Fat Burning Squat Workout.
This workout from 121personaltraining.com?is a great way to take your leg training and general conditioning to another level.
Our fat burning squat workout is taken from the golden age of physical culture, and will build muscle, boost metabolism, stabilise hormone levels, improve cardiovascular function and increase mental toughness.
Breathing squats or ‘widowmakers’ are old school 20 rep squats performed with a barbell on your back.
They are called ‘widowmakers’ due to being an absolute ‘killer’ of an exercise!
The high rep nature of breathing squats mean that it’s often not possible to complete all twenty reps without stopping to pause for breathe part way through.
This means that you often spend an much longer time working the muscles and also the cardiovascular system, than you would during your regular round of 8, 10 or 12 rep squats.
Most people will have good muscle building results from breathing squats, due to the fact that the muscles are under tension for an extended period of time.
Breathing squats will also send the body into an oxygen debt, where the muscles are literally crying out for more air, meaning that the body responds by burning fat post-workout.
This fat burning squat workout will also take your lower body muscular endurance to new levels.
Here’s the fat burning squat workout:
Beginners should start with a fairly light weight – around 10kg for women and 20kg for men – to give themselves room to increase the weight over subsequent workouts.
Intermediate trainees should work with around a third of their bodyweight to begin with.
Advanced trainees should aim to work breathing squats with their 10 rep max weight.
Warm up with mobility work and then work 2-3 rounds of light (or even bodyweight) squats for 10-15 reps.
Unrack the bar – or clean it up onto your shoulders if you don’t have a rack – and let’s get ready for the main work.
Go for 5 rounds of 20 rep squats – that’s a hundred squats in total.
Stop and breathe whenever you need to, but get through the 20 reps.
Rest for 90-120 seconds between each round.
If you are still standing after you complete the five rounds, then well done and add more weight next time!
For an additional conditioning challenge, cut the recovery times on subsequent workouts.
Advanced trainees can add some thigh, hamstring and calf isolation exercises after their 20 rep squats, although many believe that if you are able to do more work after your breathing squats then you haven’t been lifting heavy enough!
Best of luck with our fat burning squat workout!
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121personaltraining.com – fat burning squat workout.
