Bodybuilders look big because their muscles are well developed and their bodies have very little fat. Many people try to achieve this look, but it is extremely difficult due to the need for constant training and strict diets. It takes dedication and hours of hard work to have a lean body and lose fat like a bodybuilder. The secret is in how to have a combination of exercises that will increase the burning of fat for a leaner look.
Step 1
Include aerobic exercises in your exercise program. Aerobic exercises increase the blood and oxygen exchange in the body, burning excess fat as the nutrients are delivered and utilized efficiently by the different parts of the body. Toxins are removed faster from the amount of sweat that you will expend while you exercise. Aerobic exercises also keep you healthy physically as well as mentally alert.
Step 2
Combine aerobics and weight training. Cardiovascular exercises such as aerobics are very good for burning excess fat. However, aerobics alone cannot give you the lean muscles that bodybuilders have. To lose fat faster like bodybuilders, you should employ a combination of both cardio workout and weight training. A high-octane cardio, or HOC, workout is one type of workout you can use. This is similar to what boxers do to get in shape.
Step 3
Combine jogging with kettle bell swings. Get two kettle bells and place them at opposite sides of a track oval. Start jogging, and when you reach a kettle bell, stop and pick it up and do 10 kettle bell swings up to chest level with each arm. After you have finished 10 swings, start jogging once again until you reach the other kettle bell and repeat the kettle bell swings. In the beginning, do four laps of jogging and gradually increase the number of laps when you are stronger. The whole routine will be equivalent to one mile of jogging and eight sets of kettle bell swings.
Step 4
Move to advanced high-octane cardio after about a month of doing beginner high octane. This time you will be using four kettle bells and place them at regular intervals around the track. This will increase the intensity of your exercise program, causing you to burn more fat. See to it that you are not over-taxing yourself. Work your way around the track and do the set for one lap. If you are still up to it, do another set and gradually work your way up to four laps. As you become used to the routine, you can work up to eight laps.
Step 5
Change your routine so it does not become monotonous. Substitute other cardio and resistance training exercises that you can do at home such as jumping rope for your aerobics workout. Move to pounding an old rubber tire with a sledgehammer for resistance training and run 30-second sprints on your driveway or your backyard. Set your low-intensity and high-intensity program using these alternative forms of high-octane exercises. Include shadow boxing to increase the level of your workout.
Step 6
Follow a strict diet. Losing fat like a bodybuilder means that you should follow a diet that bodybuilders use in their weight-management program. Eat foods that are high in protein but low in fat, such as skinless chicken, turkey, fish, egg whites and low-fat dairy. Include a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber and low on calories so that you can maintain a constant blood sugar level. Eat more fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, tuna and mackerel. The recommended daily proportion is 30-30-40, where your daily diet should have 30 percent protein, 30 percent fat and 40 percent carbohydrates.
Tips and Warnings
- Do HOC three times a week with one weight-training session for the week. Be sure to have a medical check-up before you engage in HOC. Drink a carb or protein drink after you have finished your workout. Getting a sports massage will hasten your recovery.
References
- BodyBuilding.com; Burn Fat Like High a Blow Torch with High-Octane Cardio; Mike Mahler
- BodyBuildingToday: How to Burn Fat Like a Bodybuilder
- Shah Training.com; 7 Cardio Exercises for Faster Fat Loss; January 2011
- IronAgeClassicBodybuilding.com: The Bodybuilding Diet - Learn how to eat to build solid muscle!
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