While weight training may more often be associated with building muscle than losing fat, performing high intensity, full body weight circuits is an extremely effective way of burning fat and getting lean. It's important to focus on doing free-weight, multi-joint exercises, which utilize a large number of muscle fibers, as these will make you work harder and burn more calories compared to doing isolation exercises or using resistance machines.
Lunges
Perform your lunges with a pair of dumbbells. Start with your feet together. Step one leg forward, bend your back knee to the floor, and then push back up forcefully. Alternate legs, and do 10 reps per side. Lunges work your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves and core muscles, and according to corrective exercise specialist Mike Robertson, they are very effective for strengthening your joints and preventing lower body injuries.
Clean and Press
The clean and press exercise works most of the major muscles in your body -- the hamstrings, quads, core, upper back, shoulders and arms, which makes it a great calorie-burner. You can do this exercise with dumbbells, kettlebells or a barbell. Start with your legs bent, and the weight held just below your knees. Forcefully pull the weight up to your shoulders, and then press your arms overhead until your elbows are straight. Perform eight reps, either alternating arms, or using both at the same time.
Renegade Rows
Though renegade rows are rarely seen in most commercial gyms, they are brilliant for targeting your upper back, arms, shoulders and core. Place two dumbbells on the floor, about shoulder-width distance apart, and put your hands on them as if you were about to do a pushup. Tense your abs, and lift one arm up until the dumbbell lightly touches your ribs, and then return it to the floor. Do the same on the other side. Do eight reps on each arm.
Turkish Get Up
The Turkish Get Up is the true definition of a full body exercise, as it works more or less everything. Lie on your back while holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in your right hand overhead. Bend your right knee, and forcefully push down into the ground while sitting up and with your right arm still in the air. Lift your hips off the floor, then bring your left leg through, underneath your right one, so you're in a half-kneeling position, and then stand up. Switch to your left side, and do three reps per side. For a more advanced variation, try using a barbell or sandbag.
Tips
To keep your heart rate up and burn more calories, keep your rest periods to a minimum. Try not to take any rest between the four exercises, but rest 60 to 90 seconds between circuits if you need it. Some of the repetition numbers may seem fairly low, seeing as burning fat is generally associated with lighter weights and higher repetitions, however according to Christian Thibaudeau, author of "The Black Book of Training Secrets," the high reps burn fat mantra is a myth -- the increased calorie expenditure from higher repetitions is negligible, and heavier weights are far more beneficial for maintaining strength and muscle mass. Use the heaviest weights you can while keeping perfect form.
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