below for guidelines. Pick the category explanation that best describes your current situation and follow the guidelines that apply. Level 1 Your are 11kg or more above your ideal weight You are 5-10kg above your ideal weight and have not exercised consistently over the past 3 months Level 2 You are 5-10kg above your ideal weight, but have exercised consistently over the past 3 months You are within 5kg of your ideal weight, but have not exercised consistently over the past 3 months Level 3 You are within 5kg of your ideal weight and have been exercising consistently for the past 3 months Now choose the equipment that applies to your level: Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Equipment 1 st Choice 2 nd Choice 3 rd Choice 1 st Choice 2 nd Choice 1 st Choice 2 nd Choice - Cycling - running (on the spot) alternated with walking - brisk walking alternated with slow walking - machines (rowers, elliptical trainers, etc.) - Running (fast run alternating with slow run) - Running (run alternating with walk recovery) - Cycling - Running (outdoors or on track) - Only use treadmill if you have to - Cycling (although alternating between running, cycling, swimming and other cardio activities can be done)